On God and Man: The Theological Poetry of St. Gregory of Nazianzus

Popular Patristics Series Volume 21

St. Gregory of Nazianzus is one of the most open and self-revealing of the Fathers of the Church, and his poetry is remarkable for its personal character. In these poems, he speaks of the joys and frustrations of his own life; he reveals his inner questioning about the purpose and values of life in the face of sin and mortality, and his ultimate faith in Christ as redeeming and reconciling all things. St. Gregory's poetry has often been compared with St. Augustine's Confessions, as showing a peculiarly modern interest in the self. The translations here presented allow the reader to see that self-reflection in its theological context.

While St. Gregory of Nazianzus' poetry has recently begun to appear in English translations, this is the first book to provide an affordable translation of his major doctrinal poems. Included are poems on the Trinity, Creation and Providence, Angels and the Soul, the Person of Christ, Human Nature and poems debating the Christian understanding of marriage and virginity.

About the Translator: Peter Gilbert is on the faculty of St. John's College, Santa Fe, New Mexico.