Gregory of Nyssa: “The other class of spiritual substance [i.e. the soul] has been brought into being by creation; thus it constantly looks towards to the first Cause[...]"

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“The other class of spiritual substance [i.e. the soul] has been brought into being by creation; thus it constantly looks towards to the first Cause, and is preserved in existence by a continual participation in transcendent Being. Thus in a certain sense, it is constantly being created, ever changing for the better in its growth in perfection; along these lines no limit can be envisaged, nor can its progressive growth in perfection be limited by any term.” (Cant., Or. 6, Musurillo, pp. 196-7)

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Hvad betyder det, at Gud bliver "alt i alt", når Kristus ifølge Paulus har underlagt sig alle sine fjender? Gregor af Nyssa om 1 Kor 15,28

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Billede
"Herren er Liv. Ifølge Apostlen vil Kristus forbinde sig med Faderen med hele sit legeme, når han engang overgiver riget til Gud. Kristi legeme består i sin helhed af menneskets natur, hvormed Kristus er forenet. Paulus kan af samme grund omtale Kristus som formidler mellem Gud og mennesker. Han, som er i Faderen, men som har levet blandt mennesker, træder frem mellem Gud og mennesker. Kristus forener hele menneskeheden med sig selv, og gennem sig selv med Faderen. Det kommer til udtryk i evangeliet, når Herren siger: ”Du, Fader, er i mig, og jeg er i dig, for at de må være ét i os”. Ifølge evangeliets løfter, er vi ikke længere Herrens slaver, men som forligt med Gud, regnes vi blandt hans venner. Ikke desto mindre skal Kristus herske ”indtil han har lagt alle sine fjender under sine fødder”. Den mest ærbødige måde at forstå det på må være, at Kristus tappert holder fast i magten indtil al modstand mod det gode hører op. Når han har samlet hele sit rige, vil Kristus overgive...
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Nein!(?) A negative "point of contact" in the Epistle to Diognetus?

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Billede
Still working on The Epistle to Diognetus , which keeps making associations to modern theology pop up. This time it's Karl Barth's debate with Emil Brunner. Consider the epistle's claim that, “[...]being convicted in the past time by our own deeds as unworthy of life, we might now be made deserving by the goodness of God, and having made clear our inability to enter into the kingdom of God of ourselves, might be enabled by the ability of God.” (9.1, Lightfoot) and “Having then in the former time demonstrated the inability of our nature to obtain life, and having now revealed a Saviour able to save even creatures which have no ability, He willed that for both reasons we should believe in His goodness[...]” (9.6, Lightfoot) If by 'dialectical theology' we mean that God's 'yes' and 'no' are inseparable (Tillich), this is certainly a specimen of such. The two elements, negative and positive, come together in faith (in an Aufhebung! ), or? A...
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Origen on the continuity between the commandments of the law and of Jesus (Matt. 5:38-39)

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"[...]it is written in the Lamentations of Jeremiah: 'It is good for a man when he bears a yoke in his youth, he will sit alone and in silence when he has taken it on himself. He will give a cheek to the man who smites him and shall be filled with reproaches.' The gospel, then, does not lay down laws in contradiction to the God of the law, not even if we interpret literally the saying about a blot on the jaw. And neither Moses nor Jesus is wrong. Nor did the Father forget when sent Jesus the commands which he had given to Moses. Nor did He condemn His own laws, and change His mind, and send His messenger for the opposite purpose. " (Con. Cel. VII,25)
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