XIII International Colloquium on Gregory of Nyssa

Studia Patristica CXV, vol. 12, 2021

The Christology of Gregory of Nyssa has been subjected to various scholarly assessments. While many have sought either to exonerate him or indict him in view of later conciliar standards, others have protested that such judgments are anachronistic. This article dives into the fray, but with more than Chalcedon in view and with less than ‘orthodoxy’ at stake. That is, Gregory’s Christology is assessed in view not merely of Chalcedon, but of the radical unity-in-distinction evident within the canons of Constantinople II. Yet the goal is neither to exonerate or indict, since Gregory cannot meaning- fully be expected to meet later dogmatic standards, even if evaluating his views in this way proves beneficial. So, Gregory’s Christological statements are sorted, interpreted, and assessed, with an eye to their soteriological motivations and implications. It is shown that Gregory’s theology of the historical life of Christ tends to be divisive with respect to the divine and human natures, while his theology of the resurrected Christ tends to be unitive – nearly to the point of monophysitism – and the rationale for both tendencies is explained. Yet it is also made clear that his theology of universal salvation complicates such a straightforward interpretation and so proves that Gregory’s Christology and soteriology remain fruitful in their own right.

2015

As an introduction to ecclesiology, this course seeks to provide a fundamental understanding the Church’s origin, nature, structure, and mission. An overview of the New Testament and historical sources for the theology of the Church will develop into two primary tracks: 1) an introduction to the major ecclesiological models, images, themes and issues; 2) a special consideration of the Church of Rome and its relationship to the universal Church, particularly the question of primacy and collegiality.

2016

As an introduction to ecclesiology, this course seeks to provide a fundamental understanding the Church’s origin, nature, structure, and mission. An overview of the New Testament and historical sources for the theology of the Church will develop into two primary tracks: 1) an introduction to the major ecclesiological models, images, themes and issues; 2) a special consideration of the Church of Rome and its relationship to the universal Church, particularly the question of primacy and collegiality.

2017

As an introduction to ecclesiology, this course seeks to provide a fundamental understanding the Church’s origin, nature, structure, and mission. An overview of the New Testament and historical sources for the theology of the Church will develop into two primary tracks: 1) an introduction to the major ecclesiological models, images, themes and issues; 2) a special consideration of the Church of Rome and its relationship to the universal Church, particularly the question of primacy and collegiality.

2018

As an introduction to ecclesiology, this course seeks to provide a fundamental understanding the Church's origin, nature, structure, and mission. An overview of the New Testament and historical sources for the theology of the Church will develop into two primary tracks: 1) an introduction to the major ecclesiological models, images, themes and issues; 2) a special consideration of the Church of Rome and its relationship to the universal Church, particularly the question of primacy and collegiality.

Scottish Journal of Theology, 2000

The fourth-century Christian thinker, Gregory of Nyssa, has been the subject of a huge variety of interpretations over the past fifty years, from historians, theologians, philosophers, and others. In this highly original study, Morwenna Ludlow analyses these recent readings of Gregory of Nyssa and asks: What do they reveal about modern and postmodern interpretations of the Christian past? What do they say about the nature of Gregory's writing? Working thematically through studies of recent Trinitarian theology, Christology, spirituality, feminism, and postmodern hermeneutics, Ludlow develops an approach to reading the Church Fathers which combines the benefits of traditional scholarship on the early Church with reception-history and theology.

Content Writings by: Nicephorus from Loneliness, Theoleptos of Philadelphia, Saint Gregory the Sinaite, Saint Gregory Palamas About prayer, Watchfulness, and Guarding the Heart, of Nicephorus from Loneliness 3 Nicephorus from Loneliness. Short Biographical Note 4 Word about Prayer. Of Nicephorus from Loneliness 8 From the Life of Our Pious Father Anthony 10 From the Life of Saint Theodosius, the Cenobiarch (The Exarch of the Coenobitic Communities) 11 From the Life of Saint Arsenius 12 From the Life of Saint Paul from Latro 12 From the Life of Saint Sava 13 From the Life of Saint Agathon 14 From Abba Mark (towards Nicholas) 14 From Saint John Climacus 15 From Abba Isaiah 16 From Makarios the Great 17 From Diadochus 17 From Isaac the Syrian 17 From the Carpathian 18 From Simeon the New Theologian 18 Of Theoleptos Metropolitan of Philadelphia. Word about the Toils of the Monastic Life. And Word about That Word Hidden into Christ 28 Metropolitan Theoleptos of Philadelphia His Life and His Writings 28 The Word of Theoleptos, Metropolitan of Philadelphia, about the Toils of the Monastic Life 36 Of the Same Theoleptos of Philadelphia, Word about That Word Hidden into Christ 56 Of the One amongst the Saitns, our Father Gregory of Sinai Very Useful Heads in Acrostic And other Writings 62 Saint Gregory the Sinaite. His life 63 The Writings of Gregory Sinaite 74 Of the One Amongst Saints, Our Father Gregory Sinaite Very Useful Heads in Acrostic, of which Acrostic is this: Diverse Words about Commandments, Dogmas, Menaces and Promises, and even about Thoughts, Passions, and Virtues; and then about Appeasement and Prayer. 80 Other Heads of the same One 140 About the Passionate Transformation 141 About the Good Transformation 142 Of the Same One Detailed teaching about appeasement and prayer, about the signs of the grace and of the deceit; and then, about the difference between warmth and work; and that without an adviser there comes easily the delusion. (Head in The Greek Philokalia: 10; here we have 14 heads). 143 About the Way One Can Find the Word 145 Of Saint Gregory Palamas Word for Them Who Appease Themselves Piously 154 The Third Word of the Last Ones About the Holy Light 155 The Second Word from the Last Ones About Prayer 180 The Third Word from the Last Ones About the Holy Light 215 Of Saint Gregory Palamas Out of the Word of Saint John Chrysostom at the First Martyr Stephen 309 Of Saint Gregory Palamas About the Godlike and Deifying Impartation; or about the Godlike and Above-Nature Simplicity 311 The Hagiorite Tome 344 Of Saint Greogry Palamas, the Archbishop of Thessaloniki 150 Heads about the Natural Knowledge, about the Knowledge about God, about the Moral Life, and about Doing 355