Divine Emotions: 2Divine Emotions: 2

1.1. The philosophical critique of divine The philosophical critique of divine passions.passions.

2.2. The Church Fathers on divine The Church Fathers on divine emotions: a test case of divine emotions: a test case of divine wrath.wrath.

3.3. Divine impassibility (Divine impassibility (apatheiaapatheia) as an ) as an apophatic qualifier of divine apophatic qualifier of divine emotions.emotions.

Xenophanes against Xenophanes against anthropomorphism: anthropomorphism:

““Homer and Hesiod have attributed Homer and Hesiod have attributed to the gods everything that is a to the gods everything that is a shame and reproach among men, shame and reproach among men, stealing and committing adultery stealing and committing adultery and deceiving each other” and deceiving each other” FrFr. 11.. 11.

““But if cattle and horses or lions But if cattle and horses or lions had hands, or were able to draw had hands, or were able to draw with their hands and do the works with their hands and do the works that men can do, horses would that men can do, horses would draw the forms of the gods like draw the forms of the gods like horses, and cattle like cattle, and horses, and cattle like cattle, and they would make their (the gods’) they would make their (the gods’) bodies bodies such as they each had such as they each had themselvesthemselves.” .” FrFr. 15.. 15.

Xenophanes (6th c. BCE)

Apis & SekmethApis & Sekmeth

Xenophanes’s religious Xenophanes’s religious proposal:proposal:

““[There is] [There is] oneone god, (Or “god is god, (Or “god is One”), greatest among gods and One”), greatest among gods and men, men, in no way similar to mortals in in no way similar to mortals in either body or in thoughteither body or in thought.” .” FrFr. 23. . 23.

Church Fathers on pagan Church Fathers on pagan gods:gods:

Figments of imaginationFigments of imagination Divinized heroes and rulers of the Divinized heroes and rulers of the

pastpast Worst human passions personifiedWorst human passions personified DemonsDemons

Julian II (361-3) Julian II (361-3) against divine against divine

wrath:wrath:

“In proportion as we attain to apatheia, in so far do we become like God. But what sort of imitation of God is praised among the Hebrews? Anger and wrath and fierce jealousy.” Quoted by Cyril of Alexandria, Contra Julianum 171E.

Arnobius (d. 330) on divine Arnobius (d. 330) on divine anger:anger:

““You judge that the deities are angry (You judge that the deities are angry (irasciirasci) ) and perturbed (and perturbed (perturbatiperturbati), and given over and ), and given over and subject to the other mental affections; we subject to the other mental affections; we think that such emotions are alien from them, think that such emotions are alien from them, for these suit savage beings and those who die for these suit savage beings and those who die as mortals.” Arnobius, as mortals.” Arnobius, Adv. nat. Adv. nat. 7. 36. 7. 36.

Def. of anger: “a passion which approaches Def. of anger: “a passion which approaches closest to wild animals and beasts, disturbs closest to wild animals and beasts, disturbs with misfortune those who experience it and with misfortune those who experience it and leads to the danger of destruction.” Ibid. 7. 5. leads to the danger of destruction.” Ibid. 7. 5.

Irenaeus against Marcion:Irenaeus against Marcion: ““That [the Marcionites] might take away the That [the Marcionites] might take away the

vindictive and judicial power from the vindictive and judicial power from the Father, imagining that to be unworthy of Father, imagining that to be unworthy of God, and thinking that they had found a god God, and thinking that they had found a god angerless (angerless (sine iracundiasine iracundia) and good, they ) and good, they taught that the one [god] is a judge and the taught that the one [god] is a judge and the other is a savior, ignorant of the fact that other is a savior, ignorant of the fact that they were taking away the intelligence and they were taking away the intelligence and justice of both deities.” justice of both deities.” Adv. Haer. Adv. Haer. III. 40. 1.III. 40. 1.

Tertullian: anger is Tertullian: anger is judiciariusjudiciarius sensus.sensus.

Two kinds of anger Two kinds of anger distinguished:distinguished:

““[T]he philosophers say that God is not angry, not [T]he philosophers say that God is not angry, not knowing what they say. For anger is evil knowing what they say. For anger is evil whenever it disturbs the mind whenever it disturbs the mind ((mentemmentem turbat turbat) so ) so that it destroys right judgment. That anger, that it destroys right judgment. That anger, however, which punishes the wicked does not however, which punishes the wicked does not bring on disturbance of the mind (bring on disturbance of the mind (perturbationem perturbationem menti non infertmenti non infert), but is, I may say, one and the ), but is, I may say, one and the same affection which allots rewards to the good same affection which allots rewards to the good and punishment to the wicked. For if he should and punishment to the wicked. For if he should give blessings to the virtuous and to the wicked give blessings to the virtuous and to the wicked and bestow similar remuneration on the good and and bestow similar remuneration on the good and the evil, he would appear unjust rather than the evil, he would appear unjust rather than good.” Ps.-Clement, good.” Ps.-Clement, RecognitionesRecognitiones 10. 48. 10. 48.

