Can Palamism and Thomism Reconcile? (clip)

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Can Palamism and Thomism Reconcile?

[starlightatdusk]

I'd be interested in knowing about the interpreters of Palamas that came *before* the Neo-Palamites of the 20th century, if there are any that interpreted him in a way that was compatible with the Latin Church's theology.

[premed]

Aquinas also does speak of uncreated light, and a direct experience of God. His distinction of created grace with uncreated grace shows clearly that created grace is not the activity but the transfiguring effects, whereas the activity of God, uncreated grace, is uncreated. St. Gregory Palamas' essence-energies distinction was a conceptual distinction, just as Aquinas distinction between God's essence and activity was a virtual distinction. I don't think it requires any interpretation. I think anyone who approaches these figures with an honest attitude, not looking for "error" in the other, will find them harmonious.

[nathanmorales]

I was attending an Orthodox parish for a while and was super fascinated by Orthodoxy, but recently I’ve been convinced of the papal authority claims of the Catholic Church so I now attend a Catholic parish. But one thing in Orthodox Church that made some sense was the essence and energies distinction. I am still new to this all though. Is that compatible in Catholicism with absolutely divine simplicity?

[nathandaniels]

Palamism and Thomism were reconciled at the end of Aquinas’ life, when he had a real, direct experience of the Divine Energies, which caused him to cease writing his opus.

[mememe]

I think a greater question is can the east and west be reconciled given these two vastly different ways of doing theology?

Can the east tolerate the west's atomic precision? Can the west tolerate the almost protestant strains of competing easterners?

It seems either way one would have to mostly yield to larger group. And, as an Eastern catholic, leaves me dumbfounded as to how exactly the east is supposed to foster a uniquely eastern way of thinking for themselves that's on par with thomism. I guess that's the scotist approach.

[etheretherether]

Can someone ELI5 me on this? What is it about neo-palamites that's so heretical? Or conversely (if you're Orthodox) what is it about Thomists that's so heretical?

[jackthayer]

Palamas is a schismatic and his theology seems heretical.