Introducing Gregory of Nyssa

It has been some time since I last posted. I am sorry about that, but life has been very busy lately. I have now commenced research in the dissertation stage of my MA and my personality type is such that I tend to dive headlong into a single thought or idea and it's very difficult for me to concentrate on other things.... My wife says I go off with the "study pixies" because I even become difficult to communicate with at home...

All this is to say that I will from time to time just share a few thoughts as I travel along the way to completing this dissertation. I hope that this may help me express my thoughts, but then also give you an insight into a man of God that I am completely fascinated with.... Gregory of Nyssa. Even though there are some 1600 years between our lives I find myself very drawn to the contemporary significance of his writings. I hope that the snippets that I post here from time to time will be helpful to you. I know that have been a source of inspiration for me.... Here's just one example from The Life of Moses.

"This is true perfection: not to avoid a wicked life because, like slaves, we servilely fear punishment, nor to do good because we hope for rewards, as if cashing in on the virtuous life by some businesslike and contractual arrangement. On the contrary, disregarding all those things for which we hope and which have been reserved by promise, we regard falling from God's friendship as the only thing dreadful, and we consider becoming God's friend the only thing worthy of honour and desire. This, as I have said, is the perfection of life."