Gregory of Nazianzus

"The Theologian" — one of only three people given that title in Orthodoxy.

Archbishop of Constantinople and the most eloquent of the three Cappadocian Fathers. His five "Theological Orations" delivered in Constantinople in 380 CE are considered the definitive articulation of Trinitarian theology and earned him the unique title "The Theologian" in Eastern Christianity.

Verified Facts

• In the entire history of Eastern Orthodoxy, only three people have been given the title "The Theologian": the Apostle John, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Symeon the New Theologian (11th century). That is how highly his theological writings are regarded.
• He was essentially forced into the episcopacy against his will—multiple times. He hated church politics and repeatedly tried to flee to a life of contemplation and poetry, only to be dragged back into service.
• He presided over the First Council of Constantinople (381 CE), which finalized the Nicene Creed into its current form. But he resigned mid-council in disgust at the political infighting among the bishops.
• He was also a gifted poet whose surviving corpus numbers roughly 165-175 poems (over 17,000 lines of verse). His autobiographical poem (De Vita Sua) is one of the most personal and psychologically revealing documents from late antiquity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & Further Reading

• Wikipedia: Gregory of Nazianzus
• Stanford Encyclopedia: Gregory

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