John Scottus Eriugena /

Primarily a commentary on the ninth-century Irish thinker's Periphyseon, this scholarly, compact volume enthusiastically illuminates Eriugena's contributions to the philosophical-theological questions of his epoch, aiming thereby to establish his lasting significance. Carabine (Uganda Martyrs Univ.) traces two grand movements in Eriugena's thought: God proceeds "down" into manifold nature, which must return "up" to God. Eriugena's penchant for negative theology and correspondingly negative ontology defies clarity, however. The diversity of nature that manifests God to intellect is an accident of a deeper, ineffable unity. Such a thesis, along with speculations about humanity's return to the One via not-knowing, invites comparisons to mysticism. Carabine insists instead that Eriugena articulated a reasoned position between Latin and Greek authorities, grounded by his ingenious reading of Genesis. Here Eriugena assigns a pivotal position to humanity. All nature is in humanity, since in naming creatures Adam gave Being to nature. Thus, nature will return to God when the divine element in man is purified of bodily aberrations. Such ideas enrich the tapestry of medieval thought, even if this work does not finally succeed in removing the cloak of the medieval that hangs about them. All academic levels; general readers. ; Trinity College (DC)