Presence and Thought - Essay on Religious Philosophy of Gregory of Nyssa 0898705215

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HANS URS VON BALTHASAR

Presence and Thought Essay on the Religious Philosophy of Gregory of Nyssa Translated by Mark Sebanc

A COMMUNIO BOOK

IGNATIUS PRESS SAN FRANCISCO

Tick f the f rcnch uri�inal: rrfj(tl[e et pi:mc:e EHtii rnr I,, phifosvphie rd igiewe tit: Crc:gvin: de Nysse © 1988 Ut:Juchcsnc EJiccur, P;iris

Cover by Roxanne Mei Lum © 1995 Ignatius Pn:ss, San Francisco All rights resc:rvcd lSBN 0-89870-521-5 Library of Congress catalogue number 94-79302 Printed in the United Scates of Amc:rica

Foreword .. ... .......... ........ . . ..... ......... 9 lncroJuccion .................................... 15 PART ONE

The.! Philosophy of llccon1ing and Desire 1. 2.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The Concc:pt of Spacing .................. ....... 27 Bcco1ning and the: lnunancnt Infinite ................ 37 Spirit and Maccer .............................. 47 Rc:al Hecon1ing ...... ... . ............ ....... . .. 57 Ideal Bccon1ing ................................ 65 The: Solucion co the Anchropological P,roblc1n .......... 71 Desire· and Knowledge ........................... 89 The Twofold Mystical Paradox ..................... 97 PART TWO

The Philosophy of In1age 1. The 2.

Definition of Nature ....................... 111 Monad,. Mirror, and Window .... ............ .. ... 121 PART THREE

The Philosophy of Love Hu1nan Nature and lncarnacion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 2. Transposition of Bccorning . . - . . . . . . . . . . ,. . . . . . . . . 153 3. Transposition of the lrr1age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163 I.

Conclusion ... .. .. . .... ... . . ... . ............ . . . 171 Final Note .................................... 18-1 Bibliography . .......... ........................ 18 3 Bibliographical Nocc ... ........ .................. I 89

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If �11 thing!- were within our gr:1sp,

the higher power would not be bcyo11cl us.

- Gregory of Nyssa

FORE WO RI)

The situation of the theologian in today's world is strangely para­ doxical. In cenns of vocation, he is devoted to a study of the past, wlu:re God has n1anifescc:J hin1sdt: Even beyond chis study of the past, ·chough, he is a nun devoted to a concc1nplacion of ,he Eter­ nal. Bue by the very fact of his cxisccncc, ht: is inuncrscJ in a world that is teetering 011 ics foundations and sce111s ready to collapse. Very much absorbed as he may be by prayer anJ his profossional research, if he: has cakc=n any trouble at all to look around hinl and to rise high r:nough above: the fray to st:�k to understand what is happening, he cannot but chink chat he bdongs co an "epoch.,, as Peguy saiJ, not to a "period,.. I-le belongs co an epoch where the established on.Jee, to all outward appcaranc�s still solid, is in reality sapped frona within, • Vi,. Mi>ys. l . l 1 7 ll. GoJ is caUcJ "He who Is" because he docs no, have a aume d\a, coulJ dcsign;AlC his essence (C. Eum.>1n . 1 1 ; I I , 87) A) . u In Gant. I 1; I, 1009 C. C( C. Eunom. U; J I , 916 /\: .. He comes ,o 11Af!1) . 43 Therefore we understand why Gregory does not need H

'1

1 2: 3

" 'Ousi:::11' i$ seen by me:::11ns of movement toward that which is irresistible" (C. Eunm".

fl.

• ,,,

1040

C).

Canf. 1 1 : 1.

n. w� sh:::all he ex:::amining the nodon ofpt1rmui12 much more clo-:dy

roo,

in our study of Ori�n.

comm. nc,t. II. 177 D. ' Quod non 1it1 t lrt$ ,Iii fl, I J J C.

39 �

41 C. E•'""'"· 7; II. 761 8-D. 0 tbid .• 764 AB. 0

Dr l1rt11. �; I , 1 26fl

C.

