Contents

INTRODUCTORY WORD

I. CHAPTER I: The life and activity of St. Gregory Palamas

II. CHAPTER II: The uncreated energies - the works of god

III. CHAPTER III: St. Gregory palamas - theologian of the uncreated energies

IV. CHAPTER IV: The connection between Creator - Create through the

uncreated energies

CONCLUSIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

2
 INTRODUCTORY WORD

Along time, some monks from Mount Athos monasteries, called the hesychasts that
sober-mindedness devote work and unceasing prayer, ,,Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have
mercy on me a sinner”, have come to see uncreated light of God. With time and some
opponents appeared Hesychasts, who denied the possibility of the vision of God, saying that
God can not be seen by humans, thus giving the rise to new problems in the Church. They
rejected the distinction between essence and energies in God, excluding any possibility of the
real human communion with God 1.
Somebody had to take the initiative and talk of the possibility of knowledge and union
with God. I must say that there are no nature (being) holiday, which does not manifest itself
apart by energy. This one was St. Gregory Palamas. He replied that Being hesychasts not see
God, but uncreated energies that flow from his being. Only the Saint learn that only lack is
non-working and non-energy. Any person may be known by works or manifestations2.
St. Gregory Palamas called ,,theology of uncreated energies” and reckoned
,,enlightener orthodox, scholarly and religious hardener” sees in God work, His relationship
with something else, so relations with the created world, but the relationship is not divine
nature, being placed over all. No work is known from being, but being known from the work.
Being remains beyond any relationship, of any impartation”3.
The concern light of spirituality and cult of the Orthodox Church is a very topical
message for believers. At St. Gregory Palamas, divine light is always understood as a personal
manifestation of God. But this observation is only valid if we take into account the distinction
between the divine essence and light4.

1
Article published on website: http://www.crestinortodox.ro/sarbatori/sfantul-grigorie-palama/lumina-
dumnezeiasca-teologia-sfantului-grigorie-palama-69294.html
2
Priest Professor Dr. John G. Coman, The Patrology, the book for Theological Institutes use by students,
Published House: The Holy Dervent Monastery, Bucharest, 1956, p. 138;
3
Yannaras Christ, The primer of faith, Published House: Byzantine, Bucharest, 1996, p. 105;
4
Priest Professor Dr. John G. Coman, op. cit., p. 139;

3
 CHAPTER I: The life and activity of St. Gregory palamas

St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, was born in 1296 in

Constantinople. Holy Father Gregory became an important dignitary at the court of
Andronicus II Palaeologus (1282-1328), but he died shortly, Andronicus became a second
father for the orphaned child Gregory. Gifted with intellectual abilities and ambition, Gregory
mastered all the study subjects who belonged at the time of the full course of medieval higher
education.
The Emperor hoped that the young man would turn to government work, but Gregory,
with only 20 years, he retired to Mount Athos in 1316 (according to some sources in 1318)
and became a novice at the Vatopedi monastery under the guidance of the monastic Elder St
Nicodemus Vatopedi (July 11). There was tonsured and began on the path of holiness. A year
later, the Holy Evangelist John the Theologian appeared to him in a dream and promised that
he will protect his spiritual5.
Gregory's mother and sisters also became nuns. After Elder Nicodemus, St Gregory
spent eight years under the spiritual guidance of Father Nicephorus, and after the death of
Father Nicephorus, Gregory transferred to the Lavra of St. Athanasius the Athonite
(commemorated on July 5th). Here he served in the refectory and then became a church
singer. After three years he moved to Hermitage Gloss, the need to attain spiritual perfection.
For the abbot of the monastery began to teach the practice unceasing prayer that monks,
beginning with the great desert ascetics century. IV, Evagrius Ponticus and St. Macarius of
Egypt6.
Later in the century. XI, St. Symeon the New Theologian (celebrated on March 12) the
detailed instruction in mental activity for those praying outside and Saints Athos put it into
practice. Practicing mind or heart for prayer is needed solitude and quiet is called Hesychasm
(from the Greek ,,hesychia” which means peace and quiet), and practitioners are called
hesychasts7.

