eis aionas aionon?

[Origen]

Does anybody understand this, I found it in a Catholic book about liturgy:

[For the eons of eons,] this literal translation from the Greek corresponds with the Latin “in saecula saeculorum” [into ages of ages]. Thereby is not meant the “eternity” (Greek aidiotêtos, Latin aeternitas) as infinite, unfading time that only applies to the triune God Himself; but the sum of all finite and fading periods of time. The translation from “eternity to eternity” [the idiomatic German equivalent of the English “forever and ever”] or in “all eternity” is at least misleading. Theologically more of relevance is, that by this use of “eternity”, it’s no longer possible to conceive that God’s “eternity” is of different kind then the “fullness of times”, given as gift to the creatures.

Augustine back in his days admitted that he did not know what the phrase means.

sven,

What is the title & date of the book?

That’s an interesting quote & distinction between “infinite, fading time” and “finite and fading periods of time”.

Scripturally speaking it is true that God existed before He created the eons (Heb.1:2; 1 Cor.2:7). So He could be understood as infinite in time past whereas the times of the eons (times eonian, Titus 1:2; 2 Tim.1:9) are not, but had a beginning.

Some also take the position that the eonian times have an end (based on, for example, Heb.9:26; 1 Cor.10:11), which seems that it may agree with your quote. Following are some sites that elaborate on, give charts & a concordance re that viewpoint:

saviourofall.org/Tracts/Eons2.html
tentmaker.org/books/asw/Chapter5.html
martinzender.com/Zenderature/the_eons.htm

[sven]

It’s a German book, as far as I remember universalism or eschatology at all was not its topic, what I quoted was from a section about liturgy:

books.google.de/books?id=3E3Ufj … ource=bl&o