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Lecture 16: The Great Patriarchs of Constantinople: Gregory and John23 October 2014

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Gregory Nazianzus, 329-389

Knew Athanasius as a young man; wrote a funeral oration for Athanasius

Very close friend of Basil; studied in Athens with him Great rhetorician Sermons on Christology and Trinity very influential

St. Jerome was his disciple in Constantinople Took up residence in a monastery in Constantinople

so he could pray and study Known as ‘The Theologian’

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De Fuga

His father tried to ordain him a priest, and Basil encouraged him to be ordained, but fled because Gregory felt himself unworthy

Wrote De Fuga; trying to defend his flight to Basil Wanted to lead a Christian philosophical life of study Described responsibilities of priesthood and bishops

Very influential on John Chrysostom and Pope St. Gregory the Great

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Gregory of Nazianzus and Theodosius Recall that several of Constantine’s successors had

been Arians Constantinople had an Arian Patriarch Theodosius made Gregory Nazianzus Patriarch

after orthodox populace proclaimed Gregory In 381 Theodosius called Council of Constantinople,

over which Gregory presided Reaffirmed Orthodox creed; expanded statements

on Holy Spirit Basically what we have now

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Heretical Reaction to Arius

Recall that Arius believed the Word was created

In reaction to this Apollinarius, bishop of Laodicea, proposed notion that Jesus had a physically human body, but mind and will were not human but divine.

Gregory rejects this completely; Supports “what is not assumed is not saved”

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Works of Gregory Nazianzus

De Fuga Poems Homilies and Orations

Oration in praise of Athanasius and Basil Funeral Oration for his sister Georgina Theological Orations

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Theological Orations

Delivered in Constantinople in 390 in support of theology of Trinity

Series of 5 Orations First is an Introduction Second on God the Father Third and Fourth on Son

Third is philosophical arguments about Son Fourth analyzes difficult Scriptural passages on Son

Fifth on Holy Spirit

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First Theological Oration

Note that Gregory is preaching in a hostile environment

Setting stage for future discussions and argument with Arians on one hand and Appolinarians on the other

Must be purified in soul and spirit to philosophize about God (3)

Importance of reason and rules of conduct in philosophy discussions (5)

Seems to support notion of multiple ways to philosophize about God (8)

But some ways are clearly wrong (9)

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Second Theological Oration

Focus on God the Father, the nature of God Adopt an attitude of Moses going into the cloud to

meet God (3) God cannot be described in human words But man must try to do so

Study of creation gives eom insight into existence of God (6) But cannot describe God’s essence, only God’s actions

(17) Scripture needed to approach understanding of

God’s essence (17) But even Scripture cannot answer all questions about God Only what we need to know (20)

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Third Theological Oration

Focus on the Son Gregory addresses 10 Arian philosophical

arguments for creation of Son Whether or not the Son is eternal Relationship between God and the Word

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Fourth Theological Oration

An analysis of 10 Arian Scriptural texts and arguments Note many of these texts, especially NT texts are focus of many

current debates; Historical Jesus Christology from below

Note he starts with Prov. 8:22 (2) Distinction between begotten and created (2)

God became man that man might become deified (3) Son, representing us, is subject to the Father; note interpretation

of Ps 22 on Cross (5) Eschaton as time of restitution (6)

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Fourth Theological Oration (cont.) Son has his being with the Father; acts on his own

authority (11) Son does not have a will separate from Father (12) Son has infinite knowledge as God; but human

knowledge is limited (15, 16) Limitation of words in describing Deity (17) Relation between Father and Son; Nicene Creed

(20) Names for Second Person of Trinity, divine and

human (20, 21)

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Fifth Theological Oration

Proper understanding of Holy Spirit (1) Against those who interpret Scripture by the letter (3)

Attribute names to Holy Spirit God the Trinity: out of light, light, in light

Holy Spirit is of the essence of God, not an activity of God (6) Spirit proceeds from Father; but beyond human understanding; this a mystery

(8) There is no deficiency in any of persons of Trinity; Trinity represents their

relationship (9) Use of analogy, and limits of analogy in trying to understand Trinity (11) But we are not Tritheists (13, 14)

God undivided in three Persons Comparison with humans; common human nature (15)

We are compounded We are separate individuals; unequal in status

How to count things that are of one substance, but multiple instances of them (19)

Allegorical interpretation of Scripture (21)

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Fifth Theological Oration (cont.) Two Testaments (25)

From idols to law From law to Gospel

OT declares Father openly, Son obscurely. NT declares Son openly, Spirit obscurely (26)

Spirit guides in interpretation (27) Nothing on earth can be compared to Trinity

(31, 32)

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Two Poems by Gregory Nazianzuswww.mklangl.com/gregpoem1.html A MORNING PRAYER.

