Paideia [Education] through the lens of the words in the poetry of Gregory of Nazianzus

Abstract

The affection for words was an intrinsic part of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus' personality. As a theologian, orator, and poet he was well aware of the nuances and the power words yield. The aim of this article is to examine Gregory's approach to classical education as presented in his poetry, [and] expressed through his praise of words, or eloquence, in general. The motivation for focusing the research on his poetry is the fact that, for Gregory, poetry was his the means of influencing young Christians. Gregory intended to offer them more appealing reading than the austere Christian commandments. For him, logoi and mythoi embracing, inter alia, ancient erudition (i.e. not the knowledge of philosophy and literature alone but also, for example, mythology) were the solid cornerstones to build upon, and which could also be used by young Christians able of critical thinking to choose only the good and beneficial from it. Thus, Gregory's poetry reflects various philosophical motifs, including his striking inspiration by Cynicism, but also his reservations concerning empty formal rhetoric. Key wordspaideia; words; poetry; Gregory of Nazianzus; ancient philosophy After the end of the persecution of Christians, Christianity as one of the approved reli gions in the Roman Empire disputed over the interpretation of Christian dogmas and the surviving cults of pagan antiquity -these are only a few of the attributes which char acterised the 4 th century A.D. To a certain extent, the social situation of this turbulent era is reflected in the work of one of the four great Church Fathers of the East, 1 St. Gre gory of Nazianzus. His writings are a source from which we can both learn about the time he lived in and learn our lesson for today. At the same time, they are also a source of information about his life, his relationships with those around him, and his own 1 Along with Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom; Gregory of Nazianzus is known for his theology of the Holy Trinity.