5
J. Meyendorff, St Gregory Palamas and Orthodox Spirituality, Crestwood, NY: SVS Press & Bedfordshire:
Faith Press, 1974, p. 104;
6
Fr. Bassam A. Nassif, article published on the website: http://www.antiochian.org/gregory-palamas
7
J. Meyendorff, Byzantine Hesychasm: Historical, Theological and Social Problems: Collected Studies,
London, Variorum Reprints, 1974, p. 40;

4
 During his stay in Glossia, future of hierarch Gregory was fully absorbed by the
hesychast spirit, making it his new way of life. In 1326, due to the threat of Turkish invasion,
he and other brothers hermitage retreated to Thessalonica, where he was ordained as priest8.
St. Gregory combined his priestly duties with the life of a hermit. Five days a week he
spent in silence and prayer, and Saturday and Sunday came among the people, celebrating the
divine services and the preaching, snatching people feelings of love and tears by his words.
Sometimes he visited theological gatherings of educated young people run by the future
Patriarch Isidore. After returning from Constantinople, St. Gregory has found a place in which
to try living in solitude near Thessaloniki to Veria9. Here he gathered around him in a short
time many monks, which he directed for five years.
In 1330 - 1331 he goes back to Mount Athos, incursions forced the Serbs, and placed
hermitage in Lavra of Saint Sava. Also in 1330 there were important events in the life of the
Eastern Church, after which St. Gregory was placed among the most important universal
apologists of orthodoxy, is very famous as a teacher of Hesychasm10.
In 1330 the learned monk Barlaam had arrived in Constantinople from Calabria, Italy.
He was the author of treaties logic and astronomy, is renowned for extraordinary orator.
Barlaam received a chair at the university in the capital and began to expound on the works of
St. Dionysius the Areopagite (October 3), whose theology, ,,apophatic”(negative in contrast to
,,kataphatic” or ,,positive”) was equally appreciated both in the Eastern churches, as well as
those of the West11.
Shortly after Barlaam traveled to Mount Athos, where he became acquainted with the
spiritual life of Hesychasts. Claiming the impossibility of knowledge of God's essence, he
said that prayer was an error heretical mind. In his travels to Constantinople and Thessalonica,
monk Barlaam entered into disputes with the monks, trying to demonstrate the nature of light
material created during the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. He ridiculed the monks
teachings about methods of prayer and the uncreated light seen hesychasts12.
St. Gregory, at the request of the Athonite monks, responded with verbal reprimands
at first, but seeing that there were no results began to bang together his theological arguments.
Hence the work Triads in Defense of the Holy hesychasts (1338). By 1340 the Athonite

8
Hierotheos Vlachos, St. Gregory Palamas - Hagiorite, Published House: Annunciation, Bacau, 2000, p. 382;
9
Priest Professor Dr. Dumitru Stăniloae, The life and teaching of St. Gregory Palamas, Published House:
Scripta, Bucharest, 1993, p. 11;
10
J. Meyendorff, Byzantine Hesychasm: Historical, Theological and Social Problems: Collected Studies, p. 43;
11
St. Gregory Palamas, Complete Operas, vol II, translation, notes and bibliography by Priest Cristian Chivu,
Adrian Tanasescu, Deacon Cornel Coman, Published House: The Burning Bush, Bucharest, 2013, p. 34;
12
Fr. Bassam A. Nassif, article published on the website: http://www.antiochian.org/gregory-palamas

5
ascetics were compiled using saint, a general response to the attacks of Barlaam, grouped
under the title Tome hagiorite13.
At the Council of Constantinople in 1341 in the Church of St. Sophia, St. Gregory
debated with Barlaam, focusing upon the nature of the light of Mount Tabor. On May 27,
1341 the Council agreed with the view of St. Gregory, that God, untouchable in its essence is
revealed through His energies directed toward the world and perceived by us as light on
Mount Tabor, but these are neither material nor created. Of Barlaam were condemned as
heresy, he was anathematized and banished in Calabria14.
But the disputes between Palamites and Barlaamites was far from the over. Latter
were joined the disciple of Barlaam, monk Bulgarian Akyndinos and the Patriarch John XIV
Kalekas (1341-1347); the emperor Andronicus III Palaeologus (1328-1341) also tilt to their
opinion. Akyndinos, whose name means ,,one who does not evil” actually, he caused great
harm through his heretical teachings.
Akyndinos wrote a series of tracts in which he denounced St. Gregory and the
Athonite monks guilty of causing church disorders. In turn, the saint wrote a detailed answer
in which removing the errors of Akyndinos. But the patriarch supported Akyndinos and
named St. Gregory the cause of all disturbances of the Church. In 1344, Saint Gregory
Palamas was jailed for four years in jail. In 1347, when John XIV was replaced by Isidore
(1347-1349), St. Gregory was released and named Archbishop of Thessaloniki15.
In 1351, the Synod of Blachernae has defended solemnly his Orthodox teachings, but
people did not accept St Gregory, so he had to move from to another place. In one of his
travels to Constantinople, on a boat Byzantine, he fell into the hands of Turks. Even in
captivity, St Gregory preached to Christian prisoners and at the Muslims who had kidnapped.
The Hagarenes were amazed by the wisdom of his words, but Muslims were unable tolerate
these and they beat himand, even they would have killed him, if they would not be expected
to obtain a large ransom for him. At one year, St. Gregory was ransomed and returned to
Thessalonica16.
St. Gregory performed many miracles in the last three years of his life, had healed
many sick. On the eve of his death, St. John Chrysostom appeared to him in a vision,
13
St. Gregory Palamas, Philokalia, vol. VII, introduction, notes and translation by Priest Professor Dr. Dumitru
Staniloaie, Published House: Bible and Mission Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 1977,
pp. 207-208;
14
Priest Professor Dr. John Rămureanu, The Universal Church History, Published House: Bible and Mission
Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 2004, p. 106;
15
Priest Professor Dr. Nicolae Chifăr, History of Christianity, Published House: Lucian Blaga University, Sibiu,
2007, p. 327;
16
Priest Professor Dr. John G. Coman, op. cit., p. 139;