Tis dawn: to God I lift my hand,To regulate my way;My passions rule, and unmoved stand,And give to Thee the day: Not one dark word or deed of sin,Nor one base thought allow;But watch all avenues within,And wholly keep my vow.

Shamed were my age, should I decline;Shamed were Thy table too,At which I stand:--the will is mine:Give grace, my Christ, to do.

A HYMN AT NIGHT, AFTER FAILURE TO KEEP VOW, O Thou, the Word of truth divine!All light I have not been,Nor kept the day as wholly Thine;For Thou dark spots hast seen. The day is down: night hath prevailed:My Lord I have belied;I vowed, and thought to do, but failed;My steps did somewhere slide. There came a darkness from belowObscuring safety's way.Thy light, O Christ, again bestow;Turn darkness into day.

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Gregory of Nyssa, d. 385

Younger brother of Basil and Macrina Married (perhaps to sister of Gregory Nazianzus??) May have been bishop of Nyssa; wrote catechetical

instructions Philosophically very influenced by Origen and

NeoPlatonism Also very deeply influenced by his sister, Macrina

Life of Macrina Macrina as The Teacher in On the Resurrection

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NeoPlatonism

Philosophy developed by Plotinus (204-270) Alexandrian philosopher; contemporary of Origen Extended aspects of Plato Work is preserved in the Enneads

Emphasis on God as One, The One as self-caused and cause of everything in universe The One is exquisitely, beautifully simple (i.e., without

complexity); the One is completely Good Matter, as caused by One is good; therefore, evil must be what is

limited or absence of being Man as a rational creature finds his true happiness in unity with

the One; moving from the limiting material to the unbounded simple, beautiful good One

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Influence of NeoPlatonism

Cannot be over-stated The development of both Greek and Latin

Christianity through the Middle Ages Group of learned Christian converts in Italy, including

Augustine Questions about Aquinas: he seemed to abandon

neoPlatonism as a philosophical method for Aristotle; Aquinas’ contemporary, Bonaventure, relied very much on

neoPlatonism After the Third Century, when subsequent

philosophers and theologians refer to the “Platonists”, almost always referring to what we now refer to as NeoPlatonists

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Plotinus (Enneads) and Gregory of Nyssa (Inscription of the Psalms) on Ascent to God

Stage Plotinus Gregory 1 Awakening to the differences in

the world between good and evil. (1st Ennead II)

Awareness of the world, differences between evil and good (Para 39)

2 Start of embracing virtues that will purify the soul and separate it from the material (1st Ennead III)

Desire for virtue, beginning of self-control (40)

3 Confidence in the good; the sage’s happiness is not affected by changes in fortune (1st Ennead IV)

Confidence in God’s judgment, not our own based upon our sense perception (43-45); development of hope for union with God (43)

4 The soul (intellect) becomes aware of the beauty of the perfect forms through illumination of the divine 1st Ennead VI)

Illumination from God like Moses (51); at the boundary of the changeable and the unchangeable (57)

5 Union with the One; desire for the One is replaced with enthusiasm (divine fills the soul)

Sublime contemplation of God (76); material life left completely behind; God completely transforms our nature to a superior, unchanging state (84); emotions under complete control (103); wisdom (the search for understanding) ceases, now the good must be possessed and not discarded (111)

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Gregory of Nyssa Commentary on Song of Songs Prolog

Written to a group of religious women Need to consider the allegorical meaning of Scripture Based on Origen

Homily 1 Christ used Solomon, wisest of all kings, to speak to us in Proverbs,

Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs Proverbs for young Ecclesiastes for those ready to embrace virtue and leave behind material world

(vanities) Song of Songs teaches us mystery of mysteries Become passionless using words of passion After resurrection, passions of flesh will no longer disturb the soul Allegorical understanding of first line

See www.bhsu.edu/artssciences/asfaculty/dsalomon/nyssa/songcompar.html for a comparison of Origen, Gregory of Nyssa and Bernard of Clairvaux on Song of Songs

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Another rising ‘philosophy’ of the period: Manicheaism Founded by Mani, Persian contemporary of Plotinus Many gnostic elements

Secret knowledge ‘solves’ theodicy problem with two gods Synchristic: mixture of Christianity, Hinduism,

Zoroastrianism Becomes very popular in fourth century; most

famous hearer (catechumen) : Augustine Still viable in 11th Century: St. Dominic founds Order

of Preachers to preach against their heirs (Cathars)

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Assignments

Gregory Nazianzus, Theological Orations 1, 4, 5 p 128-135; 177-214.

Gregory of Nyssa, Commentary on the Song of Songs Prolog and First Homily p. 35-56

CCC 2670-2685, Holy Spirit and Prayer Benedict XVI, General Audiences, Gregory

Nazianzus, 8 August 2007, 22 August 2007 Benedict XVI, General Audiences, Gregory of

Nyssa, 29 August 2007, 5 September 2007 Write short paper on one of the Cappadocians