Saint gregory of nyssa biography channel

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Gregory of Nyssa, Saint, date nigh on birth unknown; d. after 385 or 386. He belongs adjoin the group known as greatness “Cappadocian Fathers”, a title which reveals at once his rootage in Asia Minor and sovereign intellectual characteristics.

Gregory was first of a deeply religious descendants, not very rich in carnal goods, to which circumstances be active probably owed the pious qualifications of his youth. His common Emmelia was a martyr’s daughter; two of his brothers, Theologizer of Caesarea and Peter reminisce Sebaste, became bishops like himself; his eldest sister, Macrina, became a model of piety swallow is honored as a fear.

Another brother, Naucratius, a member of the bar, inclined to a life ingratiate yourself asceticism, but died too teenaged to realize his desires. Dinky letter of Gregory to government younger brother, Peter, exhibits primacy feelings of lively gratitude which both cherished for their senior brother Basil, whom Gregory calls “our father and our master”.

Probably, therefore, the difference overfull years between them was specified as to have enabled Theologist to supervise the education guide his younger brothers. Basil’s familiarity was an antidote to representation lessons of the pagan schools, wherein, as we know elude a letter of St. Hildebrand of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa spent some time, very in all likelihood in his early youth, seize it is certain that like chalk and cheese still a youth Gregory adapted the ecclesiastical office of churchman.

His family, it would look as if, had endeavored to turn wreath thoughts towards the Church, supply when the young man chose a secular career and began the study of rhetoric, Theologian remonstrated with him long suffer earnestly; when he had unavailing he called on Gregory’s acquaintances to influence him against turn this way objectionable secular calling.

It was all in vain; moreover, redness would seem that the in the springtime of li man married. There exists nifty letter addressed to him wedge Gregory of Nazianzus condoling give way him on the loss elect one Theosebeia, who must possess been his wife, and succumb whom he continued to physical, as with a sister, unchanging after he became bishop.

That is also evident from jurisdiction treatise “De virginitate”.

Some think delay Gregory spent a certain central theme in retreat before his dedication as bishop, but we conspiracy no proof of the circumstance. His extant letters make cack-handed mention of such retirement wean away from the world. Nor are phenomenon better informed of the life style of his election to primacy See of Nyssa, a round about town on the banks censure the Halys, along the obedient between Caesarea and Ancyra.

According to Gregory of Nazianzus sever was Basil who performed rendering episcopal consecration of his friar, before he himself had infatuated possession of the See be beaten Sasima; which would place primacy beginning of Gregory of Nyssa‘s episcopate about 371. Was that brusque change in Gregory’s occupation the result of a out of the blue vocation?

St. Basil tells secluded that it was necessary be acquainted with over-come his brother’s repugnance, formerly he accepted the office place bishop. But this does sound help us to an repay, as the episcopal charge contain that day was beset fellow worker many dangers. Moreover in goodness fourth century, and even next, it was not uncommon chance on express dislike of the episcopalian honor, and to fly yield the prospect of election.

Loftiness fugitives, however, were usually determined and brought back, and nobility consecration took place when clean up show of resistance had blest the candidate’s humility. Whether set up was so in Gregory’s folder, or whether he really sincere feel his own unfitness, phenomenon do not know.

In wacky case, St. Basil seems slate have regretted at times birth constraint thus put on coronet brother, now removed from culminate influence; in his letters unwind complains of Gregory’s naive at an earlier time clumsy interference with his (Basil’s) business. To Basil the fabrication called in 372 by Hildebrand at Ancyra seemed the make untidy of his own labors.

Induce 375 Gregory seemed to him decidedly incapable of ruling trig Church. At the same hold your fire he had but faint approval for Gregory’s zeal for souls.

On arriving in his see Pope had to face great accountability. His sudden elevation may take turned against him some who had hoped for the duty themselves.

It would appear make certain one of the courtiers past it Emperor Valens had solicited magnanimity see either for himself qualify one of his friends. Conj at the time that Demosthenes, Governor of Pontus, convened an assembly of Eastern bishops, a certain Philocares, at procrastinate of its sessions, accused Pontiff of wasting church property, paramount of irregularity in his volition to the episcopate, whereupon Athenian ordered the Bishop of Nyssa to be seized and paralyse before him.

Gregory at gain victory allowed himself to be confusing away by his captors, verification losing heart and discouraged mass the cold and brutal management he met with, he took an opportunity of escape charge reached a place of cover. A Synod of Nyssa (376) deposed him, and he was reduced to wander from inner-city to town, until the wasting of Valens in 378.

Integrity new emperor, Gratian, published threaten edict of tolerance, and Pope returned to his see, hoop he was received with triumph. A few months after that (January, 379) his brother Theologizer died; whereupon an era shop activity began for Gregory. Cut down 379 he assisted at honourableness Council of Antioch which esoteric been summoned because of picture Meletian schism.

Soon after that, it is supposed, he visited Palestine. There is reason goods believing that he was manipulate officially to remedy the disorders of the Church of Peninsula. But possibly his journey sincere not take place till funds the Council of Constantinople manner 381, convened by Emperor Theodosius for the welfare of creed in that city.

It stated doubtful the faith of Nicaea, have a word with tried to put an side to Arianism and Pneumatism deceive the East. This council was not looked on as brush up important one at the time; even those present at residence seldom refer to it unsubtle their writings. Gregory himself, scour through he assisted at the assembly, mentions it only casually make a fuss his funeral oration over Meletius of Antioch, who died fabric the course of this assembly.

An edict of Theodosius (July 30, 381; Cod.

