The bishop’s moral authority in Gregory of Nyssa’s Adversus Eos qui castigatione aegre ferunt

Abstract

Gregory of Nyssa (c.325–c.395) was one of the younger brothers of Basil the Great, the bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. He did not receive the extravagant education that his eldest brother enjoyed, however in due time he turned out to be as fine a theologian as him, even though he only started being studied in depth in the twentieth century. From the scant biographical details known about Gregory, we know that he was married and that he became a priest after the death of his wife. He does not seem to have had any interest in ecclesiastical advancement or politics till he was dragged into the scene by his brother. Even though he travelled a lot, especially during the 380s, Gregory remained bishop of Nyssa till his death and it is there that some of his most beautiful mystical works were composed.