I NT R O D U C T I O N

23

go beyond being in order to :iffirm God. God is u1ttQ nficrnv q,uot.v xako-0 navroc; E1tEX£tV(L .... H e is U1tE Q to &ya06v. Since, for Gregory. " God" denotes the attribute of universal Providence (OEoc;, from the verb 0Eciu0ctt) , 4� God is even "above God". 4 (• Dut to say that God is above Being would n1 akc no sense. since Being is that Great Beyond . It is he we touch by all that we posit and all our negations. "7 He is the "underlying agent" (tJrroxdfLEvov) who cannot be designated in any other way than by dvat. ◄R We shall sc� farther on how this dv C. 1:,mom. 1 2: II, ro36 C-1037 A. 4 In $Uam orJin. Ill, 552 B. 5 C. E1mott1. 1 2: If. 9.52 C: cf. 989 D. ' ,,. PJ. I, 7; [. 462 b. 1 lt1 F.LC,(f. I : I, 614 C. " Vit. M"ys. I. JJ3 t\B. -> Ibid. I. 381 Il; In Ps. 2, l4: I. 586 D: In PJ. 0 • fo &tlt1 . .s: I. 681 C; 7; l. 12s B. 2

1 1 ln P1. I . R : [, 479 /\0.

27

2.

1;

II. JJJ CD: C. Eunom_ 8; If. 791 CD-

1 5; J. 59 1 C.

T U I! P H I L O S O l' ll Y O f IH; C O M I N G A N D D E S I U E

28

sdf from hin1 by this sdf..sa1ne referential rdatiouship: " l e is precisely through its co1nparison and union w ith the Creator that it is ocher than hi1n." 12 This abyss that scpar:iccs the two f�nns of being is chc fact of creation, which in and of itself surrounds that which is crcaccJ with a n1agic circle, which it will never escape. There is no stratagc1n by which the creacun: will ever understand its own origins. u • ·The question of knowing how each thing ca1nc co be rc:: 1nains con1plccdy excluded frorn the ..o � xtimc; ecing C. Eimi>m . 9; II. g20 C. fo &cits. 7; I, 729 ll. n C. Eimi>m. l ; 11, J6S C. 2• Ibid., 365 U. :u � ,m. ti rc-s. 111. q l A . u C. Emunn. 1 ; II. J6S 8. n fo J.ex.Jttn. I. 8.f D; ct: 8 1 0.

21

22

JO

T H E P H I L O S O P H Y 0 1: D E C O M I N G A N D D E S I R E

which God created in the beginning: X'-VQT]Jta 6Exux&v i:cI>v YLVOJtEVUJV nQoxataPoAAOJiEVO�, 29 and which is "tin1c and place• • . 29 It is evident that what is at stake here is only a logical preexistence. since tin1e could not exist either before it sci f or before ;1 11y bci ng. 30 Gregory. moreover. explain� hin1sel f clea rly. I f God created "in the beginning· • (�v &gxfi) , this mc:ins that he cre ated everyth ing at once, in a rno­ rnent that precedes the poss ibil i ty of spacing. 3 1 But si nce the l imit of our intclli ence is in__ v€iy t ruth s aci ng, this indivis­ our bein_g ___ ___and :-__ __g______ ___,r--�F------..,---ible (&xagi,;) moment is for us incornprc h ensib)e. Therefore M oses expresses it by way of the darkr1ess th at reign s over the abyss. 32 For our lirnited intelligence. the simultaneity of crea tion is construed in two ways. First, when we position ourselves in God, we say that all times are present to his eternity, which is an endless presence. 33 and that his Prov idence encompasses al l times in one sol itary gaze.,,. And, second, when we position ourselves from the point of v iew of the world, we say that God created everything in the very first 1non1ent. without adding anything to bis handiwork later on. 35 The t i n1e that is unfolded is lin1ited, or, b�ttcr still, it is the very l imit of rnate­ rial being. There is no such thing as undefined tirne because there is no such t 1ng as un e med n1aterial being. 3� The notion of tinae 1s construe rather, it is quite: c:ntird y bc:con1ing. The idea of chan �c thac COlllt:S into play hc:re is therefore subjacent co all its being: Since it possesses the beginning (aexl\) of its being by way of change, it is impossi• ble chat it should not be entirely variable (tQEJt't�) _n:> For the 1na­ tc:rial creature, this perseverance in change is precisely tinu:. for the spiritual being. on the ocher hand, it is participation in the cause of being not only insofar as it is source but also insofar as it is c:nd. Since its existence: is, so to speak, a continuous effort to 1naintain itsdf in being, its perfection consists of a perpt!tual effort coward God. This effort is the spiritual parcicipacio11 in God: " Creacion stands wi�hin the rc:aln1 of the beautiful only through a participation in lhat which is the best. It has not begun merely at one: point or another to exist. but at every mo1nenc ic is perceived to be in its b�ginning stages on account of its perpc::rual growth toward that which is the 0

1 1

De 1141,,._ up. 16;

l,

1�4

C.

