Phronema 26:2 (2011) - Contents & Editorial

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PHRONEMAAn Annual Review Published by the Faculty of StAn drew's

Greek Orthodox Theological College

Volume 26, Number 2,2011Monograph Issue

Proceedings of the StAndrew's Patristic Symposium 2010St Gregory the Theologian or the Poetry of Theology

CONTENTS

Editorial v

Gregory the Theologian - A Spiritual Portrait

Archbishop Stylianos (Harkianakis) 1

Self-Knowledge and Knowledge of God according to St Gregory the

Theologian

Georgios Mantzarides 11

Seeking Out the Antecedents of the Maximian Theory of Everything:

St Gregory the Theologian's Oration 38

Doru Costache 27

Scripture in the Works of St Gregory the Theologian

Margaret Beirne 47

St Gregory the Theologian's Metanarrative of History

Mario Baghos 63

"What Then? Is the Spirit God? Certainly!" St Gregory's Teaching on

the Holy Spirit as the Basis of the World's Salvation

Philip Kariatlis 81

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Guest Editors for this Monograph Issue:Doru Costache and Philip Kariatlis

The articles published in this monograph issue of PHRONEMA have

been peer reviewed by an international board of referees.

Board of International Referees for this Monograph Issue:

Revd Dr Bogdan Bucur (Duquesne University, Pittsburgh PA, USA)

Dr Adam G. Cooper (John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family,

Melbourne VIC, Australia)

Professor Adrian Marinescu (Ludwig Maximilians Universitat, Munchen,

Germany)

Revd Professor John Anthony McGuckin (Columbia University and

Union Theological Seminary, New York, USA)

Dr Bronwen Neil (Australian Catholic University, Brisbane QLD,

Australia)

Dr Anna Silvas, FAHA (University of New England, Armidale NSW,

Australia).

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Icon painted by Deacon Leonidas Ioannou

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OUTCOCPPOVOUIlEV,K at O U TC Oe; X OIlE V, W G T E 0 1tC Oe;Ilf:v E XE l m um 1 tp Oe;

aM 11A a G X EG E cD e; E K a t T U ~E CO e;,m hfj 1l0V D T fj TP1U 81 G uyxcopdv E 18f:vm , K at ole;

ii v T j Tpu; a 1 tOK aAU\jfDKEK a8ap ll f:v0 le ;,fj viiv, fj U GTEPO V' alJTot 8E uiov K at TT]Va lJTT] VE18Evm cpumv 8EOT11TOe ;,v a p X Q > ,KatYEVVllUE1,Katnpoo1iQ>YVCOP1SOIlEV11V,

cDe;v iP TiP E V T jlllV, K a t M y U }, K a t 1 tV E U lla Tl ( O G O V E 1 K U Gm TO le ;a 1G 8 11 TOle ;TUV011TU,

K a t TO le ;1 l1KpO le ;T U I lEY1Gm, E1 tE l8T]1 l118E ll la E1KcOVcp8wEl 1 tpOe ;TT]VaATj8E lav ),

a lJ TT ]v E a m fj G U IlB alv ou G av, a Et T T ]Va lJ TT ]v, < l EtT E A Ela v, a 1tO lO V,a1toGov, axpovov,

aKTlGTOV, a1tEplAl11tTOV,OU1tOTEAEl1touGav Eamfje ;, OUTEAEl \j fouGav '

Thus we think and thus we hold. The result is that, how these things are

to one another in relationship and order, w e concede that only the Trinity itself

know s, and those purified ones to w hom the Trinity reveals it either now or later;but we do know there is one and the sam e nature of divinity, m ade known by

being eternal, begotten and proceeding, like m ind, w ord and spirit in us (as far

as one can com pare spiritual things w ith perceptible, and the very great w ith

the sm all, since no likeness approaches the truth); a nature that com es together

itself in itself, always the sam e, always com plete, unm ade, m easureless, tim eless,

uncreated, ungraspable, never lacking any part of itself, nor will it ever.

-S t Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 23.11 (De Pace 3).

