Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana Kasjana

Much of the literary activity of John Cassian, that supreme master of the spiri­tual life, concentrates on the struggle with the devil, the discernment of his strate­gies, and the search for effective defense mechanisms against his attacks. The question of the power of evil spirits over man also ar...

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Main Author: Arkadiusz Nocoń
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin 2013-01-01
Series:Vox Patrum
Subjects:
Online Access:https://czasopisma.kul.pl/index.php/vp/article/view/4023
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author Arkadiusz Nocoń
author_facet Arkadiusz Nocoń
author_sort Arkadiusz Nocoń
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description Much of the literary activity of John Cassian, that supreme master of the spiri­tual life, concentrates on the struggle with the devil, the discernment of his strate­gies, and the search for effective defense mechanisms against his attacks. The question of the power of evil spirits over man also arises. Generally, Cassian’s teaching on this subject of the power of spirits over man strikes a positive note: when faced with diabolic attacks and temptations, man enjoys not only the possi­bility of success but even the possibility of advantage: God Himself, the merciful judge (Collationes Patrum VII 20) watches over man’s struggles to overcome diabolic attacks and in that struggle He favours man. Obviously, since we are talk­ing of a continuous struggle, evil spirits can attempt to, and sometimes even do demonize man – but not because of their desire so to do but because of God will (evil spirits may not do with man as they please but only what God permits them to do). The power of evil spirits over man is therefore limited: a) by the concession of God; and b) by man’s will which possesses „both the freedom of acquiescing to temptation and of repulsing it” (Collationes Patrum VII 8). The general te­nor of Cassian’s teaching, therefore, is permeated by a positivism and is free of any form of fatalism or obsession on matters of demonology, while at the same time conscious of the evil that demonic spirits can exert on man’s body and spirit (soul). He continues to hold that spiritual evil, or vice, is something much more dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. Quoting St. Paul, Cassian assures us that definitive victory belongs to Christ and to his followers: when Christ „hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power” (1Cor 15, 24), at that moment, all those who have been held captive by these „dominions”, „authorities” and „powers” will be freed from all subjugation (Collationes Patrum VIII 14).
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spelling doaj.art-56cb28b8359d41e182eb5db3042cf76b2023-08-05T20:58:52ZengThe John Paul II Catholic University of LublinVox Patrum0860-94112719-35862013-01-015910.31743/vp.4023Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana KasjanaArkadiusz Nocoń0Università Pontificia Salesiana a Roma Much of the literary activity of John Cassian, that supreme master of the spiri­tual life, concentrates on the struggle with the devil, the discernment of his strate­gies, and the search for effective defense mechanisms against his attacks. The question of the power of evil spirits over man also arises. Generally, Cassian’s teaching on this subject of the power of spirits over man strikes a positive note: when faced with diabolic attacks and temptations, man enjoys not only the possi­bility of success but even the possibility of advantage: God Himself, the merciful judge (Collationes Patrum VII 20) watches over man’s struggles to overcome diabolic attacks and in that struggle He favours man. Obviously, since we are talk­ing of a continuous struggle, evil spirits can attempt to, and sometimes even do demonize man – but not because of their desire so to do but because of God will (evil spirits may not do with man as they please but only what God permits them to do). The power of evil spirits over man is therefore limited: a) by the concession of God; and b) by man’s will which possesses „both the freedom of acquiescing to temptation and of repulsing it” (Collationes Patrum VII 8). The general te­nor of Cassian’s teaching, therefore, is permeated by a positivism and is free of any form of fatalism or obsession on matters of demonology, while at the same time conscious of the evil that demonic spirits can exert on man’s body and spirit (soul). He continues to hold that spiritual evil, or vice, is something much more dangerous and to be avoided at all costs. Quoting St. Paul, Cassian assures us that definitive victory belongs to Christ and to his followers: when Christ „hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power” (1Cor 15, 24), at that moment, all those who have been held captive by these „dominions”, „authorities” and „powers” will be freed from all subjugation (Collationes Patrum VIII 14). https://czasopisma.kul.pl/index.php/vp/article/view/4023szatandemonologiazłe duchywładza złych duchówwalka z demonamiopętanie
spellingShingle Arkadiusz Nocoń
Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana Kasjana
Vox Patrum
szatan
demonologia
złe duchy
władza złych duchów
walka z demonami
opętanie
title Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana Kasjana
title_full Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana Kasjana
title_fullStr Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana Kasjana
title_full_unstemmed Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana Kasjana
title_short Władza złych duchów nad człowiekiem według Jana Kasjana
title_sort wladza zlych duchow nad czlowiekiem wedlug jana kasjana
topic szatan
demonologia
złe duchy
władza złych duchów
walka z demonami
opętanie
url https://czasopisma.kul.pl/index.php/vp/article/view/4023
work_keys_str_mv AT arkadiusznocon władzazłychduchownadczłowiekiemwedługjanakasjana