A review of research literature on the topic of the priesthood in the works of st. Gregory the Theologian

Abstract

The article examines the tradition of research on the topic of the priesthood in the legacy of St. Gregory the Theologian from the 19th century to 2020. The review includes general monographs on both the formation of the episcopate in Late Antiquity and specifically the legacy of Nazianzen, dissertations, publications in periodicals, dictionaries and encyclopedias on this topic, as well as on a wide range of related topics, key publications and translations of the Apology on his Flight — St. Gregory’s central text on the priesthood — in English, Russian, German, French and Italian. The following periodization of historiography is proposed: the early period (19th — middle of 20th centuries), theological studies of the Apology in the 50s–70s, studies and publications by J. Bernardi, the “new wave” of the 1990s and its development in the 21st century. In the last period, three main trends are identified: the Theologian’s texts on the priesthood are considered in the context of: the development of the image of a monk-bishop in Late Antiquity; platonic political philosophy; Gregory’s main theological concepts. The importance of research on other aspects of Gregory’s work is shown especially the categories θεωρία/πρᾶξις and his autobiographical texts. Two lines of further research are proposed as the most promising: intertextual analysis of the Apology and integral analysis of the entire legacy of St. Gregory through the prism of the priesthood theme.