English translation by JohnA. L. Lee

L'lo~a Ikrrpi K at Y iiP Kat AyiU }Ilvsoucn,

Av a p X Q > Ka t YEVVllUE1 TE Ka tnpoo1iQ>, I1aTEpa 1tPO GKU VW TOV

Y E vv TjG av m , Yio v 8 0~ asco T O V Y EV V 11 8E vm , U IlV W T O G U V EK A U Il1 tO V,Irrtpl T E K at

YiiP Ilvsiiuc }\Y10V.

Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

One without beginning, one born, one proceeding, I worship theFather the begetter, I glorify the Son begotten, I praise the Holy Spirit, shining

forth with the Father and the Son.

-Funeral Service, St Andrew 's Orthodox Press, Sydney, 2011.

T h e B ea titu de s*

*In translating a hymn from the Beatitudes in the Funeral Service, it was discovered that

this rather difficult phrase in the troparion was taken directly from St Gregorys

Oration 23.

This excerpt is included here as testimony to the importance of the Theologian s writings tothe liturgical tradition of the Church (J A. L. Lee.).

I V

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EDITORIAL

S t Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College organised itssecond annual patristic symposium, between 1 September and 6October 2010. This new 'celebration for the heart and mind' wasdedicated to the personality and ecclesial significance of St Gregory the

Theologian (d. 389/90), the fourth century archbishop of Constantinople

and ecumenical teacher. The theme of the event was "St Gregory the

Theologian or the Poetry of Theology," which allowed for a wide range

of views on the crucial contributions made by the Cappadocian Father.

The papers offered throughout the six nights addressed the saint'sachievements in a cross-disciplinary manner, in light of the expertise and

interests of the presenters.

Along with the eight presentations by members of the Faculty

and a number of our graduates, St Andrew's Patristic Symposium 2010

hosted three keynote papers delivered by His Eminence Archbishop

Stylianos (the Dean of our College), Dr Anna Silvas (Fellow of the

Australian Academy of the Humanities; University of New England,Armidale NSW), and Emeritus Professor Georgios Mantzarides

(Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece). The keynote papers of

His Eminence and Professor Mantzarides begin this monograph edition

of Phronema, setting the personal, spiritual and traditional contributions

of the great theologian and poet.

In the presentation entitled 'Gregory the Theologian - A Spiritual

Portrait' His Eminence depicts in lively tones the multilateral formation,theological convictions and personal propensities of St Gregory, mainly

from the viewpoint of his famous autobiographical poem, "On His Own

Life." Archbishop Stylianos proposes that without an awareness of like

aspects it is difficult to set straight the record of St Gregory, mainly with

reference to his short and tumultuous career as a hierarch of the Church.

More precisely, the paper highlights that the saint's seeming incapacity

for administrative and political matters should be interpreted in the

light of his contemplative character. In turn, in his paper 'Knowledge

of the Human Person and God according to St Gregory the Theologian,'

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Professor Mantzarides explores the challenging topic of 'divine

knowledge' and its ramifications. Framing St Gregory's teaching within

the parameters of the wider scriptural and patristic tradition, the paperpoints out the existential, participatory and trans formative character of

knowledge, primarily in the poetical works of this ecumenical teacher.

The two keynote papers included in this volume, published here

as presented, are followed by four articles submitted by members of our

Faculty. It is hoped that at least some of the other yet unpublished papers

presented at the Symposium will be included in our future collective

volume for 2012, dedicated to the Cappadocians.

Doru Costache (senior lecturer in Patristic studies and co-convenor

of the event) presents the article 'Seeking Out the Antecedents of the

Maximian Theory of Everything: St Gregory the Theologian's Oration

38.' Interested in St Maximus the Confessor's worldview, Costache

looks for the possible influences exerted upon it. The article begins by

presenting the highlights of Difficulty 41, pointing out St Maximus' effort

to articulate a holistic vision of reality therein, a vision fundamentallytheological and characterised by Christological and soteriological

overtones. Then, the article discusses the relevant scholarly literature,

undertaking to dismantle the established opinion according to which the

unique sources of the Confessor's worldview are St Gregory of Nyssa

and Nemesius ofEmesa. In turn, Costache argues that without excluding

other influences there is no solid reason to ignore the contribution of St

Gregory the Theologian in this regard, and more precisely the impact

of his Oration 38, with its strong doxological underpinnings, upon StMaximus.

