Poems on Scripture: Saint Gregory of Nazianzus

Popular Patristics Series Volume 46

In recent years the poetry of St Gregory has gained admirers for its verbal artistry, rich theology, and psychological insight. Moreover, the Theologian uses verse to engage in extensive biblical exegesis, a project that can seem absent from his more famous orations and letters.

This volume translates selections from Gregory’s biblical verse, much of which is appearing in English for the first time, facing the original Greek. The heart of the collection is a group of poems that distill the central teachings of the four Gospels in order to train beginners in an approach to the sacred text according to the model of Gregory himself: as an encounter with the living Word of God, who speaks directly to the Christian audience. Other poems included here, while not explicitly exegetical, witness to Gregory’s personalizing approach to meeting Christ in scripture.

About the Author: Brian Dunkle, S.J., is pursuing a doctorate in historical theology at the University of Notre Dame.