Deity of the Holy Spirit Gregory of Nazianzus
dc.contributor.author
Noble, T.A.
en
dc.date.accessioned
2013-06-26T12:39:36Z
dc.date.available
2013-06-26T12:39:36Z
dc.date.issued
1989
dc.description.abstract
This thesis is a study of the pneumatology of Gregory of
Nazianzus which aims particularly to discover the grounds in his
thinking for his strong and forthright assertion of the deity of
the Holy Spirit.
Three areas of his pneumatology are considered. First, from
the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christian, it is
Gregory's conviction that only if he is God can the Holy Spirit
bring Christians to that true knowledge of God which transforms
them. Secondly, from his work in the intelligent creation, In the
prophets, with Christ, and in the disciples and the Church, the
Holy Spirit is seen to be the Creator and the one who re-creates
and perfects intelligent life. His distinction from the Father
and the Son is known from his coming, sent by the Father, at
Pentecost, so that in the unfolding of the divine economy the
Trinity is gradually revealed. Thirdly, Gregory's understanding
of the Spirit is seen within the context of his doctrine of the
Trinity. For Gregory, Christian devotion is centred on the
Trinity, whose threefold Light illuminates the mind. The truth of
the Trinity can only be expressed in the paradox of the Three-yet-
One. Since God the Holy Trinity is one Being, the Holy Spirit is
not merely one who shares divine nature. Rather he is God
Himself. But on the other hand he is distinct from the Father and
the Son with his own personal identity. As a way of expressing
and safeguarding this distinction which has been revealed in the
economy we say that whereas the Father is the Unbegotten and the
Son is the Begotten, the Spirit is the Proceeding One. Gregory
believed that the Spirit's deity should be openly confessed.
The study therefore shows that Gregory's belief in the deity
of the Holy Spirit Is rooted in each of these major areas of his
theology. It is integral to his whole Christian faith.
en
dc.identifier.other
236847
dc.identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/1842/6792
dc.language.iso
eng
dc.publisher
University of Edinburgh
en
dc.subject
Philosophy
en
dc.subject
Religion
en
dc.title
Deity of the Holy Spirit Gregory of Nazianzus
en
dc.title.alternative
The deity of the Holy Spirit Gregory of Nazianzus
en
dc.type.qualificationname
PhD Doctor of Philosophy
en
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