The life of moses gregorius nyssenus, saint gregory. The cover of the book is handicapped by a hideous picture, but the contents far overshadow the horrible cover, which is unfortunately standard for all publishings in this series. The iconographic structure of stgregory of nyssas life of moses this talk was given as the climacus conference, in feb. As gregory of nyssa retells moses s encounter with god in the burning bush in v. The ultimate goal of gregorys spirituality is to strive for infinite progress in the nevercompleted journey to god. Gregory of nyssa 335394 ce, who came from an illustrious christian family of capadocia, became bishop of the small town of nyssa in 371 and is known as one of the founders of mystical theology in the church. The life of moses has special significance because it reflects gregory s spiritual sense of the scriptures. The life of moses by gregory of nyssa one of two introductory notes this document is a series of notations on an important treatise from the fourth century dealing with christian virtue and perfection. He seeks the real intention of the narrative, which is the austerity and intensity of.
Click here for audio and images stgregory of nyssa has given us a jewel, the book we are looking at today, the life of moses is a very precious thing. Mar 10, 2014 gregory of nyssa and patristic disobedience, god, illumination, incarnation, knowing, light, moses, nous, peace, redemption, soul, truth, virgin mary, will of god mark armitage 8. The nicene and postnicene fathers are comprehensive in scope, and provide keen translations of instructive and illuminating texts from some of the great theologians of the. Gregorius nyssenus, saint gregory of nyssa paulist press, 1978 bible 208 pages. The aim of this thesis is to explore gregory of nyssas tabernacle imagery, as presented in life of moses 2. Gregory of nyssa spent his life in cappadocia, a region in central asia minor. The life of moses is written by gregory with two layers in mind.
Divine patterns in the life of moses orthodox arts journal. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the life of moses. Saint gregory of nyssa, latin gregorius nyssenus, born c. In the life of moses gregory retells the story of moses s life taking from the biblical narrative found in exodus and numbers and then using these stories to create. He maintained that the ultimate purpose of the bible was not its historical teachings but it capacity for elevating the soul to god. Jan 15, 2015 amongst these, the 4th century father gregory of nyssas life of moses is often identified as the classic expression of how the fathers approached the bible and theologyas a journey upwards in union with god. Gregory of nyssa is one the best known saints of the holy orthodox church, and his life of moses is a must for all orthodox christians. Gregory of nyssa, also known as gregory nyssen greek. Gregory of nazianzus, gregory of nyssa spent some time, very probably in his early youth, for it is certain that while still a youth gregory exercised the ecclesiastical office of rector. Saint gregory of nyssa on the soul and the resurrection. The life of moses by gregory of nyssa was the second book of ten that i am reading for a class on the classics of christian spirituality at regent college. Final thoughts on gregory of nyssas the life of moses. Maximos constas, patristic exegesis in the alexandrian tradition and dr.
Gregory wrote on theology, philosophy, ethics, oration, and asceticism. What is a literal reading lessons from gregory of nyssa. Apophaticism in gregory of nyssas the life of moses. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Discussion questions and introduction to gregory of nyssa s the life of moses and if we consider the cause of our life, that he came to create man not from necessity, but from the free decision of his goodness, we say that we have contemplated god by this way, that we have apprehended his goodnessthough again not his essence, but his goodness. The first two are the sport of the children of hellas, and may they continue to. Final thoughts on gregory of nyssa s the life of moses. Pdf the apophatic way in gregory of nyssa ivana noble. Looking at the story of the life of moses as described by st gregory of nyssa, i use the pattern found there y to trace a map of the cosmos which. Gregory of nyssa quotes author of the life of moses.
