Arnold Smeets: Preparing for the Papacy. The Experience of Gregory the Great as Deacon of Rome and His Views on the Diaconate.

In his career, Gregory the Great not only reached the top of the civic but also that of the ecclesiastical cursus honorum. From the day he retired to the monastery in his ancestral home, he was – and certainly with hindsight – preparing himself for the papacy. The choice of the patron saint of his monastery (saint Andrew), might be read as a sign his conversion was not a withdrawal from deep felt responsibilities for the world.His ordination as deacon was a first step in the ecclesiastical cursus, and one which would lead him again to the summit of power and politics.Was his ecclesial career (monk, deacon, bishop) a normal one? What was his duty and what were his actions as deacon? Is there a link between his experience as deacon & his papacy and his views on deacons and the diaconate?I propose to explore these questions in my paper, reading (some of) his letters, written as deacon and written to deacons, and sketching the main themes of his pontificate.(Part of the workshop: Deacons and Diakonia: New Perspectives on the Function and Impact of Deacons in the Early Church.Prof. Dr. Bart J. Koet, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology, convener).

Brendan Lupton: Gregory the Great's Development of the Virtue of Patience

A steady current in the Latin patristic tradition was the virtue of patience. Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine all devoted specific treatises to this virtue. Some even claim that Tertullian was the first to develop the Christian understanding of patience. Scholars, such as Robert Louis Wilken, David Harned, and Alan Kreider have studied the development of this virtue within this western stream. Gregory the Great’s understanding and development of patience, however, has not been explored in detail, perhaps since he himself did not pen a separate treatise on the topic unlike his predecessors. This omission in scholarship is a little surprising, since the protagonist of Gregory’s magnum opus, The Moralia,is Job, whom many consider to be an archetype of patience. Further, Thomas Aquinas will pepper his articles on patience with quotations from the last of the Latin fathers. This paper will explore Gregory’s development of patience and how the two currents of monastic theology and the fall of the West contributed to his articulation of this virtue.

Pere Maymó Capdevila: Germanic Identities in the Gregorian Dialogues (and Letters)

Sixth-century Italy was quite a convulse place to live. Justinian’s conquest in 553 had restored imperial rule on a devastated land for some fifteen years after half century of Ostrogothic reign; then, the Lombard invasion split the territory in a mosaic of opposed dominions, which caused serious problems to the coexistence of Romans, Byzantines and Germanics. That was the situation when Gregory the Great came to the throne of Peter, and he described it from his particular point of view throughout his writings, where political division also had a reflection in literary topics.In this paper, we will try specifically to clarify the pontiff’s regard about the Germanics.On the one hand, we find the Dialogorum patrum Italicorum libri IV, a hagiographical work composed in 593-594, just when king Agilulf was besieging Rome. The Dialogues provide us with information of its society, where population with varied ethnic and cultural origins lives forcibly together; but it also becomes a reinterpretation in the light of the Gregorian thought which establishes categories for every role of the play according to his identity and personality. On the other hand,this conception contrasts with that expressed in the Registrum epistularum libri XIV, in which the pontiff adopteddifferentattitudes before Germanic addressees. These selected epistles cover all his episcopate from 590 to 604 and we may see how he changes his mind depending on the circumstances and manages to collaborate with those who are formally his enemies.

Hector Scerri: Gregory the Great warns against Simony in his Letters

Gregory the Great, the great master and mentor of pastoral orthopraxis, was cognizant – during his years as bishop of Rome – of many cases of simony in the Church. His great concern on the matter is reflected in the surprising frequency this practice is condemned in his Registrum Epistularum. When referring to this serious issue, Gregory often states “as we have written before”. This is indicative that simony was very common, and that he was using all possible means to curb it through persuasion and reparation. In fact, Gregory tirelessly spares no effort to wipe out greed and simony.

Luke Dysinger, OSB: Deification in Benedict of Nursia and Gregory the Great

The relationship between the Rule of Benedict and the writings of Gregory the Great is complex and controversial. Each depicts contexts in which the Christian is able to recover and manifest to others aspects of primordial glory. The Rule of St. Benedict presumes an anticipation of eschatological renewal and transformation that occurs within the Christian community. With "eyes open to the deifying light" the innermost heart "expands in God" as members of the cenobium learn to honor and revere what they see each other becoming. In Gregory the Great the "uncircumscribed light of God" transforms the Christian ascetic into a contemplative who helps others to behold transcendent realities in ordinary circumstances.

Marc Doucet: Grégoire le Grand : itinéraire personnel du croyant et profession de foi

On connaît la profession de foi de Grégoire le Grand, qu'il envoie aux patriarches, lors de son accession au siège de Pierre : fermeté, précision, clarté. Pourtant  contraste mais non opposition  au long de ses écrits, on peut découvrir un Grégoire qui cherche à approfondir l'intelligence de sa foi. Se poser des questions n'est pas forcément douter.

