GREGORY of NAZIANZUS
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GREGORY of NAZIANZUS: The BIBLE and the REVELATION of the TRIUNE GOD By Yoriko Tanaka A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Theology of the University of St. Michael‟s College and the Historical Department of the Toronto School of Theology in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Theology Awarded by the University of St. Michael‟s College and the University of Toronto © Copyright by Yoriko Tanaka 2012 Gregory of Nazianzus: The Bible and the Revelation of the Triune God Yoriko Tanaka Master of Theology University of St. Michael‟s College of the University of Toronto 2012 Abstract This thesis examines the relationship between Gregory of Nazianzus‟ pneumatology and his understanding of Scripture in light of his concept of God‟s revelation. Although Gregory articulates a clearer pneumatology than his contemporaries, modern scholars tend to neglect his theological achievement. Therefore, in order to highlight Gregory‟s uniqueness, the present work compares him to Basil of Caesarea. While Basil‟s epistemology is based on the concept of the tradition of the knowledge of God, Gregory understands the attainment of that knowledge to be a gradual process in terms of relationship. Consequently, when discussing the Spirit‟s identity, a doctrine that is not explicitly stated in Scripture, Basil only states that the Spirit is divine, while Gregory asserts that He is God. This difference emerges from how these two Fathers locate the Bible within their concepts of how humans can know God. According to his epistemology, Gregory successfully demonstrates the Spirit‟s divinity as scriptural. ii Table of Contents List of Translations ..................................................................................................................................................... iv List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1 Life of Gregory ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Chapter 2 Knowledge of God ..................................................................................................................................... 18 1 QeÒj QeÒj in Gregory, in Basil ........................................................................................................................... 18 2 Knowledge of God .............................................................................................................................................. 23 3 The Possibility of Knowledge of God ................................................................................................................. 26 4 Knowledge of God and Salvation ....................................................................................................................... 30 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................. 35 Chapter 3 The Revelation of God .............................................................................................................................. 37 1 The Divine Initiative ........................................................................................................................................... 37 2 Basil and the Tradition of the Church ................................................................................................................. 39 3 Gregory and a Living Relationship with God ..................................................................................................... 48 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................. 57 Chapter 4 Scripture and the Triune God .................................................................................................................... 61 1 The Silence of Scripture ...................................................................................................................................... 61 2 Scripture for Gregory and Basil .......................................................................................................................... 63 3 Basil and the Divine Spirit of God ...................................................................................................................... 68 4 Gregory and God the Holy Spirit ........................................................................................................................ 72 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................. 80 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................................................... 82 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................................................... 84 iii List of Translations I have used English translations of the ancient texts below for each writings respectively, unless otherwise noted in the footnotes. Writings of Gregory: De Spiritu Sancto Peter Gilbert trans., On God and Man (New York: St Vladimir‟s Seminary Press, 2001). Epistulae C.G. Browne and J.E.Swallow trans. and eds., Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nazianzus, NPNF, 2nd ser., 7 (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1989) Epistulae 101-102 Lionel Wickham trans., On God and Christ, (New York: St Vladimir‟s Seminary Press, 2002). Orationes 27-31 Frederick W. Norris, Faith Gives Fullness to Reasoning (Leiden: E.J.Brill, 1991). Orationes 1, 38-41 Nonna Verna Harrison trans., Festal Orations (New York: St Vladimir‟s Seminary Press, 2008). De Vita Sua Denis Molaise Meehan trans., Saint Gregory of Nazianzus- Three Poems, FC 75 (Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 1986). Writings of Basil: Adversus Eunomium Mark DelCogliano and Andrew Radde- Gallwitz trans., Against Eunomius, FC 122 (Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press, 2011). De Spiritu Sancto Stephen Hildebrand trans., On the Holy Spirit, (New York: St Vladimir‟s Seminary Press, 2011). Epistulae Agnes Clare Way trans., Saint Basil Letters. FC 13 and 28 (New York: Fathers of the Church, 1955). iv List of Abbreviations I. Ancient Authors Basil. Basil of Caesarea Ep. Epistulae Eun. Adversus Eunomium Spir. De Spiritu Sancto Gr. Naz. Gregory of Nazianzus Ep. Epistulae Or. Orationes Vita. De Vita Sua II. Editions Courtonne Saint Basile: Lettres, Vol. 1-3, ed. Yves Courtonne (Paris: Société d‟Édition «Les Belles Lettres», 1957-1966) Gallay Gregor von nazianz Briefe, ed. Paul Gallay (Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1969). Gallay i Saint Grégoire de Nazianze Letters, Ed. Paul Gallay (Paris: Société d‟édition «Les Belles Lettres», 1964). NPNF Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers PG J.P. Migne, Patrologia Graeca, Paris 1857-66 SC Sources Chrétinnes v INTRODUCTION Despite the honourable traditional title of “the Theologian”, Gregory has enjoyed little popularity among modern scholars. The assessments of his theology have been harsh. For instance, in his discussion on the Trinitarian theology of the Cappadocians, Adolf Harnack completely ignores Gregory and bases his analysis solely on the theologies of Basil and Gregory of Nyssa.1 G.L. Prestige describes this Father in a rather disgraceful manner as an “inspired populariser”2 who merely reproduced what his friend had established. Anthony Meredith also devalues Gregory, writing: “[I]f his performance is compared with that of either of the other two Cappadocians, the limited nature of his own contribution becomes clear.”3 R.P.C. Hanson offers a fairer view of Gregory, calling him “more than just a competent theologian;”4 however, Hanson adds, too, that the Theologian “was not as original and as much of a pioneer, perhaps, as were Basil and his brother.”5 Therefore, there seems to be a widespread tendency to neglect the importance of Gregory in the shadows of his friends, Basil and Gregory of Nyssa. However, when closely examined, the writings of Basil and Gregory reveal a striking contrast concerning their treatment of the divinity of the Holy Spirit. While Basil only claims that the Spirit is divine [qeÒthj], Gregory is not ashamed to call Him God [QeÒj]. This is not a slight but a significant difference between Gregory and Basil. However, even in this regard, scholars tend to underestimate the value of Gregory‟s claim. For example, Hanson analyses the differences between Gregory and Basil as follows: In his Trinitarian doctrine…Gregory can be said to display no great originality. He differs in some points from Basil, but in none of great importance. His articulation of Trinitarian doctrine is clearer, rather more forceful and expressive than that of his friend, as becomes a great stylist, but that is all.6 1 Adolf Harnack, History of Dogma, trans. Neil Buchanan (Gloucester: Peter Smith, 1976), 4:84-89. As a result, Harnack concludes that the Cappadocian Trinitarian theology identifies the Father with the entire Godhead, emphasising the hierarchical order within the Trinity. While this summary