Bishopric as an Ascent to Philosophy Was Synesius of Cyrene Really a Christian?

Abstract

The article delves into the issue of Synesius of Cyrene’s Christianity. While scholars like D. Roques and Alan Cameron have argued that Synesius was a Christian due to his birth into a Christian family, the author disputes these presumptions. Instead, the author proposes that the question should be approached differently. Specifically, the problem lies not in determining whether Synesius was a Christian or a pagan but in understanding how he, as a Hellenic figure, interpreted Christianity. While we lack reliable information about whether he was ever baptized, we can confidently conclude – based on his view of the bishopric as a means to philosophy – that he did not adhere to Christianity in the traditional sense. Instead, Synesius could be considered a Hellenic believer who leveraged a Christian bishopric to sustain the traditional education and culture of Hellenism in the context of the Christian empire.