See all 4 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. He was prominent in the first council of constantinople see constantinople, first council of. Gregory of nyssa has always known its special calling. The son of two saints, basil and emmilia, young gregory was raised by his older brother, saint basil the great, and his sister, macrina, in modernday turkey. In the life of moses, one of the most important books in the study of christian mysticism, gregory retells the story of mosess life from the biblical account in exodus and numbers and then refers back to these stories as the basis for profound spiritual lessons. Apokatastasis in the thought of origen and gregory of nyssa. Gregory of nyssa, one of the greek cappadocian fathers,was considered one of the great spiritual leaders of the 4th century. Basil the great and his successor as champion of orthodoxy. The form of this volume, if one may judge from its heading, is apparently epistolary, but its bulk exceeds that of a letter, extending as it does to the length of a book. He became bishop of nyssa in cappadocia in 371, was removed in 376, and was restored in 378.
St gregory of nyssa, the great catechism full text, in. Gregory of nyssa, also known as gregory nyssen greek. He was appointed bishop of nyssa by his brother and would later write a book, the hexaemeron, on the six days of creation, as an expansion upon his brothers work on genesis. Ye that are strong with all might in the inner man ought by rights to carry on the struggle against the enemies of the truth, and not to shrink from the task, that we fathers may be gladdened by the noble toil of our sons. On the other hand, the theory itself posited by nyssa never did vanish. For something like this scripture darkly conveys by its arrangement, where it first says. Gregorys success in his studies suggested great things were ahead for him. Gregory wrote on theology, philosophy, ethics, oration, and asceticism. James herbert, 1868publication date 1903 topics theology, doctrinal publisher. History of the text xliii the catechetical oration 1 indices i. Gregory of nyssa, a saint of big ideas and deep faith.
Gregory of nyssa tends to be overshadowed by the other two. Nyssas contribution to the christian doctrine of tongues has long been forgotten in the annals of history, but nazianzus has survived. It is not the work of one who held a brief for monasticism. 5, 8, what people normally experience when they look down from some lofty promontory upon some mighty sea. He maintained that the ultimate purpose of the bible was not its historical teachings but it capacity for elevating the soul to god. A great deal of attention is paid to influences on gregory of nyssas writings. Gregorys the life of moses reflects his spiritual sense of the scriprtures. Gregory nazianzen, gregory has come to be regarded increasingly as the most. Gregory of nyssa stood on the shoulder of giants but was himself a big thinker in his own right. In the thought of origen and gregory of nyssa i can now truly rejoice in the lord my god who gave himself up for the sins of the world. Lecturer in biblical literature at the university of sheffield the tyndale lecture in historical theology, 1963.
His fame rests on his theological works, most of which were. Gregory of nyssas most popular book is the life of moses. Open as pdf excerpts from devotional classics edited by richard foster and james bryan smith gregory of nyssa 3396 introduction to the author gregory of nyssa was one of the great father of the church. St gregory of nyssa, on virginity full text, in english 1. St gregory of nyssa orthodox church parish history. Gregory, bishop of nyssa, to his brother peter, the servant of god. Monastic matrix is an ongoing collaborative effort by an international group of scholars of medieval history, religion, history of art, archaeology, religion, and other disciplines, as well as librarians and experts in computer technology. Gregory of nazianzus, gregory of nyssa spent some time, very probably in his early youth, for it is certain that while still a youth gregory exercised the ecclesiastical office of rector. Gregory of nyssa was a great thinker who drew inspiration the philosophical schools of the pagan greeks as well from the traditions of eastern christians and the jewish traditions. He was a younger brother of basil the great and a good friend of gregory nazianzus.
As part of the classics in spiritual formation, the sermons of gregory of nyssa offer a contemporary rendering of ancient spiritual wisdom for todays readers. Basils training was an antidote to the lessons of the pagan schools, wherein, as we know from a letter of st. Thomas fitzgerald the orthodox church throughout the ages has maintained a continuity of faith and love with the apostolic community which was founded by christ and sustained by the holy spirit. Wherein is a partial inquiry into the nature of the world, and a more minute exposition of the things which preceded the genesis of man. His significance has long been recognized in the eastern orthodox, oriental orthodox, and roman catholic branches of christianity. One of the greek cappadocian fathers the other two were gregorys brother, st. They are classic works on the nature of the spiritual life by one of the most important church fathers of the late 4th century and one whose popularity has. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in jerusalem.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see god. Gregory of nyssa, contra eunomium1 matthieu cassin between 379 and 383, gregory, bishop of nyssa in cappadocia, wrote three books aimed at answering the successive parts of the apologia apologiae published by eunomius of cyzicus. Praise be to lord our god whose mercies endure forever. He is venerated as a saint in roman catholicism, eastern orthodoxy, oriental orthodoxy, anglicanism, and lutheranism. Gregory deals with the celibate life in a different way from other catholic writers upon this theme. Books by gregory of nyssa author of the life of moses.
Includes an introduction, paraphrase by michael glerup of the text from the original languages, and helpful callouts that show how the work relates to your personal spiritual formation. The ultimate goal of gregorys spirituality is to strive for infinite progress in. Nyssa, the youngest of the socalled cappadocian fathers in the twentieth century, occasioned a rethinking of the saints vision of the mystical life, traditionally portrayed simply as an ascent from initial luminosity to increasing impenetrable darkness. This vertical axis is the theological axis of being. St gregory of nyssa paperback january 1, 1993 by of nyssa author, saint gregory author 4. Gregory of nyssa has 114 books on goodreads with 3942 ratings. One of the greatest challenges to a theologian is to take all of the education in philosophy and exegesis and the finer details of theology and. B y the grace of god, the columbus, ohio, orthodox christian community of st. A challenge for an integrated theology by adam bottiglia greek fathers chs 662jz. English translation to the monk olympius 960a introduction. The vertical axis sheds appropriate light on how human nature relates to god and the rest of creation. The belief in god rests on the art and wisdom displayed in the order of the world.
These two positions by nyssa and nazianzus set the stage for an ongoing debate for almost two millennia. The catechetical oration of gregory of nyssa by gregory, of nyssa, saint, ca. An analysis of gregory of nyssa on speaking in tongues. The religious theorist formulated some the original philosophical synthesis that late made significant impact in byzantine and possibly in the modern european thought1. A few words are necessary to explain the scope and aim of this remarkable treatise. My apology must be that the subject on which you bade. Gregory of nyssas collections of homilies, the first on the lords prayer and the second on the beatitudes. A scholarly resource for the study of womens religious communities from 400 to 1600 ce.
The nicene and postnicene fathers are comprehensive in scope, and provide keen translations of instructive and illuminating texts from some of the great theologians of the. In his fourth homily on ecclesiastes, gregory of nyssa takes up the issue of slavery. English translation of st gregory of nyssa, the great catechism. In addition to offering the original text and an english translation. The thesis is that a full understanding of gregory of nyssas theological anthropology will include reference to both its vertical and horizontal axes. Gregory of nyssas fifteenhomilies on the song of songsoffer an important resource for the history of christian biblical exegesis, as well as for the history of christian ascetical and spiritual teaching, and stand alongside origens commentary on the song as a source for the later interpretative tradition. Muni bus lines 10, 19, 22 and 55 stop within one block. The life of macrina, by gregory bishop of nyssa monastic.
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