Christ in the life and teaching of Gregory of Nazianzus / Andrew Hofer, O.P.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hofer, Andrew (Theologian)

Series:

Oxford early Christian studies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gregory, of Nazianzus, Saint.

Gregory.

Jesus Christ--Person and offices.

Jesus Christ.

Physical Description:

x, 270 pages ; 25 cm.

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2013.

Summary:

Christ in the Life and Teaching of Gregory of Nazianzus is the first full-length book devoted to an overview of the Christology of this fourth-century Father of the Church. Andrew Hofer examines the breadth of Gregory's corpus-orations, letters, and poems (often neglected in doctrinal studies)-to argue that Gregory's writing on Christ can be best understood in tandem with his autobiography. This study begins with an articulation of Gregory's theology of the Word in which words come from the Word who became incarnate. Hofer then offers a close reading of how Gregory writes to or about Christ in the poetry known as 'on himself. Within a three-part study of 'autobiographical Christology', Hofer explores the philosophical background of Gregory's rhetoric for what he calls the 'mixtures' of Christ and himself. He then elucidates this autobiographical concern in Gregory's famous Ep. 101, a landmark text in the Christological controversies. Thirdly, Hofer considers how Gregory celebrates the mysteries of Christ in the festal orations. Before the book's epilogue, a chapter describes how Gregory wrote of Christ for his pastoral ministry. Throughout the work, Hofer demonstrates the importance in Gregory's writings of the language of blending (such as in the Greek word krasis, rejected by the Council of Chalcedon to describe the Incarnation). This book thus offers a unique perspective on the one known as 'the Theologian' in Chalcedon's acts and in subsequent Christian tradition. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Gregory's Theology of the Word 11

Gregory's genres-the Word in classical styles 14

The purifying Word in life through philosophy and rhetoric 24

The scriptural Word proclaiming life 35

The Word between Trinitarian and Christological readings of Scripture 45

Conclusion 53

2 Gregory's Christomorphic Autobiography 55

The distinctively autobiographical quality of Gregory's writings 57

Christ in Gregory's autobiographical poetry 68

A didactic epic of Christomorphic autobiography 77

Conclusion 89

3 Autobiographical Christology I: The Mixtures of Gregory and Christ 91

Mixture as Gregory's approach to the mystery of the Incarnation 93

Philosophical background for Gregory's mixture language 96

The mixture of Gregory's human life 106

Christ as the "New Mixture" for Gregory's salvation 110

The human mind's mediation in the Incarnation 114

Multiplicity and unity 117

Conclusion 119

4 Autobiographical Christology II: Ep. 101 in the Christological Controversy 123

Ep. 101 in Gregory's rhetorical context 125

The anathemas 131

Gregory's salvation after the anathemas 147

Conclusion 150

5 Autobiographical Christology III: The Mysteries of Christ 153

Gregory's festal spirituality in context 156

The Epiphany Mysteries 161

The Stonings 175

The Paschal Mysteries 181

Conclusion 191

6 Gregory's Christomorphic Ministry 195

Christ in the ordained ministry of Or. 2 199

Christ in the models of ordained ministry 204

Christ in the anti-models of ordained ministry 209

Christ in Gregory's ministry concerning marriage and virginity 213

Christ in Gregory's ministry concerning the rich and the poor 220.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [229]-248) and indexes.

ISBN:

9780199681945

0199681945

OCLC:

829743881