6
addressing him the words: ,,Towards the heights! Towards the heights!” St. Gregory Palamas
fell asleep in the Lord on November 14, 1359. He was canonized at nine years after his death.
The relics of Saint Gregory Palamas they are kept at Thessalonica. It is celebrated twice a
year: on November 14th and in the second Sunday of Great Lent.17
The first work of Palamas was the Life of Saint Peter the Athonite and his second the
long Treatise on the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple18. However, beginning with his
correspondence with Barlaam in 1336 at the age of 40, most of his literary productions were
devoted to defending hesychasm. Besides the nine treatises in the Triads, he wrote ten
treatises against Akindynos and five against Gregoras.
Palamas was also the author of small tracts, letters, and a poem of 618 iambic verses.
Six of his compositions were against Latin theology. In addition, he wrote apologetic tracts, a
commentary on the Ten Commandments, as well as 150 chapters (henceforth Capita 150) on
spiritual practices, ethics, and theology. A homiliarium with 63 pieces was published soon
after his death19.
The essential meaning of hesychasm and Palamism is fully expressed in the Triads.
Considered by the East as the most important of all his writings, surpassing even the shorter
yet more mature Capita 150, the Triads were put together to refute the oral teaching and
written polemics of Barlaam. Entitled For the Defence of Those Who Practice Sacred
Quietude, or Triads in Defence of the Holy Hesychasts, these nine treatises published in three
groups of three books each were composed by Palamas between 1338 and 134120.

17
Ibidem, p. 140;
18
J. Meyendorff, Grégoire Palamas - Dictionnaire de Spiritualité, Publication Beauchesne, Paris, 1984, p. 81;
19
J. Meyendorff, A Study of Gregory Palamas, 2nd ed. Bedfordshire: Faith Press & Crestwood, NY: SVS Press,
1974, p. 38;
20
J. Meyendorff, St. Gregory Palamas and the Orthodox mysticism, translated by Angela Pagu, Publishing
House: Enciclopedica, Bucharest, 1995, p. 62;

7
 CHAPTER II: The uncreated energies - the works of god

Through the words ,,uncreated energies of God”, means varied works of God by which
He works and has worked ever since the creation and management of the visible and invisible
world. Through works these uncreated energies, God moves his creation and himself, while
remaining steady and unchanged. Common divine uncreated energies flow from the three
hypostases of the Holy Trinity. The man partakes uncreated energies of God's gift and not His
essence that remains forever untouched by any building has been seen or unseen21.
These uncreated energies of God can be called works of God. As anyone understand
the variety of these papers and uncreated energies of God, they must know and understand
that God, Spirit energies are endless. For these more energy, is good to know at least some of
them are:
• His unbounded creative power (Psalm 32, 6 and 13);
• His conscious power (I Kings 2, 3; Jov 9, 4 and 12 – 13);
• His sanctifying power (Isaia 57,15; Ieremia 1, 5; Galateni 1,12)
Another is the all-seeing His power (Psalm 32.13), another is His power that His
providence encompassing and another after the word: ,,He who gives food to all flesh...”
(Psalm 135, 25). All these energies or powers stem from his being God. Through them, the
uncreated God sends His gifts to all creation that works in many ways to all seen and
unseen22.
Working in all creation as desires and as he knows that is good. The divine energy
,,makes angels spirits and His servants a flame of fire”, the planets and the universe to lead
people and fills them with wisdom, faith and all sorts of gifts to salvation23.
According to the teachings of the Holy Bible and the Fathers of the Church, man is
able to achieve Theosis because within the Orthodox Church of Christ the Grace of God is
uncreated. God is not only essence, as the West thinks; He is also energy. If God was only
essence, we could not unite with Him, could not commune with Him, because the essence of

