Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1990. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-148).

Thesis (M.T.)--Regent College, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Th. M.)--Regent College, 2007. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-155).

Originally presented as the author's thesis, San Anselmo, Rome, 1953. / Includes indexes. Includes bibliographical references (p. [11]-15).

[pt] A amizade é um fenômeno universal e próprio da condição humana que nasce da livre oferta de si mesmo para lançar-se ao mistério do outro. Por meio dela, os homens tornam-se capazes de encontrar um caminho para a sua humanização. Este trabalho, sob a perspectiva da teologia patrística, retrata a amizade de Gregório de Nazianzo e Basílio de Cesaréia, como um modelo para todo o cristão que busca uma experiência existencial do amor, revestida da Aliança que Deus faz com a humanidade. Para tal, investigou-se sistematicamente a temática da philia cristã, à luz desses dois padres capadócios que fizeram uma grande síntese do pensamento clássico e cristão no século IV. Essa dissertação se fundamenta na Oração 43 de Gregório de Nazianzo, especificamente nos parágrafos 14 a 24, que retrata duas personalidades tão distintas, movidas pela busca da expressão mais sensível do amor de Deus, capazes de viver uma comunhão universal e indivisível, tornadas como uma alma em dois corpos a ponto de ser imperceptível a costura que as uniu. Objetiva-se, portanto, demonstrar a relevância da amizade cristã na Oração 43,14-24 como importante instrumento no processo de humanização e de renovação das relações fraternas. / [en] Friendship is a universal and proper phenomenon of the human condition that is born of the free offer of oneself to launch itself into the mystery of the other. Through it men become capable of finding a way for their humanization. This work, from the perspective of patristic theology, portrays the friendship of Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil of Caesarea as a model for every Christian who seeks an existential experience of love, clothed in the Alliance God makes with humanity. For this, we systematically investigated the theme of Christian philia in the light of these two Cappadocian priests who made a great synthesis of classical and Christian thought in the fourth century. This dissertation is based on St. Gregory of Nazianzus Prayer 43, specifically in paragraphs 14 to 24, which portrays two very different personalities who, motivated by the search for the most sensitive expression of God s love, were able to live a universal and indivisible communion, and allowed to become like a soul in two bodies to the point of rendering imperceptible the seam that united them. This dissertation aims to demonstrate the relevance of Christian friendship through Prayer 43,14-24 as an important tool in the process of humanization and renewal of fraternal relationships.

[pt] A Dissertação tem como objetivo apresentar o referido conceito, tendo em vista sua relevância na construção do dogma trinitário. A relevância dos Padres Capadócios (Basílio de Cesareia, Gregório Nazianzeno e Gregório de Nissa) por aperfeiçoar, fechar as lacunas e concretizar o dogma. Em relação a metodologia utilizada, a pesquisa analisa, por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica, a cristologia primitiva, suas raízes bíblicas e a reflexão patrísticas do conceito, o significado do termo para os Padres da Igreja e para os arianos, o contexto histórico dos grandes concílios ecumênicos de Niceia (325) a Constantinopla I (381), e a reflexão dos Capadócios. Os principais resultados encontrados da pesquisa foram, que o significado do conceito de eterna geração em sua origem, nas Sagradas Escrituras, difere do seu significado no contexto dogmático. Orígenes, autor desse conceito utiliza de sua interpretação alegórica para ratifica-lo, e sua interpretação vai influenciar posteriormente tanto nicenos como arianos. Diante de um interregno entre os concílios, a influência do Império Romano vai contribuir para disseminação tanto da doutrina quanto da heresia, fortalecendo ambas. Ao refletir sobre a divindade do Cristo e sua origem, os Capadócios reformulam o dogma trinitário herdado do credo niceno, incluindo também a divindade do Espírito Santo. A contribuição da pesquisa é apresentada no que tange ao que significou o termo para a dogmática cristã, em especial para a reflexão sobre a Trindade Imanente, assunto que é um desafio em si mesmo até os dias de hoje e suas aplicações para uma espiritualidade em prol do outro. / [en] The Dissertation aims to present the referred concept, in view of its relevance in the construction of the Trinitarian dogma. The relevance of the Cappadocian Fathers (Basilio de Caesarea, Gregório Nazianzeno and Gregório de Nissa) for perfecting, closing the gaps and making dogma concrete. In relation to the methodology used, the research analyzes, through bibliographic research, the primitive Christology, its biblical roots and the patristic reflection of the concept, the meaning of the term for the Fathers of the Church and for the Aryans, the historical context of the great councils ecumenical events from Nicaea (325) to Constantinople I (381), and the reflection of the Cappadocians. The main results of the research were, that the meaning of the concept of eternal generation in its origin, in the Sacred Scriptures, differs from its meaning in the dogmatic context. Origen, author of this concept, uses his allegorical interpretation to ratify it, and his interpretation will later influence both Nicenes and Aryans. Faced with an interregnum between the councils, the influence of the Roman Empire will contribute to the dissemination of both doctrine and heresy, strengthening both. In reflecting on the divinity of Christ and his origin, the Cappadocians reformulate the Trinitarian dogma inherited from the Nicene creed, also including the divinity of the Holy Spirit. The contribution of the research is presented with respect to what the term meant for Christian dogmatics, especially for the reflection on the Immanent Trinity, a subject that is a challenge in itself until today and its applications for a spirituality in favor from the other.

