Light on creation

More about the book

This volume presents the proceedings of an international colloquium held in February 2015 at the KU Leuven's Arts Faculty, uniting specialists in late ancient philosophy and early Christian studies. Contributors explored the reception of two foundational texts on the world's origin: Plato's Timaeus and the Genesis creation account. The organizers aimed to foster dialogue between these fields by examining a shared topic and the literary genres through which it was expressed. Both texts have been selectively studied in antiquity through citations and essays, as well as more systematically via commentaries. The book is structured into three parts: the first focuses on the Middle- and Neoplatonic tradition; the second examines the Christian tradition, featuring significant authors who addressed the Hexaemeron; and the third, titled "Some Other Voices," discusses authors and movements that blend elements from various traditions. It emphasizes the intricate relationship between these traditions, particularly as perceived by Jewish-Christian authors, while noting the Neoplatonists' surprising disinterest in the opposing perspective.