21
G. Maloney, A Theology of Uncreated Energies, Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Marquette University,1978, p. 72;
22
J. Meyendorff, St. Gregory Palamas and the Orthodox mysticism, p. 65;
23
Yannaras Christ, op. cit., p. 107;

8
God is awesome and unapproachable for man, as was written: ,,Never will man see My face
and live” (Exod. 33, 20).
Let us give a relevant example from things human. If we grasp a bare electric wire, we
will die. However, if we connect a lamp to the same wire, we are illuminated. We see, enjoy,
and are assisted by, the energy of electric current, but we are not able to grasp its essence. Let
us say that something similar happens with the uncreated energy of God24.
If we were able to unite with the essence of God, we would become gods in essence.
Then everything would become a god, and there would be confusion so that, essentially,
nothing would be a god. In a few words, this is what they believe in the Oriental religions, e.g.
in Hinduism, where the god is not a personal existence but an indistinct power dispersed
through all the world, in men, in animals, and in objects (Pantheism)25.
Again, if God had only the divine essence – of which we cannot partake – and did not
have His energies, He would remain a self-sufficient god, closed within himself and unable to
communicate with his creatures.
God, according to the Orthodox theological view, is One in a Trinity and a Trinity in
One. As St. Maximus the Confessor, St. Dionysius the Areopagite, and other holy Fathers
repeatedly say, God is filled with a divine eros, a divine love for His creatures. Because of
this infinite and ecstatic love of His, He comes out of Himself and seeks to unite with them.
This is expressed and realised as His energy, or better, His energies26.
With these, His uncreated energies, God created the world and continues to preserve it.
He gives essence and substance to our world through His essence-creating energies. He is
present in nature and preserves the universe with His preserving energies; He illuminates man
with His illuminating energies; He sanctifies him with His sanctifying energies. Finally, He
deifies him with His deifying energies. Thus, through his uncreated energies, holy God enters
nature, the world, history, and human life27.
The energies of God are divine energies. They too are God, but without being His
essence. They are God, and therefore they can deify man. If the energies of God were not
divine and uncreated, they would not be God and so they would be unable to deify us, to unite
us with God. There would be an unbridgeable distance between God and men. But as God has
the divine energies, and unites with us by these energies, we are able to commune with Him

24
G. Maloney, op. cit., p. 73;
25
Article published on the website: http://www.praxisinstitute.net/Praxis%20Now/Theosis/Theosis_p8.htm
26
St. Gregory Palamas, Philokalia, vol. VII, p. 210;
27
St. Gregory Palamas, Complete Operas, vol II, p. 40;

9
and to unite with His Grace without becoming identical with God, as would happen if we
united with His essence28.
So we unite with God through His uncreated energies, and not through His essence.
This is the mystery of our Orthodox faith and life.
Western heretics cannot accept this. Being rationalist, they do not discern between the
essence and the energy of God, so they say that they can not speak about man's Theosis
because, ,,God is only essence, for on this basis, how can man be deified when they do not
accept that the divine energies are uncreated, but regard them as created? How can
something created deify man, i.e. how can something outside God deify man?”29.
In order not to fall into pantheism, they do not talk about Theosis at all. What then,
according to them, remains as the purpose of human life? Simply moral improvement. If man
cannot be deified with divine Grace and divine energies, what purpose does his life have?
Only that he becomes morally better. But moral perfection is not enough for man. It is not
enough for us simply to become better than before, simply to perform moral deeds. We have
as our final aim to unite with holy God Himself. This is the purpose of the creation of the
universe. This is what we desire. This is our joy, our happiness, and our fulfillment30.
The psyche of man, who is created in the image and likeness of God, yearns for God
and desires union with Him. No matter how moral, how good man may be, no matter how
many good deeds he may perform, if he does not find God, if he does not unite with Him, he
finds no rest. For holy God placed within him this holy thirst, the divine eros, the desire for
union with Him, for Theosis, so he has in himself the erotic power, which he receives from
his Creator, in order to love truly, strongly, selflessly ... just as his holy Creator falls in love
with His world, with His creatures. This is so that with this holy erotic impetus and loving
power, he falls in love with God. If man did not have the image of God in himself, he would
not be able to seek its prototype. Each of us is an image of God, and God is our prototype.
The image seeks the prototype, and only when it finds it does it find rest.
At Christians those who are baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, works through
manifold the gift of the Holy Spirit (I Cor 12, 4-6), and at pagan peoples works through
providence, through His infinite mercy and power and understanding (Romans 9, 15 - 16),
because the God is not only of Christians, He is of all nations (Psalm 116, 1-2). Grace of the
Holy Spirit are one divine energies and makes Christians, through Baptism, the sons of God

