This study examines the philosophical anthropology implied in Gregory of Nyssa's theology, and, against that background, assesses the view of the role of the body in the divine economy which is reflected in his account of creation and Fall and in his Christology, soteriology, ecclesiology and eschatology. Gregory believed, it is argued, that the bodies which God originally intended for human beings were in practice indistinguishable from those of angels. This was the condition of Adam and Eve's prelapsarian bodies; our flesh and blood bodies are consequences of the Fall. It is further argued that, according to Gregory, it was the fallen body which Christ assumed. His human nature, body and soul, was then progressively transformed into the form, reflecting the divine image, which God originally intended for it. Gregory's soteriology is, it is argued, based on the idea of a corresponding process of sanctification in human beings, given effect by our human nature's 'solidarity' with that of Christ, and this is also reflected in Gregory's ecclesiology and his doctrine of the eucharist. Gregory's conception of the resurrection of the body is analysed on the basis of three separate motifs: re-assembly of the body; purification of human nature, including the body; and restoration of the rational creation, humans and angels, to their original unity. It is argued that the second two motifs are inconsistent with the first and imply that the flesh and blood body can be redeemed only if it is transformed into the 'angelic' body which God originally intended for it.It is concluded that Gregory's 'solidarist' soteriology represents a substantial theological achievement. The fact however that ultimately he assigns only a provisional value to the flesh and blood body means that overall he cannot do full justice to the Christian conception of the 'economy of the body'.

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This study explores the doctrine of wisdom (sapientia) in St. Augustine. The primary focus is to understand what wisdom is and what it does in Augustine's thought, and how it developed throughout Augustine's writings. Additionally, this study considers how Augustine's notion of wisdom compares to the wisdom literature of Scripture in light of contemporary wisdom scholarship, and how Augustine's sapientiology might be retrieved and renewed for today. While many have acknowledged the importance of sapientia in Augustine, little sustained attention has been given either toward defining precisely what sapientia is or how it functions in his thought. To address these issues, this study highlights the lacuna in research on the topic, then summarizes the wisdom-traditions that preceded Augustine. Chapters two and three consider sapientia's development from Augustine's early works through his mature works identifying sapientia's essential ingredients, and the cluster of biblical passages Augustine employs to support his notion of wisdom. These two chapters identify the time between Ad Simplicianum and Confessiones (c. 396-40 I) with the emergence of I Cor. 12:8 and Job 28:28 as the period when sapientia stabilizes in Augustine's thought, and demonstrates the basic continuity between the sapientia of 393- 395 and that of 396-430. Chapter four focuses on sapientia in De Trinitate, the work where Augustine offers his most systematic treatment on the topic. In this chapter it is argued that sapientia in Augustine is the Triune God fully expressed in the incarnate Christ who, by way of the Spirit, gives light and faith to God's people, and who provides the way through which believers may see clearly, live virtuously, and participate most fully in God, ascending upward in contemplation toward the vision of Him, and thereby restoring His people to the imago dei. Chapter five opens a dialogue with contemporary wisdom scholars for an assessment of Augustine's sapientia especially in relation to the doctrine of creation. It is argued that though Augustine's notion of wisdom is governed by a restrained doctrine of creation and an underdeveloped view of the wisdom literature, his biblically rooted, Christocentric, faith-first approach provides a promising way forward for the retrieval and renewal of Augustinian wisdom in contemporary theology. The concluding chapter recapitulates the findings and conclusions of chapters one through five and ends with suggestions for further research .

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This Commentary on Jerome's Vita Malchi begins with an Introduction which summarises some of the main points of interest of this early hagiographical text, including its relevance to contemporary debates about asceticism and the classical and biblical influences on the language and content. Particular attention is paid to the style and rhetorical devices deployed. A discussion of the textual status of the work is followed by a preliminary edition of the text on which the notes of the commentary are based. The commentary itself deals with a large variety of issues. Stylistic and philological observations are made throughout. Topoi in the preface are identified. The internal consistency of the narrative is investigated. The geographical background to the movements of the characters is elucidated, and their status is put in the context of Roman jurisprudence. Jerome's depiction of the Saracens in chapter Four is compared with that of Ammianus. Important literary themes and influences are treated discursively where appropriate, e.g. the description and interpretation of a colony of ants in chapter Seven. An attempt is made to solve all textual problems identified. In sum, this commentary aims to give a sense of Jerome's wide range of interests, as well as demonstrating the influence of his literary background and his creative engagement with it.