Theological Term of the Week: Basil of Caesarea

Basil of Caesarea
One of the Cappadocian fathers, the brother of Gregory of Nyssa, who was bishop of Caesarea, and “a mighty theologian.”1 He lived from 330-379. Also known as Basil the Great.

• From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. H. Needham:

Basil lived the life of a hermit in Cappadocia for some years, but in 364 the bishop of Caesarea, Eusebius, persuaded him to accept ordination as a presbyter and help him in his battle with the Arians in the Caesarean church. In fact, Basil effectively ran the church as the presbyter in whom Eusebius placed the greatest confidence. On Eusebius’s death in 370, the church elected Basil as its new bishop. In the conflict against Arianism, Basil proved a hugely effective practical Church leader, organiser and administrator, as well as a superb preacher. He was also a mighty theologian who wrote a highly important treatise On the Holy Spirit in 375, in which he argued for the Spirit’s full diety. Many have praised Basil’s sermons and treatises as the clearest, most beautiful Christian writings in Greek from the entire patristic period.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Who was Basil of Caesarea? and Who were the Cappadocian Fathers?
2. Theopedia: Basil the Great
3. Michael Haykin: “A beacon of fire shining from afar”: Basil of Caesarea’s friendship with the Syrian Christian, Eusebius of Samosata
4. Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Basil the Great

Related terms:

• Ambrose of Milan
• Apollinarius
• Athanasius
• Augustine of Hippo
• Cappadocian fathers
• Columba
• Cyril of Alexandria
• Gregory of Nanzianzus
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Gregory the Great
• Hilary of Poitiers
• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Jerome
• John Chrysostom
• Justin Martyr
• Maximus the Confessor
• Monica
• Nestorius
• Origen
• Patrick
• Pelagius
• Sabellius
• Tertullian
• Venerable Bede, The

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. R. Needham.

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Sunday's Hymn: Be Still, My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the sun of life divine
Through passing clouds
Shall but more brightly shine.

—Ka­tha­ri­na A. von Schle­gel

Other hymns of worship songs for this Sunday:

• This Is My Father’s World at The Happy Wonderer 

Selected Reading, April 17, 2021

 

A few interesting things I found this week.

Christ

The Water-Providing, Stricken Rock
Why does Paul say that the rock Moses struck in Exodus 17:1-7 was Christ? How is the rock a type of Christ? Nicholas Batzig explains.

Northern

Dawson City By-Law Officer
He’s the animal control officer in Dawson City, Yukon, and he takes selfies with the dogs he picks up. The dogs, by the way, all seem to be enjoying themselves.

“Getting it on canvas”: Yukon artist paints to heal residential school memories 
Mary Caesar paints her childhood experiences in residential school: ““I get a lot of strong reactions, both from the native and white communities. Some residential school survivors, when they see my paintings, it brings up memories for them. It brings up feelings. And I understand because I know how they feel. Some non-native people just get shocked when they see my paintings. They get really emotional and I get emotional too.”

Fiction

So Brave, Young, and Handsome
This is so good.

It’s the third novel by Lief Enger that I’ve read, and probably the third one that I’ve recommended here. From the publisher’s blurb:

“… a rugged and nimble story about an aging train robber on a quest to reconcile the claims of love and judgment on his life, and the failed writer who goes with him.”

Do you need some good fiction to read? You might enjoy it as much as I am.