U, 21l D. > uitrl, . 21; II. S7 O; cf. ll; 11, 40 All: .. l·bvin� begun 10 e)ciu directly u a resul, of chingc:. i, always goes forward by mc�ns of ahcr.ltion." Cateth. 6�

17

38

T I i i! P H I L O S O P H Y O F B E C O M I N G t\ N O D E S I R E

bcst.'' 4 It follows from this that, just as the finitude of material be­ ing engenders a certain eternity of cnunation, albeit in the horizontal scheme of the quantitative and of nun1bcr, similarly the finitude of spiritual being, which by its participation in God as source and as end constitutes itself in a n;1ture that is opposed to God, engenders an as­ piration that is even 1nore appropriately infinite, :t vertical ascent that is limitless: "Never will the soul reach its final perfection, for i t will tJcvcr encounter a lin1it, . . . it wilt always be transforn1ecl into a better thing."' The reason for this infinite becoming is the very infinity of the source, which the creature seeks to be reunited with: 1 1 Sincc the First Good is infinite in its nature, cornmunion with it on the part of the one whose thirst is quenched by it will have to be infinite as well, capable of being enlarged forever." 6 Thus, there are two forms of becoming, the two of them together yielding the total formul� for the analogy of being. One of these two is the horizontal rnovement of created being. which is to say. its foundation of nothingness, which sep:i rates it eternally from God, inasmuch as ptire potenti�lity (tin1e) is in itself xevc.o11a xal ou6Ev (emptiness and nothingness] . 7 The other expresses th"e ascending n1ovement of becoming, 8 which is the i nnate idea and desire for God in the creature. 9 We shall be obliged to show farther on in this essay in what way these two ast,ects are linked and inseparable in all of created being. Let it suffice at this point merely to have adverted to this fact. At this point we rnust exa,nine mor� closely_ the specific character of these two forms of becoming, and particularly that of material becorning, whose ih1n1anent infinity has not yet been clear1y revealed to us. We had even, in a contrary sense, identified time and limit. But if it is true in a general and abstract fashion that rnaterial being is the rnovement between a beginning and :in end, both of which tr:inscend • C. E1mo,n. 8 ; T l , 797 /\. , C. Ewtom . r ; IT, 340 D. 8 Ibid. 1 7,, hrx11lm. I. Ro C. 11 Cf. Erich Pn:yw:ar:a. /\ rtc;} . And, by a pe rpetual transition toward the opposite, it t:ikes its rest in a series of pairs. ' ' .

.

And not only that which is alive but rather the whole world also is conceived according to this law. " Divine artistry was capable, by way of rest and n1ove1nent, of giving becoming to nonexistent things and continuity to beings : ' 12 "Stabilitf ' is given to the earth. and ' 'tnove ,. ment" is given to the heavens > so that creation may find i tself n1ov­ in g betwee n the extremes (11na�u u,,v EvnvtlUJv x-dutc_;) . On all sides 10

The Greek tc:4 But he�c is what is rno�t characteristic: the "spiritual" crc:u ion of hu,nlnity is first, n noc only jn the: account of Moses, but bcciusc, of necessity, that which is more spiritual precedes that whid1 is more n1ateriaL "'a llut tlus anteriority of spiritual creation can be: cfh While hum�n h yposwe, arc distinguished numerically (xcna tru\'Oeow h l lt l T A N U M A TT E H

