THE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY CHAPTERS IN THE COLLECTION OF PHILOKALIA: OBSERVATIONS ON A PECULIAR FEATURE

Abstract

The work of St Gregory Palamas, One hundred and fifty Chapters, as included in the collection of the Philokalia, presents an interesting peculiarity in its second section when compared to the critical editions by R. Sinkewicz and P. Chrestou. Although the Philokalia version of the Chapters aligns with these critical editions in terms of content – where the theological positions of Barlaam the Calabrian and Gregory Akindynos are criticized and refuted as contrary to the patristic tradition – there is a notable absence of any explicit reference to the names Barlaam and Akindynos and to the epithets Barlaamites and Akindynists. This peculiar feature and its possible reasons will be briefly discussed in the present article.