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Tag Archives: Cappadocians
Reflecting the Mystery: Analogy Beyond Negation and Affirmation
by Robert F. Fortuin Silence is a mystery of the age to come, but words are instruments of this world. ~ St Isaac the Syrian The Holy Spirit, in delivering to us the Divine mysteries, conveys its instruction on those … Continue reading
The Impossibility of Comprehending the Incomprehensible God
What does St Gregory of Nyssa mean when he so emphatically claims that human beings are incapable of comprehending the divine nature. As we have seen, it does not mean that we must remain silent before the unspeakable Deity. Christians … Continue reading
The Cappadocian Brothers on the Propria of God
I’m sure it did not come as a surprise to either St Basil of Caesarea or St Gregory of Nyssa. Once they began to elucidate the mystery of the Trinity by means of the analogy between three human beings and … Continue reading
St Gregory of Nyssa: Perichoretic Trinity
How do we know God as Holy Trinity? Through the contemplation of Holy Scripture. During the height of the fourth century trinitarian debates, neither Orthodox nor Arians thought they were expositing a metaphysical Deity apprehended by reason alone. All parties … Continue reading
Posted in Gregory of Nyssa
Tagged Cappadocians, filioque, God, Gregory of Nyssa, perichoresis, social trinity, Trinity
2 Comments
St Gregory of Nyssa: Differentiating Ousia and Hypostasis
In the early fourth century the terms ousia and hypostasis were synonyms and virtually interchangeable in philosophical usage, yet by the end of the fourth century orthodox theologians were using them differently to speak of the one God who is … Continue reading
Posted in Gregory of Nyssa
Tagged Cappadocians, God, Gregory of Nyssa, Holy Trinity, hypostasis, Letter 35, ousia, proper names, substance
3 Comments
St Gregory of Nyssa: On the Divine Ousia and Hypostasis
The epistle To Peter on the Divine Ousia and Hypostasis has long been attributed to St Basil of Caesarea; but during the past century patristic scholars have come to believe that it probably was composed by St Gregory of Nyssa, … Continue reading
Posted in Gregory of Nyssa
Tagged Cappadocians, divine substance, Gregory of Nyssa, hypostasis, Khaled Anatolios, ousia, Trinity
5 Comments
St Basil the Great: Homily Against the Sabellians et Alios (part 3)
Having spent half of his homily addressing the two defining trinitarian heresies, Sabellianism and Heterousianism, St Basil knows it’s time to change topics. The tell-tale signs are universal and timeless: people start fidgeting, they walk around and gossip with their … Continue reading
Posted in Basil of Caesarea
Tagged Basil, Cappadocians, divinity, God, Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity, Pneumatochian, trinitarian theology
St Basil the Great: Homily Against the Sabellians et Alios (part 2)
Against both the Sabellians and the Anomoians, St Basil of Caesarea invokes the testimony of the Gospel of John. Against the Sabellians, he cites verses that state the distinctive identity of the Son: “The Word was with God and the … Continue reading
Posted in Basil of Caesarea
Tagged Basil, Cappadocians, divine unity, Eunomius, heresy, Holy Trinity, Monarchy of the Father, polytheism, Sabellianism, trinitarian theology, tritheism
7 Comments