L’ambition de cette thèse, qui se présente en sept chapitres regroupés en trois parties, est de reprendre l’ensemble du Corpus dionysien pour en définir un principe de cohérence : la théologie négative. Dans le sillage des recherches antérieures, souvent centrées sur une des œuvres qui lui sont attribuées ou sur une thématique particulière, on s’est interrogé sur l’histoire et la complexité de plusieurs concepts centraux de l’œuvre : théologie négative, symbole, hiérarchie. Et, en proposant de considérer la Hiérarchie ecclésiastique comme l’achèvement du Corpus – c’est au bref traité de la Théologie mystique qu’on attribuait volontiers cette place – nous montrons comment l’apophase ou la théologie négative s’enrichit, s’approfondit, d’une dimension liturgique, au-delà de l'affirmation et de la négation. / The purpose of this thesis, consisting of seven chapters grouped under three sections, is to reconsider the whole dionysian Corpus and to define the principle of its consistency, that is negative theology. Following the previous research, often focusing on one of the treatises or a main theme, we start with the history and the complexity of several key concepts within the Corpus: negative theology, symbol, hierarchy. We suggest that Ecclesiastical Hierarchy should be considered as the final step of Dionysius’ theology (rather than Mystical Theology as usually), and that leads us to study how the apophasis or the negative theology deepens into a liturgical dimension, beyond affirmation and negation.

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology’s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed. / This dissertation identifies the shape, content, and marks of the theology of the cross, an ancient and still extant epistemological and soteriological system of Christian thought. Applying the resulting hermeneutic it then shows this system to be present with renewed vitality and future significance in the modern project of seminal Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968).

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology���s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed.

This dissertation is presented in two parts. It first identifies the shape and content of an ancient system of Christian thought predicated on the theology of the cross of Jesus Christ, and proposes the marks typifying its theologians. Over against the ensuing hermeneutic it next finds the project of twentieth century Swiss theologian Karl Barth to exhibit many of the defining characteristics of this system, and Barth himself to be fairly deemed a modern theologian of the cross. He crucially recovers, reshapes and reasserts the classical theologia crucis as a modern theological instrument, one answering enlightened theology’s self-glorifying accommodation to modernity with the living Word of the cross. The crucicentric system itself is found to comprise two major theological dimensions, epistemological and soteriological. Each of these comprises dialectically corresponding aspects connected with false and true creaturely glory. The cruciform Word (or theology) speaking through this system likewise moves in two directions. It declares negatively that any attempt by the creature to circumvent the cross so as to know about God directly, or to condition God's electing decision, is necessarily the attempt to know and act as God alone may know and act - an attempt therefore on the glory of God. It declares positively that in the crucified Christ God formally discloses the knowledge of God, and determines the creature for God. This knowledge and election are appropriated to the creature as, drawn into the cruciform environment, its attempt to glorify itself is negated and Christ's exalted humanity received in exchange. Thence it is lifted to participate in Christ's mind and in his glory, a process guided by the Holy Spirit and completed eschatologically. The database for this research includes selected primary materials in the Apostle Paul, Athanasius, a group of medieval mystical theologians, the reformer Martin Luther - particularly here his Heidelberg Disputation, and Karl Barth. It also pays attention to the recent secondary literature peripherally or more concertedly connecting itself to the theology of the cross, of whatever period. In this literature numerous suggestions for the content of the theology of the cross exist, a major methodological task in the current research being to bring these together systematically. To the extent that the inner structure of the system carrying the cruciform Word has not previously been made explicit, and Barth's crucicentric status not finally determined, in moving towards these achievements this dissertation breaks fresh ground. In the process a new test by which to decide the crucicentric status of any theological project is developed, and a further and crucicentric way of reading Barth proposed. / This dissertation identifies the shape, content, and marks of the theology of the cross, an ancient and still extant epistemological and soteriological system of Christian thought. Applying the resulting hermeneutic it then shows this system to be present with renewed vitality and future significance in the modern project of seminal Swiss theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968).