Prayer and Aeons

[ELoWolfe]

Since things are relatively slow, I thought I would pose this question and see what others thought.

I first want to look at discussion to the Aeons. The Aeons are eminations from God. But they seem to be able to act independently from the will of God. Specifically, in what seems to be all versions of the Sophia myth, Sophia acts independent from the will of God, the source. The reasoning itself may vary, but it is agreed that the material world resulted from this independent act and the material world is not an ideal.

However, Christ or the Logos is also called an Aeon. And Christ is said to be one with the Father.

So I wonder first if Aeons are God or if they're independent from God. If Christ is one with the Father, are all Aeons one with the Father, or was Christ special in this role?

This brings to the nature of worship. God itself is too great for us to know in its entirety. Christ as a vehicle for worship is more accessible. If Christ is truly one with the Father, as in Christ is God, then worshiping Christ is the same as worshiping the Father. But could the same be for the other Aeons? I do not know of any worship of other Aeons themselves. Although the specific Aeons differ depending on the system used, would it be wrong to worship an Aeon other than Christ or Sophia?

 

[nazz]

I pray to the Father, to Jesus, and sometimes even the Holy Spirit and worship all three. I've never prayed to or worshiped an Aeon but there may be practical spiritual value in doing so. I see no harm in it. I just don't feel any need to do so since all that they are is also contained in the trinity.

 

[ELoWolfe]

I wonder that myself, nazz. I would think they're an aspect of God, just as "Father" or "Son" is an aspect. But I wasn't sure. Especially with the vogue of worshiping Sophia. If they are but "a mode" of God, then there would be no concern. It may even be more direct since the Aeons could be more accessible than the totality of God.

 

[Tomas Kindahl]

So I wonder first if Aeons are God or if they're independent from God.

Yes and no. It is not like the Jewish idea that angels/aeons cannot do anything, except on the command of God. On the other hand, there is always an implicit assumption that the aeons are acting according to some kind of foreknowledge of God, which is an all-permeating panentheic being.

If Christ is one with the Father, are all Aeons one with the Father, or was Christ special in this role?

Christ is probably, in conformance with the Christian opinion, the Voice of God, the Messenger. According to the Sethian opinion – which I prefer – Autogenes (or Christ) is special, along with Barbelo (the androgynous Mother, or the Heavenly Sophia, like the Valentinians prefer to call her). The rest of the aeons aren't neccessarily voices or messengers.

This brings to the nature of worship. God itself is too great for us to know in its entirety. Christ as a vehicle for worship is more accessible. If Christ is truly one with the Father, as in Christ is God, then worshiping Christ is the same as worshiping the Father. But could the same be for the other Aeons? I do not know of any worship of other Aeons themselves. Although the specific Aeons differ depending on the system used, would it be wrong to worship an Aeon other than Christ or Sophia?

That's a matter of research. The Nag Hammadi Library contains prayers and rites. The Mandean prayers are often declarations of Light, but they refer to Aeons to a great degree. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1444088/1/U591390.pdf

 

[Jumi]

The Mandean prayers are often declarations of Light, but they refer to Aeons to a great degree. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1444088/1/U591390.pdf

Interesting find!