The Calvinist International
So Gregory of Nazianzus, with his customary eloquence, in the fourth Theological Oration: on the cross, “Christ was in His own Person representing us.” Take, in the next place, the subjection by which you subject the Son to the Father. What, you say, is He not now subject, or must He, if He is God, […]
Earlier this summer I posted and discussed a passage on progressive revelation from Gregory of Nazianzus’ fifth Theological Oration (= Oration 31). I’d like to return to that passage today, but in order to discuss it from a different vantage point. In 31.26-27, Gregory gives a three-stage view of revelation, in which the deity of the Father is […]
In the third Theological Oration (= Oration 29), Gregory of Nazianzus argues that divine monarchy does not necessitate rule by only one person. Gregory claims in 29.2 that there are three ancient opinions about the divine rule of the world: anarchy, polycarchy, and monarchy. He criticizes anarchy and polyarchy as both tending toward dissolution (λύσις). Polyarchy, he says, is […]
In the first Theological Oration, Gregory of Nazianzus remarks that we often have our priorities misplaced. We consider “rivalry of speech and endless talking” to be more important than all else. Where we should have a definite and decided concern for Christian character, we instead grant a pass for all kinds of vice as long […]
In order to avoid misunderstanding what late antique Christian theologians mean (and do not mean) when they discuss “theosis” or “deification” (and some of their statements read without context are very open to misunderstanding), it is of the utmost importance to recall that orthodox fourth-century theologians rigorously and emphatically affirmed the absolute and essential (I […]