28
G. Maloney, op. cit., p. 73;
29
Vladimir Lossky, The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church, SVS Press, James Clarke & Co Ltd, 1997, p.
56;
30
J. Aumann, Spiritual Theology, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, Huntington, 1980, p. 112;

10
(Titus 3, 3-5, John 3:1), and the grace of the Holy Spirit, through which we might receive
adoption the after giht, he comes to us through the holy power of God. Doesn’t sends to
humans the being of God, but just send the grace, as says the Saint John Chrysostom that:
,,God doesn’t send, but send just the grace. No Spirit flows out of grace, but grace flows out
of Spirit”31.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit, who is sent at Holy Baptism through the holy work of
God, works in man after the measure of his faith, because he is promised by God to those who
believe in Him (Isaiah 44, 3, 59, 11, Ezekiel 36, 27). The gift of the Holy Spirit are gived to
the human who prays, believes in Him and repents of his sins32.
But the gift of the Holy Spirit it departs of man because of his heavy sins. But if the
man knows his weight of his sins and he will return whole heartedly to God with strong faith,
then - through the holy energy of God - again will gain from God the gift of the Holy Spirit
which he lost through sin. But if remain the Christian in heavy sins and will not be back
through repentance and good deeds to God, one like that remains in doom and in darkness
towards the gift of God. God not saves the human by force, because He is not burglar of doors
(Rev. 3, 20).
Up to Gregory Palamas, the old Fathers and great lights, like St. Basil the Great, St.
Gregory the Theologian, St. John Chrysostom, St. Athanasius the Great and many others, said
that: ,,the uncreated energies of God are works and perfections of his qualities”33.
The divine energies working in people the mystery of salvation through the gift of the
Holy Spirit and through the gifts that flow from Him. Because, both the grace and the gifts of
Grace are God’s uncreated energies. Both the wisdom and the providence of God are
uncreated divine energies and God works beyond mind of the human, according to the will
and His plans that we do not know them (Jeremiah 32, 19, 1 Corinthians 21).
The Spirit is one and the gifts are divided and varied after the worthiness of each (I
Cor. 12, 4). As well as the works are varied, but the same God works all things to all (I Cor.
12, 6). If the gifts and works of the Holy are varied, then and the uncreated energies through
God sends His gifts to the saints are varied. ,,Because through power of holiness sanctifying,
through the spiritual energy and His light energy enlightens and cared for them. Because the
gifts of God are varied, but shown from same Holy Spirit”34.

31
St. Gregory Palamas, Philokalia, vol. VII, p. 218;
32
Ibidem, p. 219;
33
Priest Professor Dr. John Bria, Dictionary of Orthodox Theology, Published House: Bible and Mission
Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest,1981, p, 141;
34
St. Gregory Palamas, Complete Operas, vol II, p. 44;

11
 From the moment of conception, in most people working only the energy and power
of God, then the providence and others. The gift of Holy Spirit, by which man becomes a son
of God after giht, he receives when baptized in the name of the Most Holy Trinity (Titus 3, 3;
1 John 2, 5). ,,The other diverse gifts, like clairvoyance, prophecy and healing, are gives to
the human after God according to His will and according to the measure of faith”35.

35
Hristu Andrustos, Eastern Orthodox Church Dogmatics, translate by Priest Professor Dr. Dumitru Staniloaie,
Published House: Deisis, Sibiu, 1930, p. 150;

