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Against Eunomius
Basil of Caesarea is considered one of the architects of the Pro-Nicene Trinitarian doctrine adopted at the Council of Constantinople in 381, which eastern and western Christians to this day profess as "orthodox." Nowhere is his Trinitarian theology more clearly expressed than in his first major doctrinal work, Against Eunomius, finished in 364 or 365 CE. Responding to Eunomius, whose Apology gave renewed impetus to a tradition of starkly subordinationist Trinitarian theology that would survive for decades, Basil's Against Eunomius reflects the intense controversy raging at that time among Christians across the Mediterranean world over who God is.
In this treatise, Basil attempts to articulate a theology both of God's unitary essence and of the distinctive features that characterize the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit―a distinction that some hail as the cornerstone of "Cappadocian" theology. In Against Eunomius, we see the clash not simply of two dogmatic positions on the doctrine of the Trinity, but of two fundamentally opposed theological methods. Basil's treatise is as much about how theology ought to be done and what human beings can and cannot know about God as it is about the exposition of Trinitarian doctrine. Thus Against Eunomius marks a turning point in the Trinitarian debates of the fourth century, for the first time addressing the methodological and epistemological differences that gave rise to theological differences. Amidst the polemical vitriol of Against Eunomius is a call to epistemological humility on the part of the theologian, a call to recognize the limitations of even the best theology.
While Basil refined his theology through the course of his career, Against Eunomius remains a testament to his early theological development and a privileged window into the Trinitarian controversies of the mid-fourth century. ABOUT THE Mark DelCogliano is an adjunct professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and author of Basil of Caesarea's Anti-Eunomian Theory of Christian Theology and Late-Antique Philosophy in the Fourth-Century Trinitarian Controversy. Andrew Radde-Gallwitz is assistant professor of theology at Loyola University Chicago and author of Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and the Transformation of Divine Simplicity.
In this treatise, Basil attempts to articulate a theology both of God's unitary essence and of the distinctive features that characterize the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit―a distinction that some hail as the cornerstone of "Cappadocian" theology. In Against Eunomius, we see the clash not simply of two dogmatic positions on the doctrine of the Trinity, but of two fundamentally opposed theological methods. Basil's treatise is as much about how theology ought to be done and what human beings can and cannot know about God as it is about the exposition of Trinitarian doctrine. Thus Against Eunomius marks a turning point in the Trinitarian debates of the fourth century, for the first time addressing the methodological and epistemological differences that gave rise to theological differences. Amidst the polemical vitriol of Against Eunomius is a call to epistemological humility on the part of the theologian, a call to recognize the limitations of even the best theology.
While Basil refined his theology through the course of his career, Against Eunomius remains a testament to his early theological development and a privileged window into the Trinitarian controversies of the mid-fourth century. ABOUT THE Mark DelCogliano is an adjunct professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and author of Basil of Caesarea's Anti-Eunomian Theory of Christian Theology and Late-Antique Philosophy in the Fourth-Century Trinitarian Controversy. Andrew Radde-Gallwitz is assistant professor of theology at Loyola University Chicago and author of Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and the Transformation of Divine Simplicity.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2011
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About the author
Basil the Great
363 books130 followersAfter 370, Christian leader Saint Basil, known as "the Great," Greek bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, vigorously opposed Arianism.
Arabic: باسيليوس الكبير
Greek: Μέγας Βασίλειος
People also call him of Mazaca in Asia Minor. He influenced as a 4th century theologian and monastic.
Theologically, Basil supported the Nicene faction of the church, not the followers of Apollinaris of Laodicea on the other side. Ability to balance theological convictions with political connections made Basil a powerful advocate for the Nicene position.
In addition to work as a theologian, Basil cared for the poor and underprivileged. Basil established guidelines, which focus on community, liturgical prayer, and manual labor for monastic life. People remember him, together with Pachomius, as a father of communal monasticism in east. The traditions of east and west consider him.
People refer collectively to Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa as the fathers. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholics gave the title of hierarch to Basil, together with Gregory of Nazianzus and John Chrysostom. The Catholic Church recognizes him as a doctor. The epithet "revealer of heavenly mysteries," sometimes refers to Basil.
Arabic: باسيليوس الكبير
Greek: Μέγας Βασίλειος
People also call him of Mazaca in Asia Minor. He influenced as a 4th century theologian and monastic.
Theologically, Basil supported the Nicene faction of the church, not the followers of Apollinaris of Laodicea on the other side. Ability to balance theological convictions with political connections made Basil a powerful advocate for the Nicene position.
In addition to work as a theologian, Basil cared for the poor and underprivileged. Basil established guidelines, which focus on community, liturgical prayer, and manual labor for monastic life. People remember him, together with Pachomius, as a father of communal monasticism in east. The traditions of east and west consider him.
People refer collectively to Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa as the fathers. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholics gave the title of hierarch to Basil, together with Gregory of Nazianzus and John Chrysostom. The Catholic Church recognizes him as a doctor. The epithet "revealer of heavenly mysteries," sometimes refers to Basil.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 14, 2021
All my homies hate Eunomius.
October 6, 2021
Read in preparation for our discussion tomorrow on The History of Christian Theology podcast
Very mixed on this one. Basil lays out some clever arguments, some of which I haven’t considered before, and offers some interesting insights, but is often unfair in his representations of Eunomius’ arguments and their strengths and spends a good chunk of the work being a bully.
Very mixed on this one. Basil lays out some clever arguments, some of which I haven’t considered before, and offers some interesting insights, but is often unfair in his representations of Eunomius’ arguments and their strengths and spends a good chunk of the work being a bully.
May 23, 2023
Contre Eunomius est semblable à un article de blog de 200'000 mots, qui réfute phrase par phrase le grand nom de l'arianisme du IVe siècle, par Grégoire de Nysse. L'objectif est atteint, il est même si bien atteint que l'argumentation même d'Eunomius m'a paru difficile à comprendre. Grégoire de Nysse est sans conteste un poids lourds intellectuel, mais il n'a aucune concision ni discipline d'écriture. Même quand il s'excuse de ses digressions sophistiquées, il en fait une digression sophistiquée.
Mais l'oeuvre reste belle, le style est prolixe comme celui du IVe siècle, l'orthodoxie est très intéressante à étudier. Cependant, j'ai failli lâcher toute lecture des pères de l'église avec ce livre.
Mais l'oeuvre reste belle, le style est prolixe comme celui du IVe siècle, l'orthodoxie est très intéressante à étudier. Cependant, j'ai failli lâcher toute lecture des pères de l'église avec ce livre.
September 14, 2021
to quote my friend Zack: "all my homies hate Eunomius"
February 6, 2025
These guys are great. He and the other two are always putting the plain meaning of the Bible above tradition.
February 7, 2016
Some really beneficial and challenging stuff in here. Not the easiest book to read, but he puts forward some really forceful arguments against Arianism.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews