Cosmic Man: The Divine Presence | Dr Paulos Mar Gregorios

Cosmic Man: The Divine Presence - The Theology of St.Gregory of Nyssa (c.330 to 395 A.D.) 

Dr Paulos Mar Gregorios

This book is the first systematic and comprehensive attempt in understanding St. Gregory of Nyssa (322-398 A.D.), the utmost profound Greek philosopher of the Christian era, an incomparable mystic and poet. The book traces the main tenets of Gregory's understanding of the three fundamental realities in their mutual relationship: God, humanity, and the created order.

INTRODUCTION

a. The Theme and Its Relevance
b. The Man Gregory and His Place in the Tradition of the Church

PART ONE
CHAPTER I SKOPOS - INTENT OF SCRIPTURE AND THE USE OF OUTSIDE PHILOSOPHY
1. The Intent of Scripture
2. Sympnoia
3. Cosmos and Microcosmos

CHAPTER II- AGENNESIA - AGAINST EUNOMIUS
The Eunomian Controversy as Context for the Clarification of Gregory’s thought-structure
1. Eunomius - Theurgic Neoplatonist?
2. Epinoia - Human Creativity

CHAPTER III- AKOLOUTHIA - FOLLOWING THE LOGOS
The epistemological method which synthesizes moral, logical and spiritual aspects in one unified quest for meaning
1. Akolouthia as logical consistency
2. Akolouthia as ontological reality
3. Akolouthia and Scripture
(4) Akolouthia of evil and of good

PART TWO
CHAPTER IV- GOD AND HIS CREATION - I DIASTEMA-DISCONTINUITY BETWEEN CREATOR AND CREATION
1. Diastema - The Concept
2. Diastema - The Transcendence of God
3. Diastema - As extension
4. Diastema - As Gap
5. The Three Aspects of Diastema
6. Conclusion

CHAPTER V - GOD AND HIS CREATION - II METOUSIA - CONTINUITY BETWEEN CREATOR AND CREATION
1. The Nature of Material Creation
2. Participation in Being
3. Ousia and Energeia
4. Koinonia and Metousia Summary

CHAPTER VI- GOD AND MAN - CONTINUITY AND DISCONTINUITY
1. Freedom of God and Man
2. Freedom as Transcendence
3. God’s Freedom in Immanence
4. Freedom as Creativity of the Good

CHAPTER VII - MAN AGAINST GOD - MAN IN HISTORY
1. Sin, Original Sin and Nature
2. Sin and Diastema
3. Freedom and History
4. The Loss of Wings - Splash-down and re-orbiting

CHAPTER VIII- THE FULLNESS OF MAN - MAN BEYOND HISTORY
l. Pleroma - The End of History
2. Being and the Good - Meaning of History
3. The Life of Virtue and the Effort of Man

CONCLUDING POSTSCRIPT
Appendix I
Appendix II
Bibliography