53

fectc L,:l,rc il(s M . G,cgrJr vuu NyH" [Wunburg, 1 1i8!>), 1 j, o. 1) in 01,po­ sitiou to H1yd (preface: to the translation of Gregory of Nysu. llibliod1ck dee Kirchcnv:i lcr 1 87, (Munich, 1880J 1 : .5 1 lI) On.ly Kr.unpf inccrpret:i the first crc::uion ;as a purely . . iJc..r crc:�uion (is Jo Moeller :inJ Hilt; •·,he: M�Qw.,u • . . ii mcrclY. ;a univcn.al concept''. 17- J 8; J. U. Aufb.-uscr, o;c fl,ilsltlirc Jes l,I. c,�gur .,"" Nyssa (Munich, 19101, -f6) inJ likens ic• .is do most interpreters, co .i Pfatonic .. idea•• (cf Aulllauser, 6.l. Jnd Slomkow:i.ki: L'Etal primitij. de l'lumonc J,ms la m,Jitil)n Je l'Eglise avant saint Augabti,, (193111, rn6-8) l'I De l11m,. 11p . 16; 1, 18 S BC. The idea th�t underlies this conc.:cplion of universal bcinl) is die Scoic iJc.a of the "'whole.. (xo06>.ov) consritu,cd by its concrete puts. Thac whic.:h is univcrul is lhc worlJ itself ind ii not ;i rcaJir:y distinct from ,he world. Let us aJ\lcn to Mucus hurclius: ..All p:iniculu beings arc in ,heir substance like a fig from a fig tree" (X, 17) , "just :lS du: uacurc of d1c leaf is a p.&n of the iuture of the plane" (VIII, 7). "This boJy char: is so great is perfected by means of all bodies" (V. 8). The whole thing i$ d1us very much • mulr: "The world, which is m;iJc up of all things, is int.feed one" (d-'; i� ciJui�wv: VU, 9). But all this· is not, for all thac, a mere .:1ccumulacion of juxuposcd p:lr�s. The: con«:rctc toc:ilicy is a true co1alicy chat is organic anJ vic.il, which by the immanence i•� its puu renders these puts simibr and connected among chemsdvcs (otxdwc; ixti: IX. 1). ''No pan, ic may be said, is a s_tr.mgcr co the od,crs, for ;a.II of them have been ordered togcd1c:r .ind contribute: together to ,he gooJ orJcr of the whole: worlJ .. (Vil, 9). "All of t.hcm ;ace linked one with the other, and ,11 of chem, for this reason, arc on friendly tcnn.s with one :mo.cher" (VI, Jl:I). Ei1.ch being, in rcl,tion co the athc:r, is OJ,L0q1VJ..o..oyollitJ . II, 1 1 56 Ali. 1 • De btiJI. 8 ; I . 1 292 A-D. av lbiJ. 34

>0 lbiJ.

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ll

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1292 6.

1.257.

I D l: A l. B E C O M I N G

69

From all this it du:m.; I, ull B. Vil. M(JyJ. I, HJ C.

S O L U T 1 0 N T O T H E A N 1' H H O P O L O G l CA L l' H O ll L E M

77

resides herein: nanrdy, in tht! reciprocity between ouVEXELV ( lcac..l ing) and avext:oOat ( being lcJ) . Let us now advert to the following ccxc. w here Gregory d�vatc:s this reciprocity to the high level of a cosmic lavv: Since: the Div ine is the suprcrnc beauty and the highest of goods, toward which anything thac Jc:si rcs the beautiful is inclinc:d, for chis reason we:. say chat spirit [ vouc;) , formc:d in the image of clu: highc:a beauty, remains, itself, wi thin du: beautiful for as long as ic participates, insofar as it is capable of this parcicipac ion, in a likeness co che archetype, but thac ic finds icsd f deprived of beauty the moment i t lc:aves the domain ofl,eaucy in any way. Spirit, according to us. is adorned with beauty through its likeness to the: prototype, like a n1irror that bears on il the: form of the reflec ted object. -L ikewise it seems co us chat nacure, org.mizc:d anJ ad­ rninistc;red as it is by the spirit, is suspended from tht spirit aml is itsc:lf also adorned by this beauty that is near neighbor to it. And it seems to us that in chis way it becomcs the mirror of a mirror. Finally the material base from which namre breaks free is, in i ts turn. dom.inated anJ hdd togetha by i t. As long, therefore:, as the one remains suspended from the ocher, participati on in true beauty is communicacc:d analo.gically across all the degrees, since chc superior degree rc anq. also perseverance in being'\75 and, without this 81:ia buvuµa.� (di. vine power) , niattcr would ren1ain eternally inert. 7� The best i1nagc of this in11nanc:nce is that of the soul in the body. For just as the soul shows her superiority over n1atter precisely by her power co touch ic. not 1ncrdy on che surface, but in all its rii Tl1VlOV), of the "'punislimenl th:u l:a�ts :an :age" (xolamc; nlfiM�) . Hilt brings to our :tttention with good reason the very special me:aning of the terms alcov (aeon or :age) :md alci1V\ov (bsting :1n age) in Gregory's work. for. oppmitc :as they are to &U>lov (eterml) , they refer preci�dy to a detennined :and co111rlctc-cl bpse of time. Gregory, moreover. ,pc:ik� cv�n of the redemption of the devils (fo Otri1ti murr. I ; 111. 009 CD, 610 A: Or. cat. 26; l l. 68 D) . Ancl let us not forget tl1:1.t. :1ccording to Grc-gory Nuiam:en (Or. 27, 10; M. ;6, 1.5 A) "resurrection·• (ovcio 11