Acces pdf the life of moses gregory nyssa mosess life from the biblical account in exodus and numbers and then refers back to these stories as the basis for profound spiritual lessons. Basils training was an antidote to the lessons of the pagan schools, wherein, as we know from a letter of st. The thesis is that a full understanding of gregory of nyssa s theological anthropology will include reference to both its vertical and horizontal axes. This part of life of moses has suffered from relative neglect compared to the scholarly attention conferred on gregorys apophatic darkness imagery. The life of moses gregorius nyssenus, saint gregory of. Gregory of nyssa and life of moses oxford scholarship. This is a short introduction to gregory of nyssa, his family, writings, and theological context. Gregory of nyssa 335394 ce, who came from an illustrious christian family of capadocia, became bishop of the small town of nyssa in 371 and is known as. Gregory of nyssas the life of moses that i want to share with you guys. Evie holmberg, comparative readings in the greek fathers as they relate to plato and the neoplatonists, holy cross greek orthodox seminary, fall 2018. Macrina by gregory, of nyssa, saint, approximately 335approximately 394. Gregory of nyssas life of moses is central to the conceptualization of a perfect christian life.
Gregory of nyssa, the life of moses, translation, introduction, and notes by abraham j. Gregory reflects this statement in the life of moses saying that moses had to reach beyond visible things and believe that god exists even if he could not understand how god exists. Together, the cappadocians are credited with defining christian orthodoxy in the eastern roman empire, as augustine 354. Like his older brother, he opted at first for a secular career in rhetoric. Gregory of nyssa, one of the great cappadocian fathers and bishop of nyssa is increasingly seen as one of the most brilliant and profound thinkers in the mystical tradition. In other areas, however, one might challenge some of gregory s views.
One of the greek cappadocian fathers the other two were gregory s brother, st. The christian church, by receiving freedom and favors from the empire of rome, was endowed with a new opportunity and new responsibilities. Gregory s the life of moses reflects his spiritual sense of the scriprtures. Gregory of nyssa s life of moses is central to the conceptualization of a perfect christian life. What is a literal reading lessons from gregory of nyssa and. He was the most philosophically adept of the three socalled cappadocians, who included brother basil the great and friend gregory of nazianzus. Beautys transformation of the ugly in gregory of nyssas. The dating and genre of life of moses is discussed.
Mar 28, 2016 gregorys allegorical and typological hermeneutics help to bring out this spiritual paradigm in the life of moses. A critical treatment of the content and influence of the earliest modern englishlanguage scholarship on gregory of nyssa, i. Read the fulltext online edition of the life of moses 1978. The life of moses by gregory of nyssa, vii 1 22,4sqq. Gregory nazianzen, gregory has come to be regarded increasingly as the most. Some see its allegorical exegesis as mystical, whereas. Gregory of nyssa internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Amongst these, the 4th century father gregory of nyssa s life of moses is often identified as the classic expression of how the fathers approached the bible and theologyas a journey upwards in union with god. Gregory attended the council of constantinople i 381 a. The life of moses by gregory, of nyssa, saint, approximately 335approximately 394. In his life of moses, using the biblical account as a parabola of the christian spiritual ascent, he describes how this. It was now in a position of addressing itself not only to the simple folk in a few major cities with its good news of the coming kingdom in the risen lord jesus, but the entire world of educated aristocrats and intellectuals, trained in the traditions of. Gregorys approach is evident from the opening reflection in book two on mosess birth and childhood. That means the material offered here attempts to keep in line with gregory of nyssa s intent to read his life not as document, however interesting that may be, but as an aide of bringing us into direct contact with the living god.
Primarily a scholar, he wrote many theological, mystical, and monastic works in which he. Gregory frames an immensely significant synthesis of the earlier hellenistic and jewish interpretive tradition in this work. The thesis is that a full understanding of gregory of nyssas theological anthropology will include reference to both its vertical and horizontal axes. Book 1, he adds many elements absent from the biblical text.
