Ahbel-Rappe, Sara

Sara Ahbel-Rappe is an American philosopher specializing in ancient philosophy, particularly Neoplatonism and its intersections with contemplative traditions. She serves as Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan. While her editorial work includes A Companion to Socrates (2006), her primary contributions to the philosophy of religion emerge through her studies of Neoplatonic theology and mysticism. Her monograph Socrates: A Guide for the Perplexed (2009) examines Socratic philosophy's religious dimensions, while Reading Neoplatonism (2000) explores the theological frameworks of late ancient philosophy. Ahbel-Rappe's work illuminates how ancient philosophical traditions conceptualized the divine, the soul's relationship to transcendent reality, and the role of spiritual exercises in philosophical practice. She demonstrates how Neoplatonic thought bridges philosophy and theology, offering sophisticated accounts of divine emanation, mystical experience, and the possibility of human union with the divine.