In his presentation titled The Sleep of Adam, the Making of Eve: Sin and Creation in Eriugena,[*] Donald Duclow explores the gendering of humanity as related in John Scottus Eriugena's Periphyseon, with particular attention to some Eriugenian innovations on the theme. In many ways Periphyseon draws on previous works including those of Gregory of Nyssa[1] and Maximus Confessor.  Yet John embellishes these previous accounts in ways that are both novel and uniquely his own.  What follows is a brief exploration of several key points in Duclow's presentation, followed by a couple of reflections regarding distinctive moments in Eriugena's work.
Read More