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Cyril of Alexandria left to posterity a sizable body of exegetical literature. This thesis attempts to reconstruct his theology of Scripture in order to suggest that his exegetical practice is inseparable from, and must be interpreted in light of, his overarching theological vision. I argue that the most important intellectual factor shaping his exegesis is his Christologically focused, pro-Nicene Trinitarianism, an inheritance that he received from fourth-century authors. Cyril’s appropriation of pro-Nicene thought is evident in his theology of revelation and his theology of exegesis. Revelation, in his understanding, proceeds from the Father, through the Son, and in the Spirit, following the order of Trinitarian relations. Moreover, this pattern applies to the inspiration of Scripture as well, insofar as inspiration occurs when the Son indwells human authors by the Spirit and speaks the words of the Father. Corresponding to this movement of God towards humanity in revelation is humanity’s growth in understanding that occurs according to a reverse pattern—in the Spirit, through the Son, unto the Father. This scheme applies broadly to Cyril’s soteriology, but also to his understanding of exegesis, since he regarded biblical interpretation as a means of participating in the divine life. More specifically, this Trinitarian pattern implies that the Spirit is required to read Scripture properly, and that in the act of interpretation the Spirit directs the reader to a Christological reading of Scripture, through which the believer gains a limited but genuine apprehension of the Trinitarian mystery. This process continues until the final eschatological vision when the types and riddles of Scripture will be done away with in light of the overwhelming clarity of the vision of the Father.

In 1941 a large cache of papyri preserving the writings of Origen and Didymus the Blind were discovered in Tura, Egypt. 43 years later 22 signatures from the Tura papryi containing Ps. 26:10–29:2, 36:1–3 from Didymus the Blinds' commentary on Psalms were acquired by Brigham Young University. These signatures remain unpublished at present. This paper examines Didymus' use of the New Testament in this hitherto unpublished section of his commentary and seeks to reevaluate past scholarship on the New Testament text of Didymus in light of this new data. In addition to providing an inventory of all the New Testament references and significant textual variants used by Didymus in this section of his commentary, this paper will also analyze the consistency, or lack thereof, with which Didymus referenced the New Testament throughout his five Tura commentaries. This analysis will show that previous conclusions on the New Testament text of Didymus the Blind need to be reevaluated in a manner that takes into account the significant lack of consistency with which he referenced the New Testament in his classroom lectures as opposed to his published works that were intended for circulation.

The theology of Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, and the origin of his theory of Just War are subjects of serious scholarly debate. Just War involved the use of the state army to eliminate heresy by killing heretics who refused to convert to mainstream Christianity. The purpose of this paper is to argue that Augustine primarily based his theory of Just War on Cicero's own theory of Just War. Augustine was quite heavily influenced by Cicero. He credited Cicero with his own conversion to Christianity. He drew heavily from Cicero's works as a basis for many of his own writings, such as City of God. He did, however, interpret Cicero's works to fit into his own theology, thereby changing the meanings of these works significantly. Cicero was adapted to fit into Augustine's Christian and Neoplatonic mold. Cicero wrote a work called The Republic, which was lost for centuries. The only way any of this work survived during that time was through quotations by writers, and Augustine is one of the main sources for Cicero's Republic. In The Republic, Cicero creates the model state and argues that this state had the right to use military action on a group of people who were not capable of exercising justice. This influenced Augustine to develop his own theory of the perfect state, which also had this right to use military action. Several factors influenced the development of Augustine's Just War theory. However, none of them had the impact that Cicero's theory of Just War did. Everything was fitted into it. Augustine assimilated the influences of the church-state alliance and his Neoplatonic background into Cicero's concepts for the perfect state and its use of Just War. Thus, Cicero provided the framework within which Augustine operated.

