On God and Christ: The Five Theological Orations and Two Letters to Cledonius (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press: Popular Patristics)

The Claims of KnowledgeSt Gregory's opponents, the Eunomians, reduced God to a set of deductive proofs. Unlike the earlier Gnostics and Arians, their problem was not that God was unknowable, but that he can easily be reduced to what the mind can affirm or negate.On the SonGregory defines monotheism as "single rule produced by equality of nature, harmony of will, identity of action, and the convergence towards their source of what springs from unity--none of which is possible in the case of created nature" (29:2). This allows "numerical distinction without division in substance. In this way a One eternally changes to a Two and stops at a Three."St Gregory makes an important point in saying that the Son and Holy Spirit are from God but not after him. They have a cause, and thus are not unoriginate, but it is not a temporal cause. He is very quick to affirm the co-eternality of the Son and Holy Spirit with the Father.Gregory's VocabularyLike St Athanasius, St Gregory operates around a series of terms, which determine the debate. They are "Ingenerate, The Begotten, and `what proceeds from the Father'" (28:2). Gregory is careful to affirm that Ingeneracy is not God's substance (29:12). This is a necessary point because the Son is not ingenerate (since he is begotten), but the Son is of the same substance as the Father.The term "Father" designates neither the activity nor the substance, but the relationship which holds good between the Father and the Son (29:16). This rebuts the dilemma posed: if we say that Father designates the "substance," then we admit the Son is of a different substance than the Father. If we say "activity," then we admit the Son is a creation of the Father. If we say "relationship," however, we can affirm Trinitarianism.Gregory concludes by saying that "each member of the Trinity is in entire unity as much with himself as with the entire partnership, by identity with being and power (31:16).One criticism/observation:Earlier editions translate the passage in the 3rd Theological Oration as "But *monarchy* (monarchia) is what we hold in honor." Here it is translated as "But monotheism is what we hold in honor." I have my suspicions on why this is the case, but it really doesn't detract from the overall point.

St. Gregory of Nazianzus’ Theological Orations is a justifiably classic work of Patristics and needs no recommendation. Blending classic Greco-Roman oratory with an Orthodox exposition of the mystery of the Holy Trinity, they will endure.He anticipates pseudo-Dionysius with his account of the knowability and unknowability of the divine. Given the mellifluous prose with which they were composed they make for interesting reading beyond their importance in the development of Christian doctrine. It’s really an indispensable text for all those interested in the Church Fathers. For what it’s worth, I highly recommend reading these classic sermons.

This is a classic work on Nicene Trinitarianism. In it, we see an exposition of the doctrine of the Trinity, and of the persons of the Son and Spirit in how they are truly the one God. Especially to note and appreciate are the first two orations: the first on the character prerequisites to doing theology, and the second on the incomprehensibility of God.For those confused by modern discussions and chaos, this work is excellent. While some phrases are complicated and require thought, it is a wonderful and brief presentation of Christian beliefs on the Trinity. Highly recommended for every Christian.

There are some real hems in here! Clear explanations, too, of some very complex ideas and inspires worship. Would recommend!

Awesome book

Book arrived in excellent condition

This was my first venture of reading the church fathers. This book was a great choice. Theologically deep, philosophically relevent for today, and I like the fact they didn't pull any punches when it came to being 'politically correct'--I laughed out loud a few times. The poetry in the first oration is very nice.

What a great work of systematic theology on the trinity. A summary of what the Bible said about the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.