Tweet. In his work, The Fifth Theological Oration - On The Spirit, Gregory of Nazianzus argues for the divinity of the Spirit. This is especially seen in an excerpt immediately following his reflection on the Godhead in terms of light. Holy Water is often sprinkled on items or people when they are blessed outside of the Church building, as part of the prayers of blessing. I cannot grasp the greatness of That One so as to attribute a greater greatness to the Rest. With prayer as the anchor of his life, St. Gregory shows us that through any trials and difficulties, experiencing God's love always wins the day . He is baptized; the Spirit bears witness. He also proclaimed the eternality of the Holy Spirit, saying that the Holy Spirit's actions were somewhat hidden in the Old Testament but much clearer since the ascension of Jesus into Heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit at the feast of Pentecost. His father, also named Gregory, had recently been ordained as local bishop. Gregory of Nazianzus, also known as Gregory the Theologian, was born in 329 at Nazianzus in Cappadocia (modern day Turkey). If the One … He was son -- one of three children-- of Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus (329-374), in the south-west of Cappadocia, and of Nonna, a daughter of Christian parents. Fundamental to St Gregory’s teaching on the Holy Spirit is its underlying soteriological focus. He works miracles; the Spirit accompanies them. Caesarius went on to Constantinople, where he became first doctor, then financial manager in the imperial court. When I think of any One of the Three I think of Him as the Whole, and my eyes are filled, and the greater part of what I am thinking of escapes me. He studied rhetoric in Athens with his friend Basil … In 381, Gregory presided the Council of Constantinople, but a lack of administrative skills forced him to abdicate. 670 On the Words of the Gospel, 'When Jesus Had Finished These Sayings,' Etc.--S. The Holy Spirit; The Trinity; Pastoral ministry. "In Your Light We Shall See Light": Virtuous Reading and a Theology of InterpretatIon In Gregory of Nazianzus’s Oration 31, The Internal Coherence of Cyril of Alexandria's Pneumatology: Interpreting the Seventh Dialogue of the Dialogues on the Trinity, 'What then, is the Spirit God? On Wednesday, 22 August [2007], the Holy Father arrived by helicopter from his Summer Residence at Castel Gandolfo for the General Audience in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall. In 378, Valens died and Theodosius I, a promoter of the decisions of the Council of Nicaea, took his place. In my journey through reading Christian classics, I recently read Basil of Caesarea's On the Holy Spirit. Gregory of Nazianzus (330 – January 25 389 or 390) (also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen) was a 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople. PO Box 24087, RPO Josephine He was born around the year 33 on the country estate of Arianzus, near Nazianzus, in the Roman province of Cappadocia (in today’s Turkey). Holy Water . He states the Orthodox position thus, “If ever there was a time when the Father was not, then there was a time when the Son was not. Divine Semiotics And The Way To The Triune God In Augustine’S De Trinitate. Gregory, in his fifth oration, upholds the Deity and Personality of the Holy Spirit, with a particular emphasis on the Spirit’s relation in the Triune Godhead and His Eternal Procession. ), Gregory of Nazianzus: Autobiographical Poems (Cambridge Medieval Classics), Cambridge University Press, 2005, 23. Gregory of Nazianzus. The Alliance is a coalition of pastors, scholars, and churchmen who hold the historic creeds and confessions of the Reformed faith and who proclaim biblical doctrine in order to foster a Reformed awakening in today's Church. For the Word is not stoned, but casts stones when He pleases; and uses a sling against wild beasts—that is, words—approaching the Mount 3695 3695 Exod. Man is called to worship the One who elevates … His long-standing trust in friends was once again crushed, this time by the philosopher Maximus who tried to push Gregory aside in order to rise to the position of bishop of Constantinople. In the Eastern Church, Holy Water is used frequently in rites of blessing and exorcism, and the water for baptism is always sanctified with a special blessing. Gregory agreed, not without some hesitation. Much of Gregory’s poetry was autobiographical. Pope Benedict XVI. To the followers of Arius, baptizing people in the name of three divine Persons who are equally God was a blasphemy, close to polytheism. As a classically trained orator and philosopher he infused Hellenism into the early church, establishing the paradigm of Byzantine theologians and church officials. © Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Inc. All rights reserved, About the Alliance This thesis comprises the first full-length study of Gregory of Nazianzus's theology of the Holy Spirit. As we confess our faith in a Triune God, we seldom remember the struggle it took to clarify and fine-tune the language that allows us to talk about it. Gregory was the 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople and an eminent theologian of the early church. Gregory Nazianzus. He studied rhetoric with his friend Basil, later named Basil the Great, and Julian, who became an emperor … I. His greatest concern was that he had not been baptized. “Hunger, storm, and winds were competing to end our life,” he wrote about thirty years later. Privacy Policy The Fifth Theological Oration, On the Holy Spirit 97. v Introduction REGORY of Nazianzus (330 389) has been treated as one of the brightest stars in the – firmament of the Christian tradition. Gregory’s troubles in Constantinople were not limited to the Easter eve attack. Share. God spared him, and Gregory arrived in Athens, where he stayed – still unbaptized – for more than ten years, while he studied under well-known teachers. The Spirit is involved in the self-revelation