Margaret Beirne (senior lecturer in Biblical studies) presents

an article on 'Scripture in the Works of St Gregory the Theologian.'

Although analysing the use of the Scriptures in a number of Gregorian

orations and poems, the article challenges implicitly the current opinion

referring to St Gregory as a churchman primarily concerned with his

literary legacy rather than a genuine shepherd and theologian. Indeed,alongside St Gregory's famous literary skills the article points out his

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pastoral sensitivities and the relevance of his discourse to everyday

life, for instance in the analysis of his interpretation of Matthew 19: 1-

12. The article likewise undertakes a very useful review of St Gregory'sunderstanding of Scripture as foundational for doctrinal debates, and

analyses his hermeneutical approach to the Bible, illustrated by the

interweaving of scriptural phraseology in the author's own poetical

discourse. Beirne's emphasis on St Gregory's unique list of the scriptural

canon, presented by way of poetry, is noteworthy.

'Working towards an Existential Metanarrative of History in the

Writings of St Gregory the Theologian' is the article submitted by theyoungest member of our Faculty, Mario Baghos (associate teacher in

Church History). The article undertakes an exciting analysis of two texts

by St Gregory, namely, the Fifth Theological Oration and Oration 38,

from the viewpoint of their relevance to a theological metanarrative of

history. The author is interested in the dissolution of the metanarrative

in contemporary historiography, together with the associated nihilism

that pervades much of today's historical writing. By way of a thorough

analysis and interpretation of the relevant passages from the two orations,

Baghos unveils St Gregory's encompassing vision of history, which far

from being reducible to random events in fact unfolds within a grand

scheme centred upon Christ. The article argues that this theological

metanarrative is as legitimate as any other interpretation employed by

contemporary historians, given that its use or neglect depends on the

personal convictions of historiographers.

The article by Philip Kariatlis (lecturer in Systematic theology

and co-convenor of the event) is entitled "'What then? Is the Spirit

God? Certainly!" St Gregory's Teaching on the Holy Spirit as the

Basis of the World's Deification,' and explores the pneumatological

thinking of St Gregory as displayed in his Fifth Theological Oration.

Setting the polemical context in which this thinking emerged, the

article organises the otherwise random material of the Oration - mainly

driven by rhetorical exigencies - under a few headings, thus making the

argument easily digestible. After addressing St Gregory's ruminations

on the equality of the Spirit with the other Trinitarian persons, Kariatlis

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moves to discuss the hypostatic particularities of the Spirit, to end by

highlighting the soteriological framework within which St Gregory's

reflections developed. By pointing out this soteriological dimension, theauthor indirectly invites a revision of the established opinion referring to

the Theologian's supposedly 'intellectualist' propensities.

We conclude by expressing our deep respect and appreciation for

the tremendous work, so graciously and competently undertaken, by the

referees of this edition of the journal. We thank (in alphabetical order):

Revd Dr Bogdan Bucur (Duquesne University, Pittsburgh PA, USA),

Dr Adam G. Cooper (John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family,Melbourne VIC, Australia), Professor Adrian Marinescu (Ludwig

Maximilians Universitat, Munchen, Germany), Revd Professor John

Anthony McGuckin (Columbia University and Union Theological

Seminary, New York, USA), Dr Bronwen Neil (Australian Catholic

University, Brisbane QLD, Australia), and Dr Anna Silvas, FAHA

(University of New England, Armidale NSW, Australia). We are

likewise grateful to Deacon Leonidas Ioannou, a recent graduate of the

College, who painted an icon of St Gregory for our Symposium and

kindly permitted its reproduction herein. Last, but not least, we extend

our gratitude to Associate Professor John A.L. Lee (St Andrew's and

Macquarie), who translated for this monograph edition a paragraph from

St Gregory's Oration 23.11 and a liturgical hymn that incorporates parts

of it, as a tribute to the legacy of the great theologian and poet.

Doru Costache & Philip KariatlisSt Andrew s Greek Orthodox Theological College

A Member Institute of the Sydney College of DivinitySydney, Australia

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