St. Basil the Great
St. Basil the Great
This chapter addresses the sacramental theology of Basil, the influential Cappadocian Church Father who insisted that proper understanding of the sacraments must be rooted in Scripture, adhere to orthodox Christianity as it emerged from the Council of Nicaea (325), and address the pastoral issues of a fourth-century culture in which sacred and secular societies were increasingly merging. Basil’s theology of baptism highlighted the role of the Trinity, and his theology of the Eucharist was “oriented toward the message of Scripture and the inspiration of faith.” This chapter also emphasizes the contextual nature of theology, such that studying the theology of someone like Basil must be accompanied by studying the various cultural influences of the time.
Keywords: sacrament, Eucharist, baptism, grace, Council of Nicaea, Basil
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