Section 04: Constantinople 381
The Constantinopolitan years that made Gregory “the Theologian” and then broke his patience: the call to the capital in 379 to gather a Nicene remnant, the Anastasia chapel where the Theological Orations were preached, the humiliation of the Maximus the Cynic affair, the brief glory of his installation in the Great Church under Theodosius, his presidency of the Second Ecumenical Council, and the bitter resignation that sent him home to Nazianzus.
Tradition: Pan-Orthodox (Church Father)
Contents
| File | Topic |
|---|---|
| The Anastasia and the Council | The 379 call; the Anastasia chapel and the Theological Orations; the Maximus the Cynic affair; Theodosius’ entry in 380 and the installation in the Great Church; the presidency of the 381 council |
| The Resignation | The challenge to his transfer (Canon 15 of Nicaea); the farewell oration (Or. 42); the return to Nazianzus and Arianzus; the De vita sua; the council’s debt despite the bitter exit |
How to Use
- Read The Anastasia and the Council first for the ascent — the reluctant theologian who preached an Arian-held city back to the Nicene faith and rose to its episcopal throne.
- Read The Resignation for the descent — the canonical objections, the factional strife, and the dignified withdrawal Gregory turned into a masterpiece of Christian autobiography.
Why This Section Matters
The Constantinopolitan episode is where Gregory’s theology and his biography meet. The Five Theological Orations, the most influential patristic treatment of the Trinity, were preached from a converted house-chapel to a small Nicene congregation in a city dominated by Arians. Within two years their author presided over the council whose creed the whole Church still recites — and then resigned that throne in weariness at the politics of the episcopate. The story is a study in the gap between theological authority and ecclesiastical power: the man whose words shaped the Creed could not hold the see, and chose not to try.
Cross-References
- For the doctrine preached in these years, see Section 03 — Trinitarian Theology, especially The Trinity Perfected.
- For the council of 381 in the conciliar tradition, see The Seven Ecumenical Councils.
- For the Trinitarian dogma the council defined, see The Holy Trinity.
References
- See the collection README for the principal sources; each content file carries its own full reference list.