of the Trinity. Oratio, 38 (1 – 4, 13 – 18), delivered around Christmas in Constantinople in the year 380. He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory of Nazianzus. He was a great defender of the Nicene Faith and played a leading role at the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in 381. Adult Patristics Study - St. Leonardo da Vinci: Madonna of the Carnation, Alte Pinakothek, München. Of these, Gregory of Nazianzus played a vital role in exploring the nature of the Spirit and in reaching a greater understanding of Christ’s nature and relationship with both the Father and the Spirit. He advocated, against leading figures including Basil of He was a younger brother of Basil the Great and a good friend of Gregory of Nazianzus. Holy Water . Gregory is drawing upon Origen’s Spirit-Letter dichotomy (166). Andrew B. McGowan, Brian E. Daley, and Timothy J. Gaden (Leiden: Brill, 2009), 151–62; CrossRef Google Scholar. Theophany And The Invisible God In Early Christian Theology And Art. He was son -- one of three children-- of Gregory, Bishop of Nazianzus (329-374), in the south-west of Cappadocia, and of Nonna, a daughter of Christian parents. This gave greater freedom to Christians who defended the full divinity of Christ. After a moving resignation speech, he returned home where he spent time in writing and contemplation until his death (probably in 390). Gregory succeeded his father as Bishop of Nazianzus and in 379 was elected Bishop of Constantinople. J. By that time, delaying the sacrament had become common practice. Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390 CE), "the Theologian," is the premier teacher on the Holy Trinity in Eastern Christian tradition, yet for over a century historians and theologians have largely neglected his work. Gregory of Nazianzus;Holy Spirit;Trinity;Pneumatology;Council of Constantinople 381;Basil of Caesarea;History of Christianity;History of Christianity: Publication Date: Oct-2012: Abstract:

This thesis comprises the first full-length study of Gregory of Nazianzus's theology of the Holy Spirit. In his sermons and lectures, he defended once again the divinity of Christ and introduced the Spirit as equal Person of the Trinity, explaining that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved and engaged in every aspect of our salvation. He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the patristic age. Father reflects on their teachings on the incarnation and the divine motherhood of Mary. This chapter brings the argument to a focus by considering Gregory's doctrine of the Trinity as a whole, which is “theology” in the fullest sense. While the Apostolic Fathers did not further this discussion much, it is only by the end of the second century that two … 659 On the Arrival of the Egyptians. Basil (the Great) was the ecclesial speaker and administrator, and Gregory of Nazianzus (the Theologian) was the poet and rhetorical mastermind, writing forty-five orations and over seventeen thousand lines of poetry. Gregory of Nazianzus on the Trinity and the Knowledge of God: In Your Light We Shall See Light: Beeley, Christopher A.: 9780195313970: Books - Amazon.ca The Orthodox name him “The Theologian” 1 – a title they accord only one other, St John the Apostle and Evangelist an– d honour him with two feast-days, January 25th and January 30th. On the vigil of Easter in 379, a group composed mostly of monks and women rushed into a church, attacked the congregants, wounded the preacher, and killed another bishop. On the Holy Spirit. This edition of On the Holy Spirit comes complete with a Touch-or-Click Table of Contents. Doctor of the Church, born at Arianzus, in Asia Minor, c. 325; died at the same place, 389. So, also, the Spirit's divinity was withheld until the Son's divinity was believed. On the contrary the Holy Spirit is, to begin with, because of qualities that are essentially holy, that which the Father, essentially Holy, is; and such as the Only-begotten is, such is the Holy Spirit; then, again, He is so by virtue of life-giving, of imperishability, of unvariableness, of everlastingness, of justice, of wisdom, of rectitude, of sovereignty, of goodness, of power, of capacity to give all good things, and above them … Like Augustine, he describes with touching honesty and powerful imagery his love for God, his passionate feelings for family and friends, his frequent disappointments, and his long-standing struggle between his necessary duties and his compelling desire to live an ascetic life. Both of his parents were made saints. Unlike Augustine, he literally ran away – back to Pontus. Gregory senior and his wife Nonna had already another child, a girl named Gorgonia. He was ordained a priest and was appointed Bishop of Sasima by St. Accepting a cousin’s offer to use her villa, he held services there, naming the small fledging church Anastasia (from the Greek anastasis, “standing again”). Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. the Father’s love for the Son); and those will be unloseable, for obvious reasons. He also proclaimed the eternality of the Holy Spirit, saying that the Holy Spirit's actions were somewhat hidden in the Old Testament but much clearer since the ascension of Jesus into Heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit at the feast of Pentecost. Gregory accredited to her his father’s conversion from a small heretical sect. Gregory of Nazianzus (3301 – January 25 389 or 3901) (also known as Gregory the Theologian or Gregory Nazianzen) was a 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople. Gregory is drawing upon Origen’s Spirit-Letter dichotomy (166). Along with many other theological works, both are known for their early and compelling arguments that the Holy Spirit is in fact God. “No sooner do I conceive of the One than I am illumined by the Splendor of the Three; no sooner do I distinguish Them than I am carried back to the One. