Cappadocians (Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa)

Abstract

The Cappadocians are three fathers of the early Christian church named for the region of Cappadocia, namely Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa. In what follows, we will look at three themes that are central to the Cappadocian philosophy of religion: (i) God calls beings out of nonbeing; (ii) the enemy of creatures is corruption; and (iii) God gives to others that which belongs to him alone. As we will see, these three points, taken together, bring to light the metaphysical foundations of the Cappadocian understanding of Christianity specifically and of the cosmos generally.