Isabela Stoian: Synonymy and Antonymy in St. Gregory the Great's Gospel Homilies

The numerous series of synonyms and antonyms in the Gospel Homilies render the teachings of Gregory the Great clear and properly received by the public. Synonymy has a specific intention and surpasses the simple need for variety. Such is the case of caro and corpus, which are used without a clear distinction. However, caro seems to be more connected to the idea of sin. On the other hand, corpus is seen as a whole, unitary, and as a symbol for what is earthly, not necessarily for sin. This is maybe one reason for which Christians do not eat caro Christi but corpus Christi.
Antonyms are usually used in pairs with a particular purpose, frequently that of emphasizing the differences between this world and the other world, between wicked and right persons, between humanity and divinity. The most interesting antonyms are those created by opposing terms that originally express non-opposing ideas. For instance, Gregory urges the congregation to know the Truth of God non per fidem, sed per amorem. [...] non ex credulitate, sed ex operatione - Hom. Ev. XIV, 5. When he opposes the terms fides and amor, credulitas and operatio, he points out the difference between the active and the passive forms of getting to know God and of serving Him.
Through synonyms and antonyms, not only did Gregory wrap his profound ideas in the coat of lexical variety, but he also emphasized theological concepts, making his speeches clear and complex.

Isabela Stoian: Synonymy and Antonymy in St. Gregory the Great's Gospel Homilies

The numerous series of synonyms and antonyms in the Gospel Homilies renders the teachings of Gregory the Great clear and properly received by the public. Synonymy has a specific intention and surpasses the simple need for variety. Such is the case of caro and corpus, which are used without a clear distinction. However, caro seems to be more connected to the idea of sin. On the other hand, corpus is seen as a whole, unitary, and as a symbol for what is earthly, not necessarily for sin. This is maybe one reason for which Christians do not eat caro Christi but corpus Christi.
Antonyms are usually used in pairs with a particular purpose, frequently that of emphasizing the differences between this world and the other world, between wicked and right persons, between humanity and divinity. The most interesting antonyms are those created for opposing terms that originally express non-opposing ideas. For instance, Gregory urges the congregation to know the Truth of God non per fidem, sed per amorem. […] non ex credulitate, sed ex operatione – Hom. Ev. XIV, 5. When he opposes the terms fides and amor, credulitas and operatio, he points out the difference between the active and the passive forms of getting to know God and of serving Him.
Through synonyms and antonyms, not only did Gregory wrap his profound ideas in the coat of lexical variety, but he also emphasized theological concepts, making his speeches clear and complex.

Jerzy Kowalczyk: To see with body and to see with mind: corporeal and spiritual cognition in the Dialogues of Gregory the Great

In my paper, I will discuss the relation between the corporeal and spiritual perception as presented in the Dialogues. Gregory's book is exceptionally abundant with references to modes of perception, and gives us insight into the 6th-century debate on the usefulness of senses. I will be particularly interested in exploring the intertwinement between the two dimensions of sight, the eyes of the body and the eyes of the soul, and the Christian interpretation of ancient sensory theories.
A cursory reading of the Dialogues might suggest that for Gregory the difference between seeing corporaliter and spiritualiter is unambiguous. True comprehension is only possible through spiritual eyes; people must sharpen the inner senses and abandon the outer ones in order to see properly.
Yet, a closer look adds to the complexity of the subject. According to Gregory, corporeal eyes are the remnants of Adam's perfect perception, namely the combination of spiritual and corporeal sight. The first man's lost legacy can partially be accessed by the saints who use their bodily eyes to look beyond the physical world. And even the common faithful, bound to corporeal sight corrupted by Adam's sin, are able, by the grace of God, to perceive His signs and miracles.
Thus, I will argue that the corporeal sight may still be useful, according to Gregory, to human salvation. I believe that the closer examination of the attitudes to the both sources of cognition can advance our understanding of accommodation of philosophical tradition concerning senses to Christian spirituality.

Pere Maymó: Chants, Icons, and Relics in the Evangelization Doctrine of Gregory the Great: The Case of Kent

When Gregory I (590-604) was elected bishop of Rome, nothing seemed to foresee that a pope could undertake any pastoral deed. Nevertheless, Gregory managed to attend his primary vocation: to spread Christianism to the pagans. There was a kind of "method" to evangelize them, but Gregory adopted "conventional" missionary procedures and added his own pragmatic vision to achieve his major goal, emphasizing a powerful way to reach their hearts: music, image, and relics. 
We have slight evidences of Gregory'sRegistrum and of his Moralia, but we must rely on Bede's Historia ecclesiastica if we want to restore what role may these complementary evangelization methods have played in the conversion of heathen Jutes in the kingdom of Kent. The pope sent two retinues to Canterbury and the missionaries seem to have used icons and chants in their first encounter with king Ethelbert on the island of Thanet in 597. Also, we find a reference to the true relics of Sixtus in the controverted Libellus responsionum addressed to Augustine, and another in a letter sent to Mellitus on his way to Kent in which Gregory presents an accommodating spirit concerning cultual substitution of the pagan shrines.
In our contribution, we will focus on the actions undertaken in comparison with other Gregorian endeavours in imperial Italy or the Frankish kingdoms, also considering his influence in Anglo-Saxon England, especially evidenced in the concile of Cloveshoe of 747, which reveals the importance of Gregory's moral authority of the pontiff as apostle of the English.