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Summaries and keywords in English and Afrikaans / John Henry Newman maak in sy outobiografiese geskrifte 'n aantal belangrike verwysings na sy toewyding aan Johannes Chrysostomos. Is dit bloot 'n kwessie van vroomheid, of dui dit op 'n dieper verband met die punt dat Newman in sy eie teologiese begrip, geestelike insig en pastorale praktyk deur Chrysostomos beïnvloed word? Hierdie proefskrif poog om te toon dat die besonderse voorbereiding van Newman vir die lees van die Kerkvaders, en in besonder, sy omvattende begrip van Grieks, hom van jongs af tot 'n verdieping in die patristiese denke georiënteer het, 'n feit wat hoofsaaklik deur sy Briewe en Dagboeke getoon word. Die aanhaling van Chrysostomos as 'n teologiese gesag, in Newman se leerstellige geskrifte en in sy gepubliseerde prediking, word toenemend duidelik en demonstreer wat beskou kan word as teologiese eienskappe wat die twee teoloë gemeen het. In Newman se geestelike begeleiding, veral in sy geestelike bystand en begeleiding van vroue, blyk daar 'n korrelasie te wees met raad wat Chrysostomos in soortgelyke omstandighede gegee het. In hierdie studie word dit ondersoek in 'n vergelyking van die briewe van Chrysostomos aan Olympias, en die korrespondensie van Newman met Maria Giberne. Behalwe enkele teologiese ooreenkomste en invloede, eksplisiet sowel as implisiet, is daar bewyse dat Newman iemand baie soortgelyk aan homself in Chrysostomos gesien het: 'n diep teologiese denker wat as gevolg van sy prediking prominent geword het en aansienlike institusionele weerstand op 'n diep persoonlike manier weerstaan het, en ‘n aansienlike mate van verlies as gevolg van sy oortuiging gely het, en tog onbelemmerd in sy getrouheid aan wat hy as sy missie verstaan het, gebly het, as priester,teoloog, leraar en predikant. / John Henry Newman makes a number of significant references in his autobiographical writings to his devotion to John Chrysostom. Is this simply a matter of piety, or does it reveal a deeper connection to the point that Newman is influenced in his own theological understanding, spiritual insight, and pastoral practice by Chrysostom? This thesis attempts to demonstrate that Newman’s very particular preparation for reading the Fathers, and in particular, his comprehensive grasp of Greek, orientated him, from an early age, towards an immersion in Patristic thought, a fact largely demonstrated by his Letters and Diaries. Citation of Chrysostom as a theological authority, in Newman’s doctrinal writings, and in his published preaching, becomes increasingly evident, and demonstrates what might be considered theological characteristics the two theologians hold in common. In Newman’s spiritual direction, particularly in his spiritual accompaniment and guidance of women, there appears to be a correlation with advice given by Chrysostom in similar circumstances; in the present study this is treated in a comparison of the letters of Chrysostom to Olympias, and Newman’s correspondence with Maria Giberne. Beyond any theological similarities, and influences both explicit and implicit, there is evidence that Newman saw in Chrysostom someone very similar to himself: a profound theological thinker, who rose to prominence as a result of his preaching, and who met with serious institutional opposition expressed in a deeply personal way, suffered a considerable amount of loss as a result of holding to his convictions, and yet remained undeterred in his fidelity to what he understood to be his mission, as a priest, a theologian, a teacher and a pastor. / New Testament / D. Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

This thesis explores the intertextual nature of Irenaeus' reading of Genesis 1-3. In this study, we assume a different mode of investigation than previous works on Irenaeus' use of scripture. Drawing from contemporary discussions on intertextuality in Fishbane, Boyrin, Hays, and Young, we challenge a tradition of investigation into Irenaeus' exegesis that has marginalized the significance of scriptural networking inherent to his hermeneutic. This perspective is evident in the previous works on Irenaeus' reading of Genesis in Orbe, Jacobsen, Kannengiesser, Steenberg, and Holsinger-Friesen. This thesis, on the other hand, brings together an appreciation for Irenaeus' hermeneutic with respect to his exegesis of Gen 1-3. We show that in every instance Irenaeus interprets Gen 1-3, not in isolation, but in correlation with other texts by means of a variety of intertextual reading strategies that shape his theological polemic. In chapter one we investigate the nature of Irenaeus' hermeneutical orientation based upon studies of patristic exegesis and his own descriptions of the exegetical task. We show that Irenaeus purposes to interconnect texts in his refutation and exegesis and we formulate a methodology that appreciates his reading of Gen 1-3 within this theological networking of texts. In chapters 2-6, we provide a literary analysis of the echoes, allusions, and citations of Gen 1-3 in each book of Adversus Haereses. In each case we isolate the allusions to Gen 1-3 and the corresponding interrelated texts that form a hermeneutically symbiotic relationship with Gen 1-3. We show how these textual relationships yield a more comprehensive appreciation for the meaning and function of Gen 1-3 in Irenaeus. In chapter 7 we conclude with a summary and cumulative evaluation of the intertextual relationships fashioned with Gen 1-3 and the reading strategies that guide his intertextual use of Gen 1-3. In doing so, this thesis exposes the intricacies of Irenaeus' theological and intertextual reading of Gen 1-3 and the various ways that Irenaeus harmonizes scripture.

