The Meaning of Grace in the Writings of Gregory of Nyssa

A. S. Dunstone

doi:10.1017/S0036930600010632

The Meaning of Grace in the Writings of Gregory of Nyssa

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2009

A. S. Dunstone

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There is a renewed interest in the relations between the Eastern and Western parts of the Church; and some have been surprised at the affinities of thought between the two. In a study of the Atonement in Gregory of Nyssa, the following examination was made of the meanings of the word Grace in his writings. It may be of interest to others who are working towards a closer understanding of the thought of the Eastern Fathers.

I. From God's side

(a) Grace may be used to point to the general attitude of kindly favour that God displayed to all creation and to mankind in particular. Verb and noun are both employed to indicate the distinction between man and all other animals, over whom he was given a royal authority. The potentiality in man for both good and evil is greater than in any other part of the universe. (b) This Fatherly care did not cease at creation, but is visible throughout the Old Testament history. It was present at Sinai; and spoke freely and often through the prophets, as when, under Ahab and Jezebel, Elijah fought single-handed against the prophets of Baal; and we even have the phrase reminding us of the Pauline charisma. Gregory often speaks of the Grace of God, much more commonly in fact than of His love.

Type: Research Article
Information: Scottish Journal of Theology , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , September 1962 , pp. 235 - 244

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0036930600010632 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 1962

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^{page 235 note 1} References are taken from the three volumes of Migne, P.G. 44–46.

^{page 235 note 2} 1.185c.

^{page 235 note 3} 3.308b.

^{page 235 note 4} 3.661c.

^{page 235 note 5} 1.321b.

^{page 235 note 6} 2.992d.

^{page 235 note 7} 3.592b.

^{page 235 note 8} 2.580c.

^{page 235 note 9} 2.720a.

^{page 236 note 1} 1.785b and cf. 2.728b; and 3.172a.

^{page 236 note 2} 3.685c fin.

^{page 236 note 3} 2.56b.

^{page 236 note 4} 1.909b.

^{page 236 note 5} 1.940b.

^{page 236 note 6} 2.1325a.

^{page 236 note 7} 3.417a.

^{page 236 note 8} 3.288b; cf. also the eulogy of Grace at the beginning of 3.416c.

^{page 236 note 9} 1.1193a.

^{page 236 note 10} 3.708c.

^{page 236 note 11} 1.1185a.

^{page 236 note 12} e.g. 2.720b.

^{page 236 note 13} 3.313ab.

^{page 237 note 1} 3.589c.

^{page 237 note 2} 1.1277c.

^{page 237 note 3} 3.684 fin.

^{page 237 note 4} 3.593c.

^{page 237 note 5} 3.129b.

^{page 237 note 6} 2.836, 2.509a and 784b (identical passages), 900d–901a.

^{page 237 note 7} 3.276c.

^{page 237 note 8} 3.297b.

^{page 237 note 9} 3.289b (3 times).

^{page 237 note 10} 3.3O4d.

^{page 237 note 11} 1.785a.

^{page 237 note 12} 3.296c.

^{page 238 note 1} 1.1224 init., 1232b.

^{page 238 note 2} cf. 1.1137a, 1133d.

^{page 238 note 3} i.580cd.

^{page 238 note 4} 3.429–32.

^{page 238 note 5} 3.251b.

^{page 238 note 6} 3.376b.

^{page 239 note 1} 3.420b.

^{page 239 note 2} 1.1124d.

^{page 239 note 3} 3.381b.

^{page 239 note 4} 2.1049c.

^{page 239 note 5} 3.321d–4; 2.33a and 77b.

^{page 239 note 6} 1.1277c–80c.

^{page 239 note 7} e.g. 3.1060b fin.; 1.848b bis.

^{page 239 note 8} 2.636ab.

^{page 239 note 9} 3.521d.

^{page 239 note 10} 1.1101b.

^{page 240 note 1} 1.1125b fin.

^{page 240 note 2} 1.1189c and d.

^{page 240 note 3} 1.1197a.

^{page 240 note 4} 2.256c.

^{page 240 note 5} see Srawley pp. 70 line 8 to 71 line 6.

^{page 240 note 6} 3.372b and cf. 3.57b.

^{page 240 note 7} 1.1272b.

^{page 240 note 8} 3.320c.

^{page 240 note 9} 3.596d.

^{page 240 note 10} 1.588d.

^{page 240 note 11} 3.424b, 425b.

^{page 241 note 1} e.g. Ep. 105; De Spiritu Sancto 26.63.

^{page 241 note 2} 3.592d–3a.

^{page 241 note 3} 2.1324d.

^{page 241 note 4} 3.596a.

^{page 241 note 5} 3.580 fin., 581 fin.

^{page 241 note 6} 3.588d.

^{page 241 note 7} cf. the Catechetical Oration and also 3.584b.

^{page 241 note 8} 3.416c–17a, 420a–4c.

^{page 241 note 9} Catechetical Oration, Srawley p. 144.Google Scholar

^{page 241 note 10} 3.268b.

^{page 241 note 11} 3.573b.

^{page 241 note 12} 1.724b.

^{page 242 note 1} 1.68b.

^{page 242 note 2} 3.764d.

^{page 242 note 3} 3.893a–b.

^{page 242 note 4} 2.800ab.

^{page 242 note 5} 2.248a.

^{page 242 note 6} 1.1224d.

^{page 242 note 7} 1.965a.

^{page 242 note 8} 1.1241a fin., 1169c, 305d, 897c, 3.669d, 388d, 681b.

^{page 242 note 9} 3.168b, 2.249a, 1.1189d, 1228 fin.; and cf. 1.948b fin.

^{page 242 note 10} 1.324c; 1.1149a.

^{page 242 note 11} 1.1284cd.

^{page 243 note 1} 3.600c.

^{page 243 note 2} 3.604c.

^{page 243 note 3} 3.681b; cf. in these sermons 605c, 608d, 625c, 652c.

^{page 243 note 4} 1.188b.

^{page 243 note 5} 1.1260d.

^{page 243 note 6} 3.429b.

^{page 243 note 7} 3.472ab.

^{page 243 note 8} 3.429bc.

^{page 243 note 9} 1.1281a.

^{page 244 note 1} 1.848b.

^{page 244 note 2} 2.52bc.

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