Synesius of Cyrene and Hypatia of Alexandria: The Patristic Canon, Classical Paideia and Philhellenism    Synesius of Cyrene (373-414 CE) and Hypatia (355-415 CE) are thought to be two of the finest embodiments of Neo-Platonic philosophy and Christian Platonism  in the Late Antique world and ethos. There has been a turn in the last few decades within Christianity to the Patristic Tradition (East and West) as a needed corrective to the limitations and reactionary nature of protestant theology. Many of the finest Christian contemplative philosophers and theologians (and their turn to both the contemplative and wisdom tradition of Plato) have been well mined and gold brought to the much-needed surface. But, in this turn to such a heritage, there has been a predictable tendency to ignore both Synesius (the Platonic-Philosopher Bishop) and his mentor Hypatia (Greek meaning highest or supreme). This short reflection will, in some ways, urge a turn to both Synesius (a “hapax” not to miss in the Patristic canon)  and Hypatia as a needed corrective to their omission in much Patristic thought and life. I might add, without walking further down such a trail and pathway, that Homer is the fount of Greek thought, his literary approach, concealing a deeper philosophical and theological vision, most Pre-Socratic, Greek Tragedians and Plato-Aristotle reading Homer in an allegorical way (even though Plato seeming to do a literal read and rejection). Synesius, I might add, was replete with quotes and passages from Homer and Plato. There is a sense, also, that Synesius is engaged in the same synthesizing process as Nonnus and Boethius, a tradition not quite the same as the Fathers East and West. But, to the reflection. There has been a dishonest tendency by some reactionaries to see the brutal killing of Hypatia by extreme Christians as a clash between  thoughtful philosophers and mindless fideistic Christians, the former enlightened thinkers, the latter aggressive and violent religious types. Sadly, such extreme types are then equated with authentic and mature Christianity. Needless to say, nothing could be further from the more nuanced truth. Hypatia was a generous woman who had many religious people study with her and respected each of them, her sense of public responsibility integrated well with her rigorous notion of wisdom and the common good.  Hypatia did, as a sound philosopher, raise deeper questions about the journey into the virtues and wisdom, her teachings and life drew the best and brightest in Alexandria. Sadly so, Alexandria had a history within Christianity of being pulled in two opposite directions. There were the more thoughtful Christians that had matured under the layered and insightful teaching of Clement and Origen and there were the reactionaries to their interpretations and applications of the sacred texts and neo-platonic philosophy. read more…