12
 CHAPTER III: St. Gregory palamas - theologian of the uncreated energies

Volume IV of the critical edition Palamas ,,Apanta erga” edited by P. Hrestou includes
all the letters of St. Gregory Palamas written throughout dogmatic controversies (1341 -
1358), letters to both his opponents and the one faith with him, friends, as some of them are
addressed to monks, presenting in a synthetic and accessible all the arguments against
opponents Palamos, Barlaamites and akindynişti, which increases their apologetic value, but
especially today make us to understand the true extent of these dogmatic dispute their
importance at the time, the true size of battles and polemics of the Church, the impact they
have had on people's consciousness then, from diverse backgrounds36.
Other letters are addressed to people who are still hesitant about the way of faith. Their
Gregory dedicates numerous letters with the obvious purpose of the turn to the right and true
faith and confession, according to the tenets of the Holy Fathers of the Orthodox Church.
Many of them reflect the pastoral activities of the Holy, tirelessly caring for the flock which is
in danger of being torn apart by wolves heresy, love of truth, the tradition of the holy Church
Fathers agreement in spirit to live. Letters as they had the grace to return to St. Nicholas
Cabasilas which was initially attracted to intellectualism and rationalism Barlaam and
subsequently became one of the most fervent witnesses hesychasts. And maybe that's all he
was dedicated and Theophanes dialogue, and it still untranslated, which is a statement of the
right faith catechetical37.
Most of these letters are previously unpublished readers not only Romanian, but also
foreigners, knowing that very little work has translated this great thinker Orthodox. They are
true documents, witnessing and reflecting polemics and controversies around hesychast
theology, thus, from a certain point of view, much more affordable than ample treated as
Triads, because, addressed to people with different theological training, so that experience and

36
J. Meyendorff, The Triads: Gregory Palamas, with introduction by Nicholas Gendle, New York: Paulist Press,
1983, p. 76;
37
George C. Papademetriou, Introduction to St. Gregory Palamas, Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2004, p. 61;

13
expertise, as well as dogmatic education, they have all the arguments Palamos greatly
simplified - and of course because of the limitations imposed by such epistolary38.
Another important aspect that deserves attention is that it presents the circumstance
and contextualizing the history of this controversy, which are so vivid personality of St.
Gregory and with it, outlines the spiritual profile of a whole epoch, which proves to be one of
great cultural and spiritual effervescence39.
Volume is the first letter of the monk Arsenius from Stoudion monastery, originally,
as Cabasilas, appeared reluctant to St. Gregory, but then the testimonies of the Fathers, feels
anti hesychastic error; feeling confused by confusion in the Church of St. Palamas writes
asking for clarification on some of Akindyn accusations. This monk Arsenius, which St.
Gregory calls, wise God, was a cultivated monk, himself the author of several smaller-scale
works, which have been preserved40.
Keep a Encomion in verse addressed to St. Gregory and a word of greeting Κατά
Λατίων which Gregory replied, urging them to read Tome Agioritic written just two years
before, and even confesses in the letter, then the letter dated the end of 1342. Akindynos
himself had not yet started to write, but acquired some support from Church leaders and
instigated, conspired against Palamas, who defends exposing both himself and those around
him, charging him to turn his prescriptions not complying synodal decrees I and II, which
Akindynos risk being cursed and cut off from the catholic congregation of Christians, that
next and disciple of Barlaam41.
Theology of uncreated energies is two-dimensional architecture:
1). Philosophical size expressed by the insertion of terms about body discarnate initial
semantic become ,,true members” theology of Palamite (Aristotelian categories ousia, your
pros and to poiein, ousia is closely related to energy, which are known as fysis is hiding the
deepest of ousia, pros show you both the hypostatic attributes persons of the Trinity - the pros
you intratrinitar and Trinity relationship with the world, man – pros extratrinitar your site, to
poiein is intrinsic energy into creative category)42.
The Exacerbation size Palamite of philosophical theology absolutely prevented
resulted in charges that it is nothing else than a ,,metaphysical plurality erupts outside the

38
John S. Romanides, Notes on the palamite controversy and related topics, The Greek Orthodox Theological
Review, vol. VI, number 2, Published by the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School Press, Brookline,
Massachusetts, 1960, p. 61;
39
George C. Papademetriou, op. cit., p. 63;
40
John S. Romanides, op. cit., p. 62;
41
J. Meyendorff, The Triads: Gregory Palamas, p. 78;
42
G. Maloney, op. cit., p. 81;