Augustine on divine anger:Augustine on divine anger:

““The wrath of God is an emotion which is The wrath of God is an emotion which is produced in the soul which knows the law produced in the soul which knows the law of God, when it sees this same law of God, when it sees this same law transgressed by sinners.” Augustine, transgressed by sinners.” Augustine, Enar. Enar. in Ps.in Ps. 2. 2. 4. 4.

““God does not suffer perturbation when He God does not suffer perturbation when He visits men in anger; but either by an abuse visits men in anger; but either by an abuse of the word, or by a peculiarity of idiom, of the word, or by a peculiarity of idiom, anger is used in the sense of punishment.’ anger is used in the sense of punishment.’ Augustine, Augustine, Contra FaustumContra Faustum,, 22. 18.22. 18.

Novatian (d. 258) on divine Novatian (d. 258) on divine emotions:emotions:

““A human being can be corrupted by them A human being can be corrupted by them [passions], since he is corruptible; but God [passions], since he is corruptible; but God cannot be corrupted by them since he is cannot be corrupted by them since he is incorruptible. They [passions] may incorruptible. They [passions] may overpower material which is passible overpower material which is passible ((passibilis materiapassibilis materia), not impassible ), not impassible substance (substance (impassibilis substantiaimpassibilis substantia). God ). God becomes angry not out of vice, but for the becomes angry not out of vice, but for the sake of healing us. He is merciful even sake of healing us. He is merciful even when he threatens, because through his when he threatens, because through his menaces humans are recalled to rectitude.” menaces humans are recalled to rectitude.” Novatian, Novatian, De trinitateDe trinitate,, 5.5.

Augustine (again):Augustine (again):““Although God cannot suffer [anything evil] (Although God cannot suffer [anything evil] (deus nihil deus nihil [[malimali] ] pati positpati posit), and patience (), and patience (patientiapatientia) surely has its ) surely has its name from suffering (name from suffering (patiendopatiendo), we not only faithfully ), we not only faithfully believe in a patient God (believe in a patient God (patientem Deumpatientem Deum), but also ), but also steadfastly acknowledge Him to be such. Who can explain steadfastly acknowledge Him to be such. Who can explain in words the nature and the quantity of God’s patience? in words the nature and the quantity of God’s patience? We say He is impassibleWe say He is impassible ((nihil patientemnihil patientem), yet not impatient ), yet not impatient ((impatientemimpatientem); nay, rather, extremely patient ); nay, rather, extremely patient ((patientissimumpatientissimum). His patience is indescribable, yet it exists ). His patience is indescribable, yet it exists as does His jealousy, His wrath, and any characteristic of as does His jealousy, His wrath, and any characteristic of this kind. But, if we conceive of these qualities, as they this kind. But, if we conceive of these qualities, as they exist in us, He has none of them. We do not experience exist in us, He has none of them. We do not experience these feelings without annoyance (these feelings without annoyance (sine molestiasine molestia), but far be ), but far be it from us to suspect an impassible God (it from us to suspect an impassible God (impassibilem Deiimpassibilem Dei) ) of suffering any annoyance. Just as He is jealous without of suffering any annoyance. Just as He is jealous without any ill will, as He is angry without being emotionally upset, any ill will, as He is angry without being emotionally upset, as He pities without grieving, as He is sorry without as He pities without grieving, as He is sorry without correcting any fault, so He is patient without suffering at correcting any fault, so He is patient without suffering at all.” Augustine, all.” Augustine, De patientia, De patientia, 1. 11. 1

Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444) on Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444) on divine emotions:divine emotions:

““The divine nature is exceedingly terrible in uttering The divine nature is exceedingly terrible in uttering reproofs, and is stirred to violent emotion by reproofs, and is stirred to violent emotion by unmingled hatred of evil, against whomsoever the unmingled hatred of evil, against whomsoever the divine decree may have determined that this divine decree may have determined that this feeling is justly due; and this is in spite of feeling is justly due; and this is in spite of immeasurable longsuffering. Whenever therefore immeasurable longsuffering. Whenever therefore the Divine Scripture wishes to express God’s the Divine Scripture wishes to express God’s emotion against impious designs of whatever kind, emotion against impious designs of whatever kind, it derives its language as on other occasions from it derives its language as on other occasions from expressions in use among us, and in human expressions in use among us, and in human phraseology speaks of anger and wrath; although phraseology speaks of anger and wrath; although the divine essence is subject to none of these the divine essence is subject to none of these passions in any way that bears comparison with our passions in any way that bears comparison with our feelings, but is moved to indignation the extent of feelings, but is moved to indignation the extent of which is known only to Itself and utterly which is known only to Itself and utterly unspeakable.” unspeakable.” In Ioannem, In Ioannem, 12. 6.12. 6.

The Euthyphro dilemma:The Euthyphro dilemma:

"the pious (holy/ good/ "the pious (holy/ good/ just) is loved by the just) is loved by the gods because it is pious gods because it is pious (holy/ good/ just), or (holy/ good/ just), or

is something pious is something pious because it is loved by because it is loved by the gods?" Plato, the gods?" Plato, EuthyphroEuthyphro, 10a., 10a.

Bust of Plato. Capitoline Museum, Rome.