Acces pdf the life of moses gregory nyssa moses s life from the biblical account in exodus and numbers and then refers back to these stories as the basis for profound spiritual lessons. The life of moses the life of moses,8 written towards the end of st gregorys life, 9 is arguably the most comprehensive and mature presentation10 of the saints mystical theology. Homilies on the song of songs christian faith and by a tradition of attachment to the calling and skills of the rhetorician. Gregory of nyssa s the life of moses that i want to share with you guys. Gregory of nyssa 335395 was more than simply bishop of nyssa 372376, 378395. Here is an awardwinning, new translation that brings to light gregory s complex identity as an early mystic. Gregory of nyssa, along with his fellow cappadocians, was a key early articulator and defender of orthodox trinitarian theology. Caesarius finds his prototype for virtue in a man who was called a friend of god. A notable emphasis of gregory s teaching is the principle. The life of moses by gregory of nyssa and harpercollins spiritual classics staff 2006, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Gregory s approach is evident from the opening reflection in book two on moses s birth and childhood. He describes the spiritual ascent as taking place in three stages, symbolized by the lords revelation of himself to moses, first in light, then in the. The life of moses ebook mobi djvu epub pdf zip rar null. Gregory of nyssas fifteen homilies on the song of songs, covering song 1.
It is done primarily as a kind of meditation and secondarily as an aide to obtain a fuller. The life of moses for iphone, nook reader for free buy and read online gregory of nyssa. Born soon after emperor constantine embraced christianity, saint gregory of nyssa 335395 was a church bishop and leading intellectual who guided the faith in its change of circumstances. Many of these additions have correspondences to pauls damascus road theophany in acts 9. The life of moses by gregory of nyssa, 1978 online. The life of moses classics of western spirituality 9780809121120 by gregory of nyssa and a great selection of similar new. As a cappadocian, gregory of nyssa was a man of deep trinitarian piety. The ultimate goal of gregory s spirituality is to strive for infinite progress in the nevercompleted journey to god. Gregory of nyssa s spiritual writings have no other central theme than his notion of spiritual senses, distinct from all other forms of created perception, and which make god accessible to man. He was also a primary contributor to christian orthodoxy among the church fathers. The background to his debates with eunomius over the doctrine of the trinity is explained, along with his role at the council of constantinople. Especially the second part, theoria, where gregory provides an extensive allegorical reading of the life of moses, has been studied in great depth, in particular from the perspective of the unknowability of god, on the souls ascent, and questions of mysticism, but also in the context of the. A notable emphasis of gregorys teaching is the principle.
Apr 25, 2010 okeefe, 103 gregory of nyssa exemplifies each of these three aspects of allegorical interpretation in his work the life of moses. Gregory of nyssa, one of the greek cappadocian fathers,was considered one of the great spiritual leaders of the 4th century. Beautys transformation of the ugly in gregory of nyssas life of moses mako a. He seeks the real intention of the narrative, which is the austerity and intensity of virtue as represented in the male birth 32. The iconographic structure of st gregory of nyssa s life of moses this talk was given as the climacus conference, in feb.
Nyssa, 43 ascending the mountain of god required moses to believe that the divine is there even if he could not comprehend god or see him visibly. The ultimate goal of gregory s spirituality is to strive for infinite progress in. Click here for audio and images st gregory of nyssa has given us a jewel, the book we are looking at today, the life of moses is a very precious thing. Gregory takes the life of moses as a model of how one attains to the virtuous life. Gregory of nyssa was one of the cappadocian fathers, three christian thinkers whose work was tremendous in the solidification of orthodoxy int he late 300s. The life of moses harpercollins spiritual classics harpercollins spiritual classics st.
The first layer, historia, is the summarization of the literal history addressed in exodus and numbers. The life of moses the life of moses,8 written towards the end of st gregory s life, 9 is arguably the most comprehensive and mature presentation10 of the saints mystical theology. He is venerated as a saint in roman catholicism, eastern orthodoxy, oriental orthodoxy, anglicanism, and lutheranism. Gregory wrote this work during the constantinian era, a time in which christianity was growing in popularly amongst the intellectual elites. In other areas, however, one might challenge some of gregorys views. Gregory of nyssa, the life of moses jennifer s rogers. In the life of moses, one of the most important books in the study of christian mysticism, gregory retells the story of moses s life from the biblical account in exodus and numbers and then refers back to these stories as the basis for profound spiritual lessons.
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