14
unit”. Flimsiness of the label is that the theology of Palamas there any Previous or posteriority
report from energy (plurality) and being (unity). ratio is one of simultaneity, of concomitance,
because there is no being without work / energy, there is no hypostasis without being.
therefore energies are existential and enhypostatically not hanging between uncreated and
created entities. God is being fully work43.
Therefore, the Palamos anthropology is centered over triadology , while the Augustinian
,,decipher” the data Trinity anthropology. Even though St. Gregory Palamas borrows tacitly
psychologized image of the Holy Trinity from Augustine (Nous-Logos/Gnosis and Eros) yet
not fall into the heresy of the Filioque. contrary, this image gave reason to vehemently reject
Western innovation in matters of faith, ,,grafting” the loan ,,on existing elements in the Greek
patristic tradition”44.
2). Theological dimension, is ample developed in the Trinitarian registry (report
existential being-energies - the energy is being and not being in power, simplicity divine
being in relation to energy mix - God undivided shares in the chip; report hypostases-
existential and uncreated energies - energies are common tuturorpersoanelor enhypostatically
and third energy unit is bidirectional: the essence and hypostasis; filioque and uncreated
energies and existential - hypostatic features can not be identified with the uncreated energies
which are common Trinity) and anthropological (human deification reality in its entirety his
body and soul, and antinomy assertion that God is both amethektos and methektos)45.
Theology is the the uncreated energies theology of God giving people. It is the union
of Life (energies) and mystery (being). Therefore the theological thought of St. Gregory
Palamas life is a perpetual invitation to experience, because it is the only surety unshakable
truths of life in God: ,,Hearing the eyes of the soul, who know by experience the heavenly
treasures, do not think it's thinking about. For that thinks of itself as the most sensitive and the
most understandable. But as a city that you have not seen it yet, if you ponder it, and does not
mean you were there, so it is with God and the divine: no-theologized cugetându him and
God, it experts”46.

43
B. Krivocheine, The ascetic and theological teaching of Gregory Palamas, Eastern Churches Quarterly, vol.
III, number 6, 1938, p. 138;
44
Priest Professor Dr. Dumitru Stăniloae, The life and teaching of St. Gregory Palamas, p. 27;
45
John S. Romanides, op. cit., p. 65;
46
G. Maloney, op. cit., p. 82;

15
 CHAPTER IV: The connection between Creator - Create through the uncreated
energies

The angels, like humans, were created by the same God and they share the divers
energy of God, and the wisdom, holiness, and others. No building of God can not be deprived
of one or more of the uncreated energies of God, because God is everywhere unwritten round
and incomprehensible, showing all and everywhere47.
God is in the Satan and the devil, because he is incomprehensible and all it contains.
So, as Satan is in the air but not injured, and God is present there, and as it lies in the soul's
gift is also present in heart, and hurt themselves or mixing, darkness with light, no evil can not
have fellowship with cleanliness. So the God there is no malice hypostatic since He is not hurt
by anything. The energies of God are his power form the almighty devil because demons can
not do anything without the will and permission of God (Iov 1, 12 – 13; 2, 4 – 7; II Corinteni
1, 12).
The greatest need is that God does not withdraw His almighty power of evil angels
now, because if they were let loose in the world would make a second hell. Only at the end of
the world Satan will be loosed for 1,260 days (three years and a half) to work on the faithful
with his deceptions (I John 2, 18) and many antichrists will be in the end times (Matthew 24,
12; II Thessalonians 2, 3, I Timothy 4, 1). We are alive temptations of great use, for we have
patience in them. Because they are sent by the permission of God to test our faith (1 Peter 6-7)
to test our love for God (Deuteronomy 13, 3) and for testing our obedience, because God does
not tempt anyone (John 13 14).
Then God is not right, do not allow us to be tempted beyond our strength (I Cor 10,
13). St. Dionysius says this: ,,God is all and in all fully one thing. And from the very all of all
is known, and from anyone anything”48. The mystery of these words looks bright in theology
cataphatic (affirmative) and apophatic theology (negative). When our minds come up with

47
Vladimir Lossky, op. cit., p. 58;
48
St. Dionysius, About divine appointments, chapter 7, in The complete works, translation, introduction and
notes by Priest Professor Dr. Dumitru Staniloaie, edition edited by Constance Costea, Published House: Paideia,
Bucharest, 1996, p. 189;

16
creations by the Creator, seeing and understanding the words of edification, resembling the
Creator, then conspired confirming theological and suites (cataphatic), calling on God Wise,
Good, Light, Sun, Air, Fire and all that is, the pricinuitor thereof. And after you go up the
spirit and the supernatural Creator and see that it is also in all creation, but no similarity
surpasses these, then conspired apophatic theology, calling on God and overcome denial
above wisdom and goodness above49.
And St. John Damascene, showing that no building can not reach the being of God,
says this: "God created such spiritual world, that angels and all the heavenly hosts, and it is
clear that they have a spiritual and incorporated in comparison with matter, for only the
Godhead is really immaterial and intangible. Then God created man in His Own hands visible
and invisible nature, his image and likeness. A body made of earth and rational soul and
thoughtfully given by his breath.
All St. John Damascene says: ,,This call for divinely human” 50 , after the likeness
,,shows the image of God in virtue, as much as possible. Body and soul were made
simultaneously, not first one and then the other, as in Origen show the wrong way. Fathers
say that man is made by God as a God after but not as fast”51.
Let understand, then, that both angels all the heavenly hosts and built man in his image
and likeness of God not being God touching anything that's ever understood by anyone. This
means that God is all in all His energies the uncreated, not His essence. And by being not
known anything to anyone. Being God is not revealed, nor can anyone ever know of any
creative and no mind of those in heaven and earth can not contain forever.

