Church History 18 – A few good men, prompted by a woman

Common Buckeye

 Behind most men who do anything worthwhile is a good woman.  Two brothers and their friend were three Christian men from the past who were no exception.  The so called ‘Great Cappadocians’ were instrumental in guiding the church to the second great confirmation of our faith during the Council of Constantinople in 381AD.  But it was the sister of the two brothers, who put them on the right path.

Cappadocia was a region in lands near where Turkey is today.  The great Cappadocians were Basil of Caesarea and his brother Gregory of Nyssa and their friend Gregory of Nazianzus.  Basil and Gregory’s sister was Macrina.  The three siblings were from a family with several generations of faithful Christian pedigree. 

Macrina had originally agreed to an arranged marriage; but before she was married her husband to be died.  Macrina decided to devote herself to a life of ‘celibacy and contemplation,’ according to Gonzalez.

Basil meanwhile went off the college.  He came back full of himself and ready to conquer the world.

Gonzalez: ‘It was then that Macrina intervened.  She bluntly told her brother that he had become vain, acting as if he were the best inhabitant of the city, and that he would do well in quoting fewer pagan authors and following more of the advice of Christian ones.’

Basil blew off his sister but when their brother Naucratius died unexpectedly, Basil was shook to the core. 

Gonzalez:  ‘The blow was such that Basil changed his life entirely….and asked Macrina to teach him the secrets of religious life….it was now Macrina who became the strength and consolation of the bereaved family.’

Macrina taught that ‘true happiness is not found in the glories of the world, but in the service of God.’  She had the family move to Annesi where she founded a monastic order for women. It was there that she became simply known as ‘the Teacher.’

Basil and his friend Gregory of Nazianzus settled nearby Annesi and founded another monastic community for men.  Basil served as an example for all the men finding no chore beneath him.  He also organized the community and wrote standards for conduct. 

The church soon found a need of a new leader and Basil was reluctantly drafted out of the monastery to become a church teacher and leader.  Later Basil was called to Caesarea to help fight against Arianism which was in vogue again under the emperor Valens.

Gonzalez:  ‘When Basic arrived in Caesarea, conditions were very difficult.  Bad weather had destroyed the crops, and the rich were hoarding food.  Basil had preached against such practices, and sold all his properties in order to feed the poor.  If all would take only what they needed, he said, and give the rest to others, there would be neither rich nor poor.’

After another death, Basil was elected bishop of Caesarea.  It was not long though that the Arian emperor Valens made his intentions known that he was coming to Caesarea.  Basil knew what this meant.  Underlings of Valens arrived in the city and tried to subdue Basil with ‘promises and threats.’

The underlings lost patience with getting Basil to cooperate.  So they began to play hardball.

Gonzalez:  They ‘threatened Basil was confiscating his goods, with exile, torture, and even death.  Basil responded, ‘All that I have that you can confiscate are these rags and a few books.  Nor can you exile me, for wherever you send me, I shall be God’s guest.  As to tortures you should know that my body is already dead in Christ.  And death would be a great boon to me, leading me sooner to God.’ Taken aback, the perfect said that no one had ever spoken to him thus.  Basil answered, ‘Perhaps that is because you have never met a true bishop.’’

Valens eventually decided not to rouse public opinion so he left Basil alone.  Basil began to work with the church community to promote the values of the monastic life.  He also worked to promote the ideas formulated by the Nicene council.  Basil wrote and taught much that influenced others around him.  He died a few months before the Council of Constantinople in 381AD where his work came to fruition.

Basil brother Gregory was not all that interested in the monastic passions of his brother.  He married and lived his life.  Gregory’s wife died and he then decided to listen to the call of his brother to get involved in staving off Arianism.

Basil had his brother Gregory become bishop of Nyssa.  Gregory was much intimidated by all the drama with the emperor and his brother.  He just wanted to hide in a hole.

Gonzalez:  ‘But in spite of this, after the death of both Valens and Basil, Gregory became one of the main leaders of the Nicene party.  As such he was received by the Council of Constantinople in 381AD.’

The third Cappadocian was Gregory of Nazianzus.  He befriended Basil while in college.  When he as about 30 years old, he sought to live the monastic life.  Basil appointed Gregory as a preacher and then a bishop but Gregory didn’t like being made bishop.  He had a falling out with Basil over this.  Their relationship remained strained up until the sudden death of Basil.  The death of his friend got Gregory involved into the bigger battles that needed attention.

Gonzalez:  ‘he felt compelled to take a leading role in the struggle against Arianism, in which Basil had sought his help with relatively little success.  In AD 379, he appeared in Constantinople.’

In Constantinople Gregory battled Arian monks who tired to make a mockery of the church.   He did not back down from their stinging attacks.  In 380, the Emperor Theodosius came to Constantinople.  He expelled all the Arians from leadership positions and convinced Gregory to become the bishop of Constantinople. He held court of the famous council of bishops that met there in 381AD.

Gonzalez:  The Council of Constantinople reaffirmed the doctrine of Nicea regarding the divinity of the Son, and added that the same ought to be said about the Holy Spirit.  Thus, it was this council that definitively proclaimed the doctrine of the Trinity.  Its decisions, and the theology reflected in them, were in large measure, the result of the work of the Great Cappadocians.’

It is hard to see God at work in history is it not?  Perhaps though God works through those who practice the discipleship of the bible.  John Wesley taught that we need ‘to know God and God’s ways.’

‘He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
   and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?’ Micah 6:8

Sources:

Justo L. Gonzalez from ‘The Story of Christianity, Volume 1, the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation’

Joel Green, Reading Scripture as Wesleyans

NRSV Bible