Post-Modernist Neo-Patristic Mystical Empiricism of John Manuzakis

Abstract

The article analyses a doctrine of the knowledge of God by an orthodox theologian John Manuzakis. He develops the first variant of post-modernist orthodox phenomenolo-gy of mystical experience as mystical senses. Within his doctrine J. Manuzakis develops phenomenology of sensory vision of God basing on the ideas of Jean-Luc Marion. Christ of the Gospel acts as a revelation of God which is not created by a human fantasy or thinking but is an icon – a symbolic appearance of God. Relying on the doctrine of Jac-ques Derrida the orthodox theologian develops hermeneutics of listening to God. In order to hear the Gospel story that reveals God, one has to listen to the text in phenomenological silence and reject the meaning made by consciousness. Using a philosophy of M. Merlo-Ponti, John Manuzakis creates a phenomenology of touch to God in love. This becomes possible in the Eucharist which is a blessed unity of human and God, a kind of eschatological time. J. Manuzakis not only creates his own interpretation of mystical theology of Patristics, but in fact moves from the fathers to Biblical worldview where metaphysical thinking is not intrinsic. Recognition of the sensory nature of mystical intuitions enables J. Manuzakis to develop neo-patristic mystical empiricism, having created mystical sensationalism as a post-modernist doctrine.