This thesis deals with the topic of human liberty as it was developed in The Great Catechism by St. Gregory of Nyssa. It is concerned with the importance and role of liberty in the particular periods of the history of salvation (creation, fall and redemption) and with the relation between liberty and other important themes of Gregory's work: man as the image of God and as a creature composed of soul and body; the human's fall and the turn from the real good (which is God) towards evil; new life acquired from Christ's resurrection and the adoption of this new life through baptism and the Eucharist. The man was created for life in freedom; life oriented towards the real good: the God. The man cannot be really free without this orientation towards God, but on the other hand this orientation cannot exist without freedom either. God gave man the life and after the fall he returns it to him, but the acceptance and the shape of this life is at all times dependent on the man's decision. The man, as a created being, is someone who changes all the time. And it is just because he can again and again decide about these never-ending changes of himself, that he can have in his power not only his deeds, but also himself: he is his own master, as God is.

This study retraces the principal moments of the Latin reception of John Chrysostom between c.1440 and 1600 and how they reflect on the study of ancient Christianity in early modern Europe. After a short Introduction to Chrysostom’s reception in medieval Europe and existing historiography on early modern patristics, the first section of this study focusses on the reception of Chrysostom in the fifteenth century. Chapter 1 examines the collaboration between cardinal Jean Jouffroy and the humanist translator Francesco Griffolini in Renaissance Rome. Chapter 2 explores the career and editorial work of the scholastic writer Johannes Heynlin and his impact on Basel’s rise as a centre of patristic studies. The second part of this study investigates the translations and interpretations of Chrysostom by the renowned Dutch humanist, Desiderius Erasmus. Chapter 3 argues that Erasmus advanced Chrysostom as a Pauline theologian in a way deliberately opposed to contemporary Latin traditions of exegesis. Chapter 4 interprets Erasmus’ editions and translations of Chrysostom against the breakdown of his friendship with the Protestant theologian Johannes Oecolampadius. Chapter 5 asks whether Erasmus’ biography of Chrysostom and criticism of spurious texts of the Greek church fathers confirms or contrasts recent investigations of Erasmus’ scholarship on their Latin counterparts. The third part of this study follows the reception of Chrysostom’s life and works in the Catholic world during and after the Council of Trent. Chapter 6 studies the use of Chrysostom’s works at this Council by cardinal Marcello Cervini and his client Gentian Hervet. Chapter 7 uses Chrysostom’s changing place in the Roman breviary to explore Catholic attitudes to historical scholarship and the Greek church in the sixteenth-century. A short conclusion suggests avenues for future research into the reception of Chrysostom in early modern Europe.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andrey Albuquerque Mendonca.pdf: 499719 bytes, checksum: 2c846e6409a3db27fcbba558ef63f0da (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-12-08 / This dissertation will discuss about the concept of theosis (deification) as a key to understanding the Russian Orthodox mystic. To achieve our purpose, we have chosen, through the grandeur of the Christian tradition, studying the concept in the works of Paul Evdokimov - legitimate representative of the Russian theological and philosophical thought of the 20th century. Our research is aimed to bring together the literature and from the writings of commentators and Evdokimov investigating Christianity in Eastern Europe, the information that we allow an objectification of the concept theosis. We noticed in our work, that deification is the gravitational center of spirituality Patristic later bequeathed to Christian orthodoxy, the first Byzantine period, and then Russian. The union with God, not just human, but of the entire cosmos, is the beginning and end of the works of creation. For in a world where there is freedom there is in fact the possibility of sin - is understood by Christian tradition as shattering, fragmentation and disorder, or chaos. Therefore, to Evdokimov that echoes the voice of the Russian mystic and Church Fathers, theosis is the divine call to return, rebirth of a new being into a new life experience. Life in union with the Creator himself / Esta dissertação discorrerá sobre o conceito de theósis (deificação) como chave para a compreensão da mística ortodoxa russa. Para alcançarmos nosso objetivo, escolhemos, em meio à grandiosidade desta tradição cristã, estudar o conceito nas obras de Paul Evdokimov legítimo representante do pensamento teológico e filosófico russo do séc. XX. Nossa pesquisa é bibliográfica e buscou reunir, a partir dos escritos de Evdokimov e de comentadores que investigam a cristandade do leste europeu, as informações que nos permitissem uma objetivação do conceito theósis. Percebemos, em nosso trabalho, que a deificação é o centro gravitacional da espiritualidade Patrística, posteriormente legado à ortodoxia cristã, primeiro bizantina, e depois, russa. A união com Deus, não apenas do ser humano, mas de todo o cosmos, constitui o início e o final das obras da criação. Pois, em um mundo onde há liberdade, existe de fato, a possibilidade do pecado entendido por esta tradição cristã como despedaçamento, fragmentação e desordem, ou seja, caos. Portanto, para Evdokimov que ecoa a voz dos místicos russos e pais da igreja, a theósis é o chamado divino a um retorno, um renascimento de um novo ser em uma nova experiência de vida. Vida em união com o próprio Criador