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, died, and was buried. Since the Holy Spirit deifies and is not deifies, then he is God, full stop. The Fifth Theological Oration. On the Theophany, or Birthday of Christ. A violent attack because of theology? Such then is the account of the Son, and in this manner He has escaped those who would stone Him, passing through the midst of them. Basil was good friends with Gregory of Nazianzus, together with Basil's brother Gregory they are known as the Cappadocian Fathers. Certainly!' To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to upgrade your browser. In Gregory’s mind, the Holy Spirit must have equal status with the other godly members for "he is neither a creature, nor a thing made, nor a fellow servant, nor any of these lowly appellations" (Nazianzus, The Fifth Theological Oration - On The Spirit… The question of His relation to the Son is alien to S. Gregory Nazianzen's purpose; nor does it seem to have once been raised in the great battle between Arianism and Catholicity which was fought out at Constantinople during Gregory's Episcopate" (Swete on the Procession, p. 107)). The central chapter of the book evaluates Gregory's distinctive doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit's role in the work of Christian theology, focusing on the soteriological character of Gregory's Pneumatology in distinction from that of his Christology. They were not terrorists. Besides the spiritual responsibilities, which Gregory perceived in all their actual weight, he had to take on a greater load of practical tasks to assist his aging father, including the unpleasant duty of dealing with his brother’s creditors after Caesarius’s death of the plague in 368. Calendar, Canadian Donors: His cry to God, however, betrays the Scriptural knowledge which had been instilled in him since childhood. In the Eastern Church, Holy Water is used frequently in rites of blessing and exorcism, and the water for baptism is always sanctified with a special blessing. On his way to Athens, Gregory was caught by a terrible storm, which almost caused a shipwreck. St. Gregory of Nazianzus, the Theologian, explains this progression in terms of the pedagogy of divine "condescension": ... 686 The Holy Spirit is at work with the Father and the Son from the beginning to the completion of the plan for our salvation. He was a classically trained orator and as such is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of his time, infusing Hellenistic style and philosophy into the early church. 11 GREGORY OF NAZIANZUS'S ORATION 31 ON THE HOLY SPIRIT Pablo A7JJarate PNEUMATOLOGICAL EVOLUTION With the exception of some brilliant Johannine and Pauline passages, the rest of the New Testament provides only an incipient pneumatological reflec- tion. What great things are there in the idea of God which are not in His power?”[6]. At a time when emperors were intrinsically involved in the running of the church, theological matters often became political issues. He insisted that the only distinctions that can be established between the three Persons of the Trinity are those which refer to the origin of each of them. With no scarcity of details, he described Sasima as “a place without water, without vegetation, completely uncivilized, an utterly dreadful and cramped little settlement. Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer. He was also a prolific poet who considered his poetic vocation as a work done for God’s glory. Refusing to fulfill his ordination, he stayed home, where he continued his previous duties until his father’s death in 374. [5] Philip Schaff, Henry Wace, eds., A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, New York, The Christian Literature Company, 1894, 375. 13 thoughts on “Question about Gregory of Nazianzus on Divinity, the Son and the Spirit” Brandon September 18, 2008 at 10:55 am At least some energies are usually taken as having the divine Persons as their terms (e.g. Ave Maria! St. Gregory of Nyssa (c 335 – after 394) was a Christian bishop and saint. Gregory has been called "the Theologian," "the Divine," and the "Christian Demosthenes." Of these, Gregory of Nazianzus played a vital role in exploring the nature of the Spirit and in reaching a greater understanding of Christ’s nature and relationship with both the Father and the Spirit. North Bay, ON, P1B 0C7, Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, Blue Ridge Institute for Theological Education, Quakertown Conference on Reformed Theology, International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310243.htm, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310202.htm, http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310231.htm, Gregory of Nazianzus and Why Knowing the Nature of the Holy Spirit Really Matters. Ephrem’S Doctrine Of God. God And The Poor In Early Christian Thought . Doctor of the Church, born at Arianzus, in Asia Minor, c. 325; died at the same place, 389. Gregory is the first author whose works are extant to declare that “the Holy Spirit is God” in so many words. The biblical teaching of a fully human and fully divine Christ, which had been approved at the 325 Council of Nicea and was heartily taught by Basil and his friends, was not as popular as Arius’s simpler explanation of Jesus as lesser God or half-god. [1] Gregory of Nazianzus, Caroline White (ed. 4 But the Spirit is the last of the persons of the Holy Trinity to be revealed. He is especially noted for his contributions to the field of pneumatology—that is, theology concerning the nature of the Holy Spirit. ), Gregory of Nazianzus, 43. He was baptized by his father when he returned to Nazianzus and led a holy life. Repeat the same formula as a bishop of the patristic age knowledge which had been instilled in him since.., delaying the sacrament had become common practice as a work done for ’. His mother, Nonna, taught him the Scriptures and made certain that he likened to.... 'Ll email you a reset link like Augustine, he said father 's divinity was withheld the. 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