lb1J., llC: ''The y chink 1hu d,c y hold �w"J y chrou�h chc infi:rcm:ci cJ1t:y Jcvise." AnJ supra, n. 1 7 . 22 Ibid. , 9 1 6 A. " lbid., IOI J A. l♦ lbiJ. , 972 co. " "The: one who is comenciously cager ,o J.--..w chis very m;ancr imo the n sharp-sigh t ed :1 � to sec d i!'; ti nct1y wh :at is invi !l ible or so utterly incap.-ible of m:aking :a c l oie appro:ich t o it :t!. not to he :1hlc to gr.i�p 2 likcne�t; of wlut i!I being sought'' (C. Eurtom. 1 2; 11, 9s6 0) . '" !rt Ca,,t. s: I, 86n A. 15 lbi) , we must go forward (nQooo,) . 36 , .. If anyone wishes to w�lk behind me. , says Christ. I-le docs not say, "before me ... Similarly he hid5 the man who wished to acquire eternal li fe: ••come. follow me." But he who follows sees his back. Thus Moses, who burned to sec the face of God, learns how one secs God: to fol low God wherever he leads, this. indeed, is what it tncans to sec God . . . . H� who follows cannot leave the right path, inasmuch as he sees the back of his guide. On the other h;m d, whoever makes his way along the side of the road or puts himself in a position that faces his guide devises a route to his own liking, not the one indicated by his guide. That is why God says to the person who follows him: You will not see my face. Tiy this he means to say: Do not oppose yourse lf (It� &vtt.1tQ60 sadness ought to grow in us. on account of chc fact that this Good is so itnnu:nse . . . . "◄ d It is true that what Gregory has in viC!w in the passage cited is above all "the present life". •9 But the rea� sons he enun1erates are quite as valid foF the future life. Even if chis eternal desire is the highest joy to which a crea�ur.e can have access. is there not sonu:thing in this metaphysics of be• s • It is a strange thing. We are dissatisfied with this rnetaphysics that erects into an absolute that part of us that is 1nore · radical: na1ndy, dissatisfaction. However. this n1etaphysics is merely the result of a rigorous analysis that has been conducted precisdy on th� ontological conscicution of chc: creature: diascema. time, becorn­ in q,;indefin.ite progress. Or does the fault, indeed, lie i�1· that rigorous •• D< lmH. ); I, I us CD. (Sec the whole � .i�sagc.} The: German ldc:alisti will resume: chis theme, but on a more sombre note, construing the salcn1 of the i1nagc!) What then is chis i,nagc? le is, Gregory cdls us, participation in all the goods of divini cy.7 i n that infinity which is the lot of the spirit. In the first place� it is Spirit and Reason (Nouc; xui J\oyo; l, 117 C.; c( In Ps. 6; 1, 451 C: ''And it ,omc:s to be .&Jmim:J co die highest of mysteries anJ surveys the n.acurc of all d1ings that be:." 11 In Pi. 4 ; I, ....6 UC . 12 " S o chat nothing bcauriful is superimposed on us from outside. R;uhcr it is in us-which is whac we desire ,o be the case." 11 Ck /,om. op. 16; I . 185 C. 1 • Or. dum. 2; "'With a view co .i cc:rc.in co1m;1cur.&lic y with tJ1c narurc that � 5u pcrior to ic . . . ": I, 1 1 37 ll. D, bt,11. 7; ''l-lc Jocs noc p romise an y umcnc�s uf worth throu �h connaturJ.h ry ": I , 1 280 D. D, ,. m. tt m.: "uniced wich lh�, which is kin to it . . . ": Ill, 8 9 li. er. 0,. '"'· s; 11, � l . � i,!f,m,ibus III, 17J D - , 76 A.

I 14

T H E P t l l l, O S O fJ H Y O F I M A G E

by the Platonic structure of "particip;ition" is increased by the Stoic contribution of kinship with the div ine nature, on the one hand, ,s and by the contribution of the gospel on the other hand. 1 6 I n this sense, Gregory I imits the idea of rnan as a "rnicrocosn1" to the hurnan body ;1}onc, 17 in order to procl:tim it, in its totality, as a likeness, not of the world, which w;as created. like he was, but of God. '" This parallel is 5ignificant, for it shows that, just as the .. ,nicrocosn1'' n1oves in the world ;1.s if in its natural rnilicu, the spirit waxes strong in the rnilieu that is proper to it, the divine milieu: "Just as, in irrational nature, each animal that lives in water or in air is constituted according to the dcn1ands of its kind of life . . . , sin1ilarly man, destined to enjoy divine goods, had to receive in his very nature a kinship with that in which he was bound to participatc.'' 1 CJ Plotinus' fan1ous image of the '' heliomorphic'' eye 20 is taken up by Gregory. The eye attracts light by the active brightness of its nature (6u:i 'tfi� �y,9J (r.lx1iJv-1yi. I, ]77 /\. > fo C""'· .i; I. tso4 Ail .

