Neoplatonism in the Christological Debates of Late Antiquity: Influences, Interferences, and Contrasts

March 24, 2026 - March 26, 2026
Centre for the Arts in Society (LUCAS), Universiteit Leiden

Leiden
Netherlands

View the Call For Papers

Organisers:

Leiden University

Topic areas

Talks at this conference

Add a talk

Details

“A mere antagonism or a profound common ground?” This was the question famously posed 40 years ago by Cornelia J. de Vogel in an influential study published in Vigiliae Christianae (“Platonism and Christianity: A Mere Antagonism or a Profound Common Ground?”, VChr 39 [1985], pp. 1-62), as she grappled with the legacy of Heinrich Dörrie concerning the complex relationship between Platonism and Christianity. Despite decades of scholarly debate both before and after de Vogel, that question still hasn’t lost its edge. The discussion continues to evolve because this tension between conflict and convergence speaks volumes about how ancient philosophy and early Christian theology together shaped the intellectual and spiritual worlds we continue to live in today.

This conference picks up the thread of that long-running debate by zooming in on one of its most fascinating flashpoints: Christology. In the third-fourth century, Christian thinkers grappled with questions that were not only theologically urgent but also deeply ethical, touching on the very nature of divinity, humanity, and salvation. Who was Christ, really? A “divine man,” like many others known in the ancient world? God-made-man? Or perhaps an intermediary being, neither fully divine nor fully human, but something in between, with a nature distinct from both the Father and creation? The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE attempted to settle the matter with the affirmation of the homoousios, but, as is well known, that was far from the end of the story: Reflections on the nature of Christ continued well into the fifth and sixth centuries.

As the shift from the Christology of Origen to that of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite makes clear, the fervent debates about the nature of Christ were far from insulated from influences external to Christianity. On the contrary, they were deeply entangled, often in ways that are difficult to trace precisely, with another major intellectual force of the time: Neoplatonism. From Plotinus and Porphyry to Iamblichus, Proclus, and Damascius, Neoplatonism evolved into a rich and complex system of thought that posed both a challenge and a resource for Christian theologians. Whether absorbed, rejected, or subtly reworked, Neoplatonic ideas became part of the fabric of early Christian thought.

This conference is built on a working assumption—one that is open to being tested—that Neoplatonic influence on Christianity is especially significant when it comes to defining the nature of Christ. Therefore, the aim is to bring together established scholars, early-career researchers, and PhD candidates to examine how various strands of Neoplatonic thought—including, but not limited to, metaphysics, physics, psychology, epistemology, ritual—informed Christological debates from Origen to Pseudo-Dionysius, and to assemble as comprehensive a dossier as possible on the Neoplatonic dimension of Christological discourse in Late Antiquity. Proposals are invited that examine both direct influences, such as explicit references to Neoplatonic texts or thinkers, and more indirect resonances, such as shared conceptual structures or metaphysical assumptions.

Submission Guidelines

Please send abstracts to [email protected] by August 31, 2025. The first page of the submission should include only the title and the abstract. The name, institutional affiliation, and contact information should be provided on a separate second page. Speakers will have 30 minutes to present, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Marie-Odile Boulnois (École Pratique des Hautes Études)

Prof. George van Kooten (University of Cambridge)

Prof. Ilinca Tanaseanu-Döbler (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen)

Prof. Gerd Van Riel (KU Leuven)

Organization

This conference is organized by Dr. Benedetto Neola (Leiden University) and funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Project number: 101148944; Project acronym: TRANEX; Call: HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01; Topic: HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01-01).

Supporting material

Add supporting material (slides, programs, etc.)

Reminders

Registration

No

Who is attending?

No one has said they will attend yet.

Will you attend this event?


Let us know so we can notify you of any change of plan.