Hector Scerri: On Menstruation, Marital Intercourse and ‘Wet Dreams' in a Letter by Gregory the Great

 The paper seeks to delve into the contents of the replies given by Gregory the Great to Bishop Augustine of Canterbury, circa the year 600. The answers given by Gregory denote a certain dependence on Levitical laws and ritual purity. At the same time, Gregory - to whomars est artium regimen animarum - demonstrates a great deal of pragmatism in sexual matters. Through such an attitude, one observes that he is an expert of the weakness of human nature, and that he has sensible answers to give.

Marios Benisis - “St. Nicodemus of Mount Athos: His theological stands and its reception during the theology of the 20th century"

Through this short presentation we will try to find out if St. Nicodemus is the key stone of the Patristic edifice of his era. Through the relevant bibliography, we will illuminate the personality of Nicodemus focusing on his Patristic, Hagiological, liturgical and canonical contribution. 

We will examine the historical context of his era and highlight the association between the Ecclesiastical Tradition and the Neo-Hellenic Illumination, the contribution of Nicodemus in the spiritual rebirth of the Greek nation and lastly the rise to prominence of the manifold life-work of Nicodemus. We will also refer shortly to his biography, while we will note down his contribution in the Philokalia Movement, in order to understand his theological magnitude of achievement. Throughout the following sections, we will demonstrate that Nicodemus was an adept in Scriptures and the Orthodox dogma, having the mystical experience as a basis and the anterior Fathers of the Church as secure indexes to his theology.

In continuity of the triad of the great Fathers and Saints, Maximus the Confessor, Gregory Palamas and Mark of Ephesus, Nicodemus combining the mystagogical character of Maximus, the Hesychasm of Gregory and the anti-Latin spirit of Mark achieves to represent not only the orthodox sense of his time but also to eradiate his spirit outside Mount Athos and Greece, throughout the international Christian world, especially in the 20^th century.  

Pere Maymó Capdevila - A Bishop Faces War : Gregory the Great’s Attitude towards the Lombard Menace

From the Germanic invasions of 406-409 onwards, the Church and its bishops developed a major role in the civic organization against external enemies; and this is especially true at a time in which the Roman army could not face the many Barbaric hordes who wandered along the imperial West. The ecclesiastical authorities protected their cities, not only by means of their moral appeals but also by assuming the military defense itself. 

That was the case of Gregory the Great, bishop of Rome in a very difficult moment, menaced by different Lombard armies and abandoned by the scarce Byzantine troops, which were compelled to garrison Ravenna or Perugia instead of protecting the Vrbs. So, Gregory must manage to arrange the defense –supplying food for their fellow citizens, organizing the walls guard– and he even sets himself up as the main “strategist” of the imperial forces in the Roman Duchy as some letters of the Registrum prove. Aside from many quotations concerning civic defense, the epistle 2, 4 will be especially analysed in the light of new historical and archaeological evidences drawn from the recent studies by Zanini, Borri or Ravegnani. 

Hector Scerri: Life as a Journey in the Letters of Gregory the Great

The short communication seeks to present the theme of life as a journey in a carefully-chosen selection of letters from the Registrum epistularum of Gregory the Great. An indepth study of the five letters in question reveals a detailed picture of the man of God who was a just and tactful administrator, but who was also a man of the people. Aware of the fact that this Church Father wrote with remarkable dexterity and artistry on countless topics to a whole spectrum of people from all walks of life in a variety of circumstances, this study seeks to focus on a pivotal existential theme: the image of life as a journey with its ups, downs and meanderings. Gregory’s profound knowledge of human nature can be extrapolated from an exegesis of the five letters which are the scope of this research. 

Marc DOUCET: "Disce cor Dei in verbis Dei". La révélation chez saint Grégoire le Grand

S. Grégoire le Grand n’a jamais traité de la Révélation pour elle-même ; la possibilité pour Dieu de se révéler, le fait même de cette Révélation n’étaient pas mis en question à l’époque, pas plus que dans la période patristique précédente ou que pendant des siècles encore par la suite. On vivait la Révélation sans s’interroger à son sujet.

Qu’a signifié pour Grégoire vivre de cette Révélation ? Qu’était celle-ci pour lui de fait ?

Elle était non pas un ensemble de vérités révélées que le théologien doit formuler le moins mal possible dans un corps de doctrine le plus compréhensible possible pour ses contemporains, mais une relation. Elle était bien aussi un message, une information, certes, mais surtout, une relation de Dieu à l’homme et de l’homme à Dieu. Une relation médiatisée par la création, par l’Ecriture, par la vie des saints (prophètes, apôtres, saints personnages…), relation surtout donnée totalement du côté de Dieu dans le Verbe, la Parole de Dieu faite homme. Et à chaque étape, une relation vitale.

Cette perspective aide à comprendre la constitution Dei Verbum de Vatican II sur la révélation qui répond à la problématique protestante et à la contestation rationaliste à l’ère moderne. 

Cette approche de la théologie, si peu systématisée de Grégoire, offre de plus un point de vue unifiant sur sa vaste œuvre écrite.