La Vita di Macrina e le Omelie sul Cantico dei Cantici di Gregorio di Nissa

Augustinianum ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-83
Author(s):  
Roberta Franchi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Mystical Experience ◽  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Song Of Songs ◽  
Gregory Of Nyssa ◽  
Mystical Union

This article analyzes the Life of Macrina by comparing it with the mystical experience of the bride in the Commentary on the Song of Songs, both works written by Gregory of Nyssa. In the Life of Macrina, Gregory adopts the same imagery that he uses to portray the bride in the Commentary on the Song of Songs in order to emphasize Macrina’s angelic status and her pure love for God. Although scholars have pointed out the value of virginity in the life of Macrina, another aspect has to be taken into account: her spousal virginity. Since Gregory uses the paradox within theological reflection and a theological context, Macrina's condition as bride of Christ comes to be realized paradoxically through her choice of virginity. Thanks to her spousal virginity, she joins Christ as His bride. Thus, in keeping with the Commentary on the Song of Songs, Macrina is the bride, Christ is the Bridegroom, and the mystical union is reached.

The Workshop

2020 ◽  
pp. 205-232
Author(s):  
Morwenna Ludlow
Keyword(s):  
Song Of Songs ◽  
Gregory Of Nyssa

The first part of this chapter shows how Gregory of Nyssa construes his relationships with his teachers in textual terms: the things he writes are the proof both that he is a good student of his teacher, and that he is ready to graduate from their instruction. This same model is also found in his interpretation of the bride in the Song of Songs, who is depicted as a teacher (didaskalos) and a figure of Paul and the apostles. This suggests that one should see authors in a network, and as concerned with the production of things—namely texts. The second part of the chapter extends this to argue that one can see, for example, the Cappadocians, as functioning as a literary workshop. The ancient concept of workshop (ergasterion) is examined alongside the Cappadocians’ own use of the term, literally and figuratively.

scholarly journals POSITIVE DISINTEGRATION IN MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES: A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF MURIEL MAUFROY’S RUMI’S DAUGHTER

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-105
Author(s):  
Muhammad Imran ◽  
Muhammad Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Mystical Experience ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Psychological Study ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Mystical Union ◽  
Level Of Consciousness ◽  
Positive Disintegration ◽  
Theory Of Positive Disintegration ◽  
Psychological Models ◽  
Mystical Experiences

The relationship between psychology and mysticism has gained a great deal of currency over the years. Various psychological models have provided theoretical foundations allowing the researchers to grasp profound varieties and nuances in mystical experiences across cultures and religious traditions. This has, in fact, broadened the canvass for mystical studies. The current paper attempts to carry out a psychological analysis of mystical experience of a character (mystic) named Kimya in Muriel Maufroy’s novel “Rumi’s Daughter”. The study carries out an analysis of how the mystic’s experience of the Divine can be translated in terms of a psychological process of personality disintegration initiated by a conflict, deconstruction of preconceived notions and beliefs and ultimately leading towards secondary integration of personality. Kazimierz Dabrowski’s theory of positive disintegration is employed as a framework to analyse her spiritual encounter. Through a minute textual analysis of the novel, the research reveals certain parallels between the process of personality development and mystical experience. It confirms the contention that the culmination of mystical union underlies psychological wellbeing and serenity on the part of mystic. The study also shows that mystics are those rare individuals who are capable of reaching the final level of personality development characterised by self-autonomy and higher level of consciousness.

scholarly journals Eros and Distance: Transformation of Desire in St Gregory of Nyssa*

2021 ◽  
pp. 101-121
Author(s):  
Vladimir Cvetkovic
Keyword(s):  
Song Of Songs ◽  
Distance Transformation ◽  
Gregory Of Nyssa ◽  
Temporal Interval ◽  
Inherent Characteristic ◽  
Middle Period ◽  
Good And Evil ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Second Coming

The paper aims to analyze the relation between the notion of love or desire (eros) for God, and the notion of distance (diastema) between God and the created beings in the works of St Gregory of Nyssa. These two notions are interrelated on different levels, because distance that separates God from the created beings is traversed out of desire for God of the latter. First, the distance as temporal interval will be investigated, which separates the present day from the Second Coming of Christ, which is elaborated by Gregory in his early work On Virginity. The focus will then be shifted to the distance between good and evil, that Gregory explicates in the works of his middle period such as On the making of man, Against Eunomius III and The Great Catechetical Oration. Finally, the distance as an inherent characteristic of created nature that never disappears will be analyzed by focusing on Gregory’s later works, such as Homilies on the Song of Songs, On perfection and The Life of Moses.

scholarly journals Union with the transcendent God in Philo and John’s Gospel

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter G.R. De Villiers
Keyword(s):  
New Testament ◽  
Mystical Experience ◽  
Human Relationship ◽  
Divine Presence ◽  
Genetic Link ◽  
Mystical Union ◽  
Contemporary Research ◽  
Divine Transcendence ◽  
Mystical Experiences ◽  
John's Gospel

This article analyses the experience of divine presence within an intimate divine-human relationship, as conceptualised in Philo’s writings, and compares this experience with mystical passages in John’s Gospel. The article explains their understanding of God and how the union with a transcendent God is mediated. The article investigates this union in terms of an underlying mystical pattern that existed in the 1st century CE. The pattern explains similarities of Philo’s works with John’s Gospel that indicates the former’s mystical nature. Special attention is given to Philo’s accounts because his own mystical experiences and views are relatively unknown in New Testament scholarship, whilst John’s Gospel is compared to show how this pattern existed within a Jewish-Christian setting. After an introduction to the relevance of mysticism in contemporary research on Philo and John, the article, without trying to establish any genetic link between Philo and John, evaluates the understanding of mystical union in the light of Philo’s own mystical experience and pronouncements. Then follows a discussion of Philo’s understanding of the divine longing for union with humanity despite the divine transcendence, with attention to the direct and indirect manner in which this union is mediated. Finally, similar motifs in John’s Gospel are investigated.

Christology and Exegesis in the Cappadocians

1971 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald F. Winslow
Keyword(s):  
Theological Reflection ◽  
Gregory Of Nyssa ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Bible

When, after their decade of studies in Athens, Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus returned to Cappadocia, one of the first things they did was to compile a collection of the exegetical works of Origen and publish them under the title Philokalia. This fact might lead the historian to conclude that Basil and Gregory subscribed to, or at least were in sympathy with, the allegorical method of exegesis. But such is hardly the case, for in their later writings (and this holds true for the third member of the Cappadocians, the younger Gregory of Nyssa) there can be discovered no one prevailing approach to the interpretation of scripture. Allegory is indeed used, and often, but so too we find typological and anagogical exegesis, as well as frequent examples of naive literalism. That the Bible formed the basis of theological reflection for the Cappadocians can in no way be denied, but that they held to any particular style or styles of exegesis cannot be demonstrated.

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