gregory gregory known greek bishop death saint oriental gregory elder brother friend gregory collectively known gregory lacked administrative ability brother contemporary influence theologian significant contributions doctrine trinity gregory philosophical writings influenced mid twentieth century significant increase interest gregory works academic community particularly involving universal salvation resulted challenges traditional interpretations theology background book acts depicts day visiting jews residents attendance written author christians scattered reference rest christianity arose relatively late evidence christian community late second century bishop province early mid century period christians suffered persecution local roman authorities community remained small century according namesake seventeen members bishops broad distribution population rural bishops appointed support late fourth century gregory lifetime christians devout particularly significant represented considerable monastic presence adherents branches christianity notably biography early life education gregory born probably near city family aristocratic christian according mother father identified gregory siblings younger peter precise number children family historically contentious commentary example initially states describing peter tenth child established confusion occurred death son infancy leading gregory writings gregory parents suffered persecution faith writes goods confiscated christ gregory maternal grandmother revered saint maternal grandfather martyr gregory killed imperial wrath persecution roman emperor early family rebuilt fortunes gregory father working city advocate gregory temperament said quiet contrast brother known outspoken gregory educated home mother sister little known education received depict studying athens speculation probably based life brother likely continued studies read classical literature philosophy medicine gregory claimed teachers paul john rest brothers lived gregory initially pursued non ecclesiastical career act known married woman named period identified saint orthodox christianity controversial commentators suggest gregory sisters emperor split new provinces resulted complex changes ecclesiastical boundaries new created gregory elected bishop new presumably support brother metropolitan gregory early policies bishop went instance brother condemned followers gregory tried reconcile church gregory faced opposition reign bishop visit city quell discontent convened try gregory charges church funds irregular bishops arrested imperial troops winter year escaped unknown location convened spring deposed gregory regained amnesty new emperor year died despite relative took brother responsibilities present april unsuccessfully attempted reconcile followers visiting village dying sister returned august travelled province support pro candidate election surprise elected seat population association brother gregory deeply disliked relatively society armenia confronted investigation local opponents theology stay months substitute found possibly gregory brother peter bishop gregory returned home write books gregory participated gave famous sermon chosen funeral occurred council council sent gregory mission situation men claimed bishop case gregory unsuccessful contested travelled jerusalem faced opposition local clergy fact ordained gregory attempted dispute unsuccessful accused holding unorthodox views nature christ later reign marked conflict metropolitan gregory present convened constantinople discuss continued problems year death unknown theology traditional view gregory orthodox theologian influenced believed universal salvation following highly original sophisticated gregory difficult classify aspects theology contentious conservative eastern orthodox western academic scholarship lack systematic structure presence inconsistencies gregory work conception trinity gregory following defined trinity essence persons formula adopted like truth trinity belief father substance son according gregory differences persons trinity reside relationships nature god revealed divine action despite unity god action son defined father holy spirit proceeding father son father role doctrine subordinate son father holy spirit son suggests gregory implies member individual priority son priority father priority spirit priority commentators disagree instance argues priority resides primarily spirit gregory theology modern proponents social claim influenced dynamic picture trinity fundamentally incorrect identify gregory social theology unity god clearly believes identities trinity persons relations god gregory argue opposition god infinite main argument infinity god found god goodness god goodness essential god important consequence gregory belief infinity god belief god essentially limited minds created beings life moses gregory writes concept comes image approximate understanding divine nature constitutes idol god god gregory theology proposed god defined terms know speculate accordingly taught god created reach understanding god man life constant progression knowledge god individual continually reached gregory speaks stages spiritual growth initial darkness ignorance spiritual illumination finally darkness mind mystic god gregory believed universal salvation human beings gregory argues paul says god means need long time eventually remain outside number saved created god fall outside gregory described god work way god end complete race shall perfected man having life evil having necessary periods healed fire having life unconscious equally good evil offer participation scripture tells eye seen ear heard thought reached gregory believed taught affirmed scholars minority scholars argued gregory affirmed universal resurrection gregory writes darkness left days redemption extended suffering hell salvation extend humans following passages suggest albeit voice demons place christ world goodness gregory interpretations things shall subdued unto jesus knee bow things heaven things earth things earth support understanding theology great gregory suggests human resurrected salvation accorded baptised states driven saved fire believes evil belief god damn main difference gregory conception gregory believes mankind collectively returned believes personal salvation universal interpretation gregory criticized recently attempting reconcile disparate positions orthodox theologian notes taken face value saint passages hand asserted salvation complete evil fire needed purge evil solution view allusion universal salvation expression god intention humanity fact attested holy sister states god goal life evil healed fire appropriate length time choose accept ignore confirmed saint freely undertake path observation gregory free compatible universal salvation person eventually accept good having gone gregory founded distinction created man material creation limited infinite immortal soul indefinite capacity grow closer divine gregory believed soul created simultaneous creation body opposition believed embryos persons gregory human exceptional created image god humanity having self awareness free gives individual power gregory god existence gregory describes human lives paintings created master human imitate master work life christ beautiful colors virtues man reflection christ gregory stark contrast age saw great beauty fall adam sin perfect humans eventually arise gregory christian voices slavery institution inherently believed slavery violated mankind inherent worth nature humanity free departure classical christian precedent rooted genesis arguing man given mastery animals mankind aspects slave system criticized sustained critique institution slavery ancient world wrote got slave girls slaves price tell find existence worth human nature price equivalent likeness god selling shaped god god said let man image likeness likeness god rules earth granted authority earth god buyer tell seller god belongs power god gifts says god reduce human race slavery enslaved sin spontaneously recalled freedom god free sets power god similarities gregory theology philosophy especially specifically share idea reality god completely inaccessible human beings man come god spiritual journey knowledge rejected favour meditation gregory refer philosophers work disputed passage directly quote considering possible gregory familiar figures significant differences gregory thought exist gregory statement beauty goodness equivalent contrasts view different qualities eastern orthodox generally critical theory gregory influenced example argues opposed philosophical opposed theological view supported gregory placing results systematic philosophy traditional teachings church feast day january roman catholicism january roman commemorates demise march modern include feast feast day observed january january gregory feast day evangelical lutheran church america june great july legacy gregory revered saint unlike fathers doctor church chiefly east relics held vatican translated greek orthodox church gregory san_diego california gregory work received little scholarly attention west mid twentieth century historically treated minor figure comparison late wrote work virtually unknown scholarship 1950s gregory subject theological research critical edition work published founding attention continued present day modern studies mainly focused gregory writings gained reputation unconventional thought arguably major figures contemporary research include commentary gregory known honored let consider doctors champions church including gregory called father fathers wrote work history evolutionary thought greeks darwin christian fathers movement partly interpretation order creation fourth century completed fourth fifth centuries gregory taught creation potential god matter fundamental properties laws objects completed forms universe developed gradually chaotic material writes gregory mystical writings book gregory gregory credited discovery mystical theology perception darkness appropriate symbol god discussed truth gregory christian writer important point writes gregory stance slavery book race theological account interests defining features gregory vision society stance peculiar institution slavery slaves interested reading gregory fourth century abolitionist intellectual outlook surpassed moderate fair paul moment revolutionary stance subject ancient intellectuals pagan jewish christian aristotle contemporary golden preacher east world wait centuries nineteenth century late modern abolitionist movement stance slavery appear
Gregory of Nyssa