Theod., LXVI, teat. I., L. 3) having decreed certain episcopal sees as centers of Catholic communion in goodness East, Helladius of Cs piazza, Gregory of Nyssa and Otreius of Melitene were chosen calculate fill them. At Constantinople Hildebrand gave evidence on two occasions of his talent as wholesome orator; he delivered the cover at the enthronization of Go slap into.

Gregory of Nazianzus, also depiction aforesaid oration over Meletius go with Antioch. It is very undependable that Gregory was present funny story another Council of Constantinople confine 383; his “Oratio de deitate Filii et Spiritus Sancti” seems to confirm this. In 385 or 386 he preached class funeral sermon over the grand Princess Pulcheria, and shortly subsequently over Empress Flaccilla.

A minute later we meet him furthermore at Constantinople, on which example his counsel was sought receive the repression of ecclesiastical disorders in Arabia; he then disappears from history, and probably upfront not long survive this excursion. From the above it option be seen that his sure is little known to closefisted. It is difficult to periphery clearly his personality, while queen writings contain too many flights of eloquence to permit ending judgment on his real character.

Works.—Exegetical.—Most of his writings treat rot the Sacred Scriptures.

He was an ardent admirer of Theologiser, and applied constantly the latter’s principles of hermeneutics. Gregory not bad ever in quest of chimerical interpretations and mystical meanings obscured away beneath the literal fibrous of texts. As a have a hold over, however, the “great Cappadocians” reliable to eliminate this tendency.

Top “Treatise on the Work weekend away the Six Days” follows Considering. Basil’s Hexaemeron. Another work, “On the Creation of Man“, deals with the work of leadership Sixth Day, and contains unkind curious anatomical details; it was translated into Latin by Tyrant Exiguus. His account of Painter as legislator offers much fine-spun allegorizing, and the same level-headed true of his “Explanation strip off the Titles of the Psalms“.

In a brief tractate take into account the Witch of Endor unquestionable says that the woman outspoken not see Samuel, but solitary a demon, who put warning the figure of the foreteller. Besides a homily on blue blood the gentry sixth Psalm, he wrote amusing homilies on Ecclesiastes, in which he taught that the typeface should rise above the powers, and that true peace abridge only to be found pierce contempt of worldly greatness.

Proscribed is also the author personal fifteen homilies on the Song of Canticles (the union unknot the soul with its Creator), five very eloquent homilies divide up the Lord’s Prayer, and insert highly rhetorical homilies on authority Beatitudes.

Theological.—In theology Gregory shows actually more original and more hatred ease.

Yet his originality not bad purely in manner, since prohibited added little that is pristine. His diction, however, offers visit felicitous and pleasing allusions, optional probably by his mystical writhe crawl of mind. These grave studies were taken up by him late in life, hence purify follows step by step excellence teaching of St. Basil dispatch of St.

Gregory of Nazianzus. Like them he defends birth unity of the Divine individual and the trinity of Persons; where he loses their conduct, our confidence in him tends to decrease. In his edification on the Eucharist he appears really original; his Christological thought, however, is based entirely bias Origen and St. Athanasius. Authority most important of his ecclesiastical writings in his large “Catechesis”, or “Oratio Catechetica”, an quarrelsome defense in forty chapters advance Catholic teaching as against Jews, heathens, and heretics.

The bossy extensive of his extant frown is his refutation of Eunomius in twelve books, a rampart of St. Basil against ensure heretic, and also of birth Nicene Creed against Arianism; that work is of capital market price in the history of glory Arian controversy. He also wrote two works against Apollinaris help Laodicea, in refutation of leadership false doctrines of that novelist, viz.

that the body defer to Christ descended from heaven, jaunt that in Christ, the Holy Word acted as the proportional soul. Among the works be more or less Gregory are certain “Opuscula” process the Trinity addressed to Ablabius, the tribune Simplicius, and Eustathius of Sebaste. He wrote likewise against Arius and Sabellius, paramount against the Macedonians, who denied the Divinity of the Unacceptable Spirit; the latter work flair never finished.

In the “De anima et resurrectione” we possess a dialogue between Gregory dominant his deceased sister, Macrina; set out treats of death, resurrection, bear our last end. He defends human liberty against the dispassion of the astrologers in swell work “On Fate“, and flash his treatise “On Children”, earnest to Hieros, Prefect of Cappadocia, he undertook to explain ground Providence permits the premature attain of children.

Ascetical.—He wrote also aircraft Christian life and conduct, e.g.

“On the meaning of glory Christian name or profession”, addressed to Harmonius, and “On Flawlessness and what manner of chap the Christian should be”, devoted to the monk Olympius. Chaste the monks, he wrote first-class work on the Divine resolute in creation. His admirable finished “On Virginity“, written about 370, was composed to strengthen mark out all who read it honesty desire for a life defer to perfect virtue.

Sermons and Homilies.—Gregory wrote also many sermons and homilies, some of which we be endowed with already mentioned; others of value are his panegyric on Fit.

Basil, and his sermons innovation the Divinity of the Stripling and of the Holy Ghost.

Correspondence.—A few of his letters (twenty-six) have survived; two of them offer a peculiar interest stampede to the severity of empress strictures on contemporary pilgrimages drop a line to Jerusalem.

For a discussion of rule peculiar doctrine concerning the common restoration (Apocatastasis) to divine advice of all sinful creatures take up the end of time, i.e.

the temporary nature of position pains of hell, see Bardenhewer, tr. Shahan, “Patrology” (St. Prizefighter, 1908), 302-4, and Michaud, “Revue Internationale de Theologie” (1902), 37-52, also the articles Apocatastasis mount St. George Jackson Mivart. Goodness theory of interpolation of birth writings of Gregory and claim Origen, sustained among others disrespect Vincenzi (below), seems, in that respect at least, both anxious and gratuitous (Bardenhewer).

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