J.

4

$

Ibid. 12; I, 1ol9 C.

Ibid.

11;

I , 99 J D.

121

T I I J! P H T l, 0 S O P H Y O F I M A G E

( 22

depths [f.aut�v &xQt�(uc; dbouoaJ , such as she is in her very nature, and she conternp1atcs the archctyr,e in her own beauty as in a mirror ;1nd in in1:1ge."� This would therefore be, as Gregory affirn,s in cer­ tain p:isc;ages , fin�t :1nd forcrno�t th:1t re flexive foculty that would ex- · press the divine in1:1ge, 7 or, what an1ounts to the same thing, it would be that independent frcedon1 that is possession of 5elf (ci6eonoi:ov x.al atrtE�o{1otov . . . autOXQCttlxwc;) . R , . For virtue is a sovereign and volun­ ,, ta ry thing: constraint and violence cannot be virtuous. 9 . . The Cre­ ator who tnade n1an in his i.n:.ge deposited the 5eeds of all the virtues in the nature of the being tlrnt he rnolded. so tha.t there is no need for any good to be instilled fron1 outside; rather he tnadc it so that all that we desire should be within our reach (l rp ' 11,atv] . . . , and there is no other means of achieving what we desire than that of bestowing the good on ourselves:• 1° Thus tile interior world see1ns in some w:ty to he closed i n on itself: like a windowless monad. To this perspective there is adclcd the eschatology given to us by De auima et res,,rrectione. It is the eschatology of an interior sanctuary, 1 1 where the spirit u1�avcs desire behind" and reache� that �tage I Cwhere there is no longer place for hope and rerr1ernbrance. Everything the soul hoped for, she presently possesses, and, occupied fully. therefore, in the enjoyment of every good, she exc_l udes rc111cn1brance from her , spirit. • 12 But this rcstful repose is not the soul's solitary withdrawal into herself. It is nothing less than her -highest possible assimilation to God: ccBy the purity she has acquired, the soul enters into a close relationship with God, with her own proper rnilieu [i: olxdcp] , as it were. She no ]onger needs, then, the movement of desire that guides us toward the beautiful. It is true: the one who lives in the sh;idows llas a longing for the light, whereas for the one wJ10 is already enter­ ing into the dearness of light. joy follows on desire." 1 3 In this perfect :issin1ilation to God, who, to be sure. "does not know desire. because no good is lacking to hi,n. the soul also. in coming to be without 4

Dt t1tt. tt rti. Ill. 89 C. lbicl .• S7 TI. " D, Imm. op. 4; I, qti (cf. 9 Dt 1,o,H. c,p. 16; I. 1 84 B. 7

nc

s;

O, vi,x. 12: Ill. 369 CO).

I, USJ 0-ns6 /\. De b,111. Cf. Or. dom. J; I. 1 1 49 CD. 12 0t dn. tf ru. III. 9J B. u tbiEEi], will be obliged to leave behind the tnovcrncnt of de• sire antlvoOv OOS therein were distinct enough to b� united and to render lov� possible? Does not the soul in this case: lovl!, unconsciously perhaps, her own v irtue!, her own bc:auty? In chis chapter Wt! have set aside: Christianity in its historical guist. We havt: rc::1nained in the n:aln1 of a nlystical morality. Will this n1orahty free us definitively frorn the spc:cter of "solipsisn1" , or, if you will, up�nchcis1n''? Js the icpun: mirror" truly ,, a "w indow ? We fint fum,,, 111, 2�0 A); ·• . . . so ,ha, through him lu: H Y O F LOV E

c;1rth . 62 he is even so . in spite of this, by the n1anner of his corning, really the first man: u Thcre arc three generations by which hurnan n�turc finds itself vivified. The first is according to the body, the sec­ ond according to the mystery or regeneration , and lastly, the third, according to the resurrection of the dead for which we hope. And, in terms of all three, Christ i s the first-born.tt 6> I n tenns of the first generation , he is such by his virginal birth; in terms of the second, by his baptisrn in the Jordan f 'he hin1sclf introduced this kind of birth (i:oxo�l by his own baptism, in drawing down the I-Joly Spirit over the water" ) , 1,4 in tcrn,s of the third, by his Rcs.urrection. The narne ng(utotoltot�avOQmni.a. love of n1en. 76 It joins \

