Tag Archives: gregory of nazianzus

We Believe in One Lord Jesus Christ (ed. McGuckin)

Posted on November 22, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

John McGuckin gives us an outstanding, yea even world-class compendium of Patristic Christology. It nicely succeeds the first volume in the series.  McGuckin notes a set of “ciphers” that explain the theology behind the Nicene Creed: “‘Christ’ becomes a cipher … Continue reading →

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Gregory, On God and Christ

Posted on September 5, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

One critical fault:  The translator opts for “But monotheism we hold in honor” when all other renditions have “But Monarchy is what we hold in honor.” As Gregory is contrasting Christianity with Judaism, a simple monotheism doesn’t make sense. The … Continue reading →

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Anti-Federalist Papers

Posted on September 5, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

The Structure of the Book Itself Overall it is hit and miss. Ketcham gives a VERY detailed review of the Constitutional Convention (180 pages).  If you have read The Federalist Papers then you can probably skip it.  He does provide … Continue reading →

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Review: Festal Orations

Posted on February 11, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

This is more than a review.  I cross-referenced the orations here with the sets in Schaff and Daley, so that you can see which ones overlap. This review will touch on both Gregory’s theology and the superb introduction by Nonna Harrison. … Continue reading →

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A Patristics Primer

Posted on June 10, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

I spent the past few days on Facebook debating soon-to-be-Socinians in the CBMW on why you shouldn’t tinker with the Trinity.  Some friends have asked me for a primer on basic Patristics texts.  This is more or less an impossible … Continue reading →

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In Your Light We See Light

Posted on May 27, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

Christopher Beeley gives a fine summary and exposition of Gregory’s key orations. Beeley argues that Knowledge of God is a two-fold dialectic of purification and illumination. Our knowledge of God is intimately rooted in who God is. In the sense … Continue reading →

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Gregory for Origen

Posted on February 4, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

I don’t think I am an Origenist.  I don’t think his protology survives Maximus’s deconstruction of it.  But I do think it is wrong of “Trad Fundies” to bash Origen as a “heretic” when few of the greatest fathers of … Continue reading →

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On God and Man

Posted on January 26, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

Review of On God and Man: The Theological Poetry of St Gregory of Nazianzus (SVS Press) {1} Some have compared this work to Augustine’s Confessions, but that’s misleading. True, Gregory does open his soul to outsiders, and the literary skill is … Continue reading →

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Unleash the theopoets

Posted on September 27, 2015 by J. B. Aitken

Flow and Highlights I will capture the flow of Gregory’s life along with crucial highlights. McGuckin’s thesis suggests something along the lines that Gregory “midwifed” a new Christian vision into the old imperium. Gregory’s Post-Hellenic Vision Gregory opted for something … Continue reading →

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Midwifing a Byzantium

Posted on September 25, 2015 by J. B. Aitken

Harnack had it backwards.  Did the early church “Hellenize” and thus negate Gospel purity?  The question defies any easy answer.  We will look at a few. (1) Harnack held that the early church imported Greek concepts into the sweet biblical … Continue reading →

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