49
B. Krivocheine, op. cit., p. 140;
50
St. John Damascene, Dogmatics, translation, introduction and notes by Priest Professor Dr. Dumitru
Staniloaie, Published House: Bible and Mission Institute of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bucharest, 2004, p.
60;
51
Ibidem, p. 61;

17
 CONCLUSIONS

The most important aspect concerning Palamas’ distinction as his idea of Ultimate
Reality and Meaning boils down to our real personal mystical experience. It is possible that
many in both East and West may have experienced a certain personal mystical union with
God through His grace or Energy without knowing52.
However, if this eastern Orthodox tradition is indeed altogether beyond our genuine
personal experience, it becomes at best an empty theory, however beautiful and sacred it
appears to our mind. Ware remarks soundly: ,,Tradition and present experience are
complementary, not conflicting, for without the element of living experience there can be no
genuine Tradition whatever” 53
. On the level of rational argumentation, theological
controversy proves unending. But there is one thing, so St. Gregory believed, that is always
decisive: the experience of the saints. The true aim of theology is not rational certainty
through abstract arguments, but personal communion with God through prayer 54.
Our intellectual notion as well as our personal experience of God could be raised to a
new level if we became altogether open to the Ultimate Reality and Meaning of Palamas’
distinction. In our definition of God as an essence, we may need to upgrade our conception of
God. Accordingly, we can reconceive of God as a Divine-Energy Being whose presence via
His Divine Energy is already here deep within and around us, everywhere in the entire
creation, waiting since time immemorial to grant each of us a real personal union with Him.
As Palamas indicated, this divine life, Light or Energy of God is ,,the foundation and beauty
of the age to come” 55.
Lack of communion or union with God often restricts us to our ordinary human
powers of sense-perception, thus turning our environment into a prison and shutting us off
from divine reality which is ever transcendent, and yet, at the same time, remains immanent to
us56.

52
J. Aumann, op. cit., p. 116;
53
K. Ware, Tradition and personal experience in later Byzantine theology, Eastern Churches Review, vol. 3,
1970, p. 140;
54
K Ware, The Debate about Palamism, Eastern Churches Review, vol. 9, 1977, p. 45;
55
St. Gregory Palamas, Philokalia, vol. VII, p. 214;
56
G. Maloney, op. cit., p. 81;

18
 In fact, Palamas has distinguished three classes of people seeking a personal
relationship with God:
1) those who possess direct personal experience of God’s Divine Energies;
2) those who do not themselves enjoy such personal experience, but who believe and
trust those who have it;
3) those who, lacking personal experience of their own, refuse to trust and learn from
those who possess it57.
Indeed, only the third class is reproved by Palamas; the second class is praised for
their humble and faithful trust; but it is the first class, those saintly mystics taught by God,
who know — not from others but from their personal experience ― which constitute the most
advanced theologians, the real living witnesses to the Sacred Tradition, in every age58.
Finally, this Palamite distinction between God’s Essence and Energy reflects only our
limited participation in our human union with God or in God’s union with us. It is Palamas’
ingenious model of interpretation in defending hesychasm, particularly our real but limited
union with God. To God, as it is, there is no need of any distinction at all in His divine
simplicity. It is human beings who need such a distinction between God’s Essence and Energy
for the adroit guarantee and subsequent blessing of a sound theology, spirituality and
mysticism, etc.

57
K. Ware, Tradition and personal experience in later Byzantine theology, p. 141;
58
K. Ware, The Debate about Palamism, p. 48;

19
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21
 Internet:

1. Article published on website:

http://www.crestinortodox.ro/sarbatori/sfantul-grigorie-palama/lumina-dumnezeiasca-
teologia-sfantului-grigorie-palama-69294.html
2. Fr. Bassam A. Nassif, article published on the website:
http://www.antiochian.org/gregory-palamas
3. Article published on the website:
http://www.praxisinstitute.net/Praxis%20Now/Theosis/Theosis_p8.html
4.

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