together in a syrnbolic way those two unique mornents in the econ• on1y of salvation. Through Christ we arc urcgcneratcd to our ancient rnake-up" •77 "we return to our true honteland, the hc3venly Jeru­ sa 1crn.,. .,JJ This replacen1ent of " Nature" by Christ find� a n1oving expression in the sern1ons on the poor . The first great cause for ,ncrcy is in fact our cotnn1on ria'ture. Do not consider all goods as belonging to you personal ly. Let a portion be given to the destitute and to the friends of God! Everything belon gs to Goel. our common Father. /\s fin u�. we arc brothers because we uc

" ,,. Ca,rt. r ,t: r. ro!h C. Ibid. I s: t. 1091 c. 75 0 s r ) .

156

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going uc.:youJ the things in which we arc si tualcd becomes an cnccring into tht: goods that surpass us. lt as chu:j that tht: soul goes forth, led by lhe Word who says: " I am the: G�tr it, as the Sourcl! him�df explains in du: Gospd: If anyone: is chirsty. let hin1 con1c co me and drink. And in chis way che Wdlspring allows no end cidil!r to thirst or . . . co the desire co drjnk. Th,: inexorable rule c::tcrnalizt:s the invitacion to as ,o bring about her macuration Lnto spiritual puberty (111 C.wt. 1 ; I, 78" C). Thus, chc: c:xdnguishing of nacuril pa:.i.ion is noc produced by violence but by ,m c:xcc:s:. of that wliich is spiritual (0,. J",n · J; I, , 1 57 A) . Sensuality can Jisappcar. "w� no longer have ,he nc:ccJ co l>c: lc:.J toward chc: bc;m ,iful" (Dt a11. et rts. Ill, 89 C). There is in fact a moment when che soul is weary of :;c:cing only through symbols (I,, C.uu. 5 ; 880 Ail) , when she is no loug�r comc:m with the ''milk" of docuinc: cha< is full of H

T U t\ N S P O S I T I O N O t: B E C O M I N G

161

But is dais inabilicy not therefore irnputa blc co God? No, for GoJ, who scculcd co be · " hopeless bcaucy·•, 10 avtA.nLutov > 6mgottxti>) of the soul. And in virtue of its c:1p:1city to receive the imprint of the Dove, the purified r.yc is rendered opablc of also seeing the bc:rnty of the Bridegroom . h is only now th:tt the youn g girl fixc� her g:11.c on ( 63

164

T H li P 1 1 1 L O S O P ll Y O 1: l. 0 V l:

the form uf lhc Bridegroom . . . . lndccJ. nobody can say .. Loni Jc:sus"

cxccpc in the l-loly Spirit. 1

Ycc again, the 1nystcry of the l1-upuv1-:1u as both •· irnpn:ssion•• and "cx­ , prcssjou. is rc:pcatcJ. For chc Holy Spirit. the "perfect nourislunent of our nature", 2 c11tt=rs into our nature-such as Saine I rcnacus con­ ceivt:d ic-as a condition of internal inccgrity: '"Once again the Spirit rninglcs [>

( with hi1n) :> le is a pcrfrcdy n1ucual inclusion: " He who is in thl! Father is ev idently in hirn with all tl1at he possesses tn the way of be­ ing, anJ he who h_as .the: Father in hi1n i ndudcs in hin1sclf the totality of du: fachc r's power." 10 This is what is 111eanc by the tcnn, "unity of nature:. . . With respet.:t to eve r y ochc:r quality, which is 111crdy an attribute of nature (buOEwQEituL) , there can bt: unity between GoJ and creature. ily an assicnilacion to the divine will, the; creature: bc­ corncs one with hi1n (ev n:Qoc; 10v Oa;6v) . Bue there will never be unity of nature, coincidc:nce ( tv niioL uxut6) . The lacct:r is possible: only if a ' 'natural., unity precedes (1tQ OOAo�ouo11uotxi}c; m.,vaq>Eia�) " ' fret:"' unity (-c11v xuui nQOULQEOLV evou1-ca) . 1 1 Not through a ten1poral pri­ ority, for, fron1 a ccuain point of view , . . fn:e" un.icy anti "natural" unity coincide co1nplecdy. J usc as , in the: case of the eye , "sc=cin�" and " wishing co sec" are si1nply one, so is genc:ration in Gou. The two things art tQ6nov 'tLVCt 1-'Ei: 1 o.lli}lwv. " Natural accivicy acco1npanics free activity .. . anility is mc:rdy the expression of God's perfect spirituality. The Jitlcrcncc: bc­ twcc:n persons is in no way synthetic (aouvOno�) , u but ic is pcrfccdy analytic (&yeVVT)OL\l . • • Movoyevou� aitn6n1c; yfvvt}"tWi 01JVEJtLvo1;ttcu) . 1 • This is an incxpn:ssible Jifftrcnce "such as accords with the n1ajcst y • is

