Gregory Of Nyssa And Julian Of Norwich: A Literary Analysis

When it comes to Jesus Christ many Christian thinkers and authors use story, metaphor, or parables to express their Christology. Gregory of Nyssa and Julian of Norwich are two examples. Their writings contain an illustration to illustrate the work of Jesus. For Gregory it is fishing and for Julian it is a story of the Lord and Servant. This essay unpacks these exemplifications thus uncovering the authors’ individual beliefs about the saving action of God for humanity through the work of Jesus Christ. First I will look at The Great Catechism, by Gregory of Nyssa to understand his Ransom Theory of Atonement specifically by examining his metaphor of a hook. Following, attention will turn to Julian of Norwich’s writings specifically her parable …show more content…
Humanity is created in the divine image, but unlike God, humanity is changeable; suggesting that humans are either moving to or away from good. As Gregory states, “There is always something towards which the will is tending, the appetency for moral beauty naturally drawing it on to movement, this beauty is in one instance really such in its nature, in another it is not so, only the blossoming with an illusive appearance of beauty.” Thus, humans want what is attractive and so we naturally move towards beauty, even when that splendor is false. Deceiving humans with false beauty is the work of the great advocate and inventor of vice. Here we encounter the first hook metaphor. False beauty is the bait spread over the hook of vice. Once humanity chooses the false beauty they are enslaved to the enemy and as such, become property owned by Satan. Thus, humanity’s problem for Greggory is the Enemy. God views humanity’s state and because God is good God entertains pity for humanity; as wise, God is not ignorant of the means to recover humans, and God must make a just decision. God redeems humanity to Godself justly, and without violence, buy paying a price