About

The world is God’s epistle to mankind.

-Plato (according to Boyle)

Epistolê is a blog I began back when I was in seminary. Despite gaps in time and maturity it’s been a blog about basic principles (i.e., ‘letters’), philosophical and theological. As Petrarch says “Theology is poetry concerning God.” St. Paul says “we are God’s workmanship [poema].” The theological journey is part of the soul’s poetic or epic journey to God, who is Goodness and Truth and Beauty in its purest, absolutest, simplest form.

I’m an Anglican priest living and ministering in rural Virginia along with my wife and three children. Most of my academic interests have to do with the Reformation and the reception of Platonism in the Early Modern period as well as (of course!) Anglican theology. In my dissertation (McGill, 2018) I examined the moral theology of the Cambridge Platonist, Peter Sterry, who exhibited some influence of Nicholas of Cusa’s ascetical theology. As I understand it, my research has been and will always be an intellectual journey exploring the connection between the contemplative life and the moral life (i.e., ascetical and moral theology) and by this means growing in some likeness to God in the “inner man” (“we have the mind of Christ”!). My publications include an edited volume on Nicholas of Cusa as well as various academic articles in historical theology (see here).

Email: eric.m.parker[at]gmail[dot]com