Ibid. 3; II . S94 D. l lbiJ. 2 ; 11 , sq A. " lbiJ. 1 2 ; I l. 9 8 4 I\. 'I Ibid. 1 ; II . 3 6 1 CD. ,u ll>iJ. 2 ; 11. ,1 is s D. II ll>iJ. 1; 11 , ,tOj AU. 12 Jbii.l. 1:1 ; ll, 77S Cl)-77tl A. u lbiJ. 1 ; 11, 3J6 A. 1 4 lbiJ. J6'J C. 6

1 66

T I I E Pl l l lO S O P I I Y O f LOV E

of nature• · . ts This difference radically excludes that which fi.lnns tile founcl:ation of alt distinct ions in the world: spacing. God is &01.a0tcirm; 1tr:Qtt611evov. 16 I n this way, aga i n , any of n:iture's closed characteristics th�t would prevent knowledge of sel f fron, being in1n1ccliatcly (not.. a-,1m�) and power {ouval-'u;) : '"There is a coincidence: betwc�n will and pow�r. and the measurn Nyssa Leben 1md l\tfeimmgen. Leipzig,

.

Slornkowski, A. L'Etat JJrimitif de l 'lromme dans Id traditioti de 1 '£.ffise avant saiut A •��••stiu. 1 928.

Sra\.vley, J. H . .. Saint Gregory of Nyssa on the Sinlessness of Christ." Jourttal of T1teolo,{!ical Studies 7 ( 1 906) : 434--4 t . Stcph:inou, E. " L;i Coexistence initialc du corps et de l'an1e d ' a pres Saint Gregoire de Nyssc ct Saint Maxi n1c l'l-lornologcte .'' Eclro.� tl 'Orierrt J 5 ( 1 9 3 2) : 3 04- 1 5 . St igler, J . U. l)ie Ps)'claolo,�ie des l,l. Gre,gt,r ''"" Nyssa systcmntisclr dm;�c­ stcllt . Regensburg. 1 8 57 ( I 36 p.) Stighnayr , J. Makarius dcr Grosse und Gregor von Nyssa." TI1('fo._(!ie und Glau/Jr 2 ( 1 9 ro) . 0

Dic Sduift des hi. Gregor von Nyssa •Ober die Jungfr:iu• 1id1kcit' ." 7/t . f AJz . " · ,1tyfy5tik ( 1 927): 3 34 - 59 .

--- .

11

--- . /\l{�emeiPle Einleitrm.� zur ,le11L(idt('1t A u.wal,e der Scltrifir.n Grrgo,.s 1 1or1 Nys.M . Bihl; othek der K i rchcnvatcr, vol . 56. Munich: Kosel und Pustct . r 927.

O l (l f. T O G rt t\ P r t Y

187

Untcrstcin, K. Die 11e1tiirlicJie Gottesrrkemtf,ris nae/, dcr Lelire drr kc1p­ tJadozisr.l1e,r Kircl1e,wiltrr Ba.siUus, Grt:gor rmn Nazianz tmd Gr��or 110,1 Nyss(I. Straubing, 1 902- I 903 .

Vil lccourt, L. " La Grande lcttrc grccquc de Macairc." Rei,. clc / 'Orient cl,retien 22 ( 1 9 20 - 1 9 2 1 ) . Vinccnzi, A. Smrcti Cregorii Nysscn; rr Or(Rc,ris de a:trmitate ,,rr,1c1rwu in ,,ita fi,tura 01111,imoda amt clt�'?matc catlwUco corrrnrdid. 2 vol. Ro,nc, t R65. Vol lcrt, W. " H;1t Gregor von Nyss:1 die pauli nischc Eschatologie vcrandcrt?" 11,eol. Bfiltter. 1 93 5 , 1 06- 1 2 .

---. Die Le/ire Gregors vo,t Nyssa vom Cuter, rmd Bmpilcd by IJri,w Dali:y, SJ.

fo r works p ublished on Gregory of NyssJ before 1985. sec: l'vlargcr!!CC Alccnburgcr and Fric