The Body and Desire: Gregory of Nyssa's Ascetical Theology

Although the reception of the Eastern Father Gregory of Nyssa has varied over the centuries, the past few decades have witnessed a profound awakening of interest in his thought. The Body and Desire sets out to retrieve the full range of Gregory's thinking on the challenges of the ascetic life b...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Cadenhead, Raphael A (Author)
Format: Electronic Book
Language:English
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Published: Berkeley University of Californiarnia Press 2018
In:Year: 2018
Series/Journal:Christianity in Late Antiquity Ser v.4
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Gregory of Nyssa 335-394 / Asceticism / Sexual identity
B Gregory of Nyssa 335-394 / Asceticism
IxTheo Classification:FA Theology
Further subjects:B Electronic books
B Thesis
B Gregory,-of Nyssa, Saint,-approximately 335-approximately 394
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
Print version: Cadenhead, Raphael A: The Body and Desire : Gregory of Nyssa's Ascetical Theology. - Berkeley : University of California Press,c2018. - 9780520297968
Description
Summary:Although the reception of the Eastern Father Gregory of Nyssa has varied over the centuries, the past few decades have witnessed a profound awakening of interest in his thought. The Body and Desire sets out to retrieve the full range of Gregory's thinking on the challenges of the ascetic life by examining within the context of his theological commitments his evolving attitudes on what we now call gender, sex, and sexuality. Exploring Gregory's understanding of the importance of bodily and spiritual maturation for the practices of contemplation and virtue, Raphael A. Cadenhead recovers the vital relevance of this vision of transformation for contemporary ethical discourse
Intro -- Imprint -- Subvention -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Setting the Scene -- The Structure of the Study -- Resisting the Charge of Anachronism: Semantic and Terminological Clarifications -- The Renaissance of Scholarly Interest in Gregory of Nyssa: From Obscurity to Approbation to Eisegesis -- Prelude -- Christianity after Constantine's Conversion -- The Burgeoning Monastic Movement -- The Asceticism of Gregory's Family -- Conclusion -- Part One. The Early Phase, 371-September 378: The Integrative Significance of the Body in the Life of Virtue -- 1. Marriage, Celibacy, and Pederasty -- Marriage and Celibacy -- Pederasty and Celibacy -- Conclusion -- 2. The Integration of the Virtues -- Sexual Lust in the De virginitate -- The Reciprocity of the Virtues -- The Proliferation of Vice and the Example of Gluttony -- 3. Gregory's Emerging Theory of Desire -- Erotic Desire -- The Criterion of Need -- The Passions -- Moderation -- Satiety versus Fulfillment -- The Moral Evocations of Male and Female Characteristics -- Conclusion -- Part Two. The Middle Phase, September 378-387: The Ascetical and Eschatological Mixture of Male and Female -- 4. A Worldly Life of Desire: Marriage, Children, Money, and Sex -- The Problems of Marriage -- Physical Fecundity -- The Particular Challenges of Sexual Vice -- The Moral Evocations of Male and Female Characteristics -- 5. The Death of Siblings -- "No Longer Male and Female . . . in Christ Jesus" -- Sexual Morphology: Anthropological and Eschatological Perspectives -- Refinements in Gregory's Theory of Desire -- 6. Doctrinal Controversies: Christological and Trinitarian -- The Diachronic Unfolding of the Spiritual Life: Christological Reflections -- Gregory's Doctrine of God: Intra-Trinitarian Relationships and the Ascetic Life -- Conclusion.
Part Three. The Late Phase, 387-394: Erotic Intimacy with Christ and the Maturation of Desire -- 7. Spiritual Maturation: Virginity and the Narrative of Progress -- Recasting Virginity -- The Diachronic Train of Moral and Spiritual Progress -- 8. Male and Female: Diachronic Exchanges -- Male and Female in the Late Period -- Intimacy with Christ -- Conclusion -- Conclusion -- Overview -- The Challenges Posed to Contemporary Ethical Discourse -- Appendix -- Abbreviations -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index
Item Description:Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources
ISBN:0520970101