Biblical Anthropology and Doctrine of the Soul in the Letters of Isidore of Pelusium

Abstract

Abstract The letters of Isidore of Pelusium present a variety of anthropological issues derived from the Scriptures and from his philosophical readings. This article aims to reconstruct Isidore’s anthropology by examining the value of these two realms of knowledge in his letters. In particular, it focuses on Epistula 895, dedicated to the interpretation of Gen 1:26–27, and on Epistula 1791, which deals with the immortality of the soul vis-à-vis Galen. The scrutiny of these, as well as several other letters touching upon different subjects, such as the body-soul relationship and the apokatastasis of souls, confirms the finding of earlier scholarship that Isidore was a dedicated student of Plato, Philo of Alexandria and John Chrysostom.