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Lecture 15: Introduction to Cappadocians

Lecture 15: Introduction to Cappadocians. 22 October 2013. Introduction. Who were the Cappadocians Impact on development of theology of Trinity and liturgical developments St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Nazianzus, and St. Gregory of Nyssa. Who are Cappadocians?.

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Lecture 15: Introduction to Cappadocians

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  1. Lecture 15: Introduction to Cappadocians 22 October 2013

  2. Introduction • Who were the Cappadocians • Impact on development of theology of Trinity and liturgical developments • St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Nazianzus, and St. Gregory of Nyssa

  3. Who are Cappadocians? • St. Basil the Great, 329-379, bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Asia Minor (now Kayseri in Turkey) • St. Gregory Nazianzus, 325-389, Patriarch of Constantinople • St. Gregory of Nyssa, 335-394, brother of Basil • [St. Macrina, older sister of Basil and Gregory]

  4. Provinces of Empirewww.unrv.com/roman-empire-map.php

  5. Influences on Cappadocians • Basil and Gregory of Nyssa came from a devout Christian household; their father was a bishop • Origen; especially through Gregory Thaumaturgus (Wonderworker), 213-275 • Gregory Thaumaturgus was a native of Cappadocia who studied with Origen at Caesarea, Palestine • Gregory was bishop of Pontus, reputation of performing miracles • Basil’s grandmother studied with St. Gregory • Basil and Gregory Nazianzus compiled a collection of Origen’s work known as the Philokalia • Both Basil and Gregory Nazianzus studied classical philosophy at Athens; both travelled to Egypt • Gregory Nazianzus traveled to Alexandria, influenced by Athanasius • Basil visited Egyptian monasteries

  6. St. Basil the Great • Very important in development of Greek Christian spiritual practice • Rule for monastic orders • Divine Liturgy still in use • Wrote against the Arians, and also developed a theology of the Trinity, affirming the divinity of Son and Spirit • Wrote many homilies on Scripture; some of which were very influential on St. Ambrose of Milan who translated them into Latin • Famous for hospitals and monasteries that he established • Called ‘Great’ in his own lifetime

  7. Basil’s Rule • Based on his visit to St. Pachomius as a young man • Really a series of questions and answers from ascetics to Basil, collected in the Asceticon • Basil emphasizes importance of living in community • Doubts value of solitaries; • Need practice of love that community requires • ‘Whose feet will you wash?’ • No abbots; more like rule by elders (presbyters)

  8. Basil on Wealth • Basil was explicitly concerned about dangers of wealth • Because of change in status of Christianity, many Christians were becoming wealthy • Cappadocia went through a severe famine in mid-4th Century • Rich are given wealth as stewards of God’s creation • Money will be left behind after death, but not good works • Not sharing good things is comparable to murder • Give to the poor, and make God your debtor • Most famous sermon was Sermon to Rich on Luke 12:15, Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions. • Copied word for word by Ambrose • Profound impact on John Chrysostom

  9. Basil and the Holy Spirit • In his works against the Arians, Basil also offers a strong defense not only of the person and divinity of the Son, but also of the Spirit • Writes On the Holy Spirit in 375 • Deity of Son and Spirit revealed in Church’s liturgy • Importance of the epiclesis

  10. Basil’s Hexameron, Homily 1 • Hexameron: Homilies on Six Days of Creation • In opposition to those who said that the good God did not create the world (e.g., Marcion, Gnostics) • In opposition to those who said the world is eternal without design or plan (e.g. Epicureans) • Note how Basil expects that ’scientific’ theories will change, but eternal Truth does not (2, 8, 11) • Discussion of astronomers and limits of their knowledge (4) • World created as a place for training souls of men (5)

  11. Basil’s Homily 10 on Psalm 1 • Book of Psalms is profitable for all; music of psalms like honey mixed with medicine (1) • Psalm 1 sets tone for all of the psalms (3) • Note metaphors • Women are included in blessedness (3) • Beginning of virtue is to move away from evil (4) • Note contrast with pleasures of moment and future joy (5) • Being around sinful people is like being around sick people: contagious (6)

  12. Gregory of Nyssa, d. 385 • Younger brother of Basil and Macrina • Married (perhaps to sister of Gregory Nazianzus??) • May have been bishop of Nyssa; wrote catechetical instructions • Philosophically very influenced by Origen and NeoPlatonism • Also very deeply influenced by his sister, Macrina • Life of Macrina • Macrina as The Teacher in On the Resurrection

  13. NeoPlatonism • Philosophy developed by Plotinus (204-270) • Alexandrian philosopher; contemporary of Origen • Extended aspects of Plato • Work is preserved in the Enneads • Emphasis on God as One, • The One as self-caused and cause of everything in universe • The One is exquisitely, beautifully simple (i.e., without complexity); the One is completely Good • Matter, as caused by One is good; therefore, evil must be what is limited or absence of being • Man as a rational creature finds his true happiness in unity with the One; moving from the limiting material to the unbounded simple, beautiful good One

  14. Influence of NeoPlatonism • Cannot be over-stated • The development of both Greek and Latin Christianity through the Middle Ages • Group of learned Christian converts in Italy, including Augustine • Questions about Aquinas: he seemed to abandon neoPlatonism as a philosophical method for Aristotle; • Aquinas’ contemporary, Bonaventure, relied very much on neoPlatonism • After the Third Century, when subsequent philosophers and theologians refer to the “Platonists”, almost always referring to what we now refer to as NeoPlatonists

  15. Plotinus (Enneads) and Gregory of Nyssa (Inscription of the Psalms) on Ascent to God

  16. Gregory of Nyssa Commentary on Song of Songs • Prolog • Written to a group of religious women • Need to consider the allegorical meaning of Scripture • Based on Origen • Homily 1 • Christ used Solomon, wisest of all kings, to speak to us in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs • Proverbs for young • Ecclesiastes for those ready to embrace virtue and leave behind material world (vanities) • Song of Songs teaches us mystery of mysteries • Become passionless using words of passion • After resurrection, passions of flesh will no longer disturb the soul • Allegorical understanding of first line • See www.bhsu.edu/artssciences/asfaculty/dsalomon/nyssa/songcompar.htmlfor a comparison of Origen, Gregory of Nyssa and Bernard of Clairvaux on Song of Songs

  17. Assignment • Read Basil Homily 1 (Hexameron), Homily 10 (On Psalm 1) • Read Andrew Louth, “The Cappadocians” in Early Christian Literature, 289-301. • Benedict XVI, General Audiences 4 July 2007 and 1 August 2007, Basil • http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070704_en.html • http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070801_en.html

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