The Teaching on Heaven as the Ultimate Fulfillment of Human Life in the Orations of St. Gregory of Nazianzus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/BPTh.2020.021Keywords
heaven, eternal life, eternal happiness, heavenly kingdom, eternal dwelling with God, contemplation of God’s natureAbstract
Alongside St. Basil and St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Gregory of Nazianzus is regarded as one of the outstanding representatives of eastern patristics of the 4th century, known as the Cappadocian Fathers. He became famous as an excellent orator, earning the nickname of “Christian Demosthenes”, and also as a witness of Christian orthodoxy, undertaking a wide variety of theological themes in his speeches. He bears the honorific title “Theologian,” which appears as early as in the acts of the Council of Chalcedon (451) in recognition of the importance of his teachings.
Gregory addresses the question of heaven as the ultimate fulfillment of Christian life in his numerous orations. In particular, those delivered on the occasion of the death of people dear to him, such as his father, brother Caesarius, sister Gorgonia, or the closest friend, St. Basil, deserve special attention.
This article presents three aspects of St. Gregory’s teachings on heaven as the ultimate fulfillment of human life, namely the terminology concerning heaven applied by the author, the essential features of the image of heavenly reality in his orations, and the paths which lead Christians to heaven as the aim of their aspirations.
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