BASIL OF CAESAREA: CHRISTIAN, HUMANIST, ASCETIC A Sixteen-Hundredth Anniversary Symposium edited by Paul Jonathan Fedwick The study of Basil's life, works, teaching and tradition reveals the exceptional qualities of his Christian, humanistic and ascetic upbringing. Although deeply concerned and involved in the handling of current social and religious affairs, Basil of Caesarea is a truly ecumenical figure belonging to all times and races. These essays commemorating the sixteen-hundredth anniversary of his death have been written by a team of international scholars whose expertise ranges from church history, theology, spirituality, liturgy and iconography to classical studies, palaeography, social history, philosophy and humanities. The studies open with a new updated chronology of Basil's life and works followed by a penetrating analysis of his writings within the context of his activity as an ascetic and churchman. Since no critical edition is as yet available of his complete works four studies are devoted to the manuscript tradition of his writings in Greek and of all the translations made before 1400 into Latin, Arabic, Armenian, Coptic, Georgian, Slavic and Syriac. Basil's work Contra Eunomium, difficult to read, is here masterfully analyzed and presented to modern readers for the first time. His relations with classical Greek philosophy, mainly Plotinism. are studied in the general context of third and fourth-century intellectual history; these studies also offer several corrections and insights into the philosophical background of the Christian world in that period. The thorough study of Basil's knowledge and use of rhetoric exhibits a marriage of pagan art with Christian thought, whose offspring are beauty, clarity, and meaning. It is argued that Basil, when fulfilling the episcopal office, excelled as shepherd, administrator, and teacher, and as the most coherent defender of the faith against the heresies which undermined the unity of the Church. In his works against those who denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Basil examined language, the written teaching in the apostolic tradition, the Bible, and the tradition of the liturgy, in order to argue the equality of the Spirit with the Father and the Son. What made Basil so effective a leader in the church was not so much his family wealth, his aristocratic background, or his sophisticated education; it was rather his conviction of the power of the Christian life to humanize and civilize, of the strength of moral law, and of the supremacy of spiritual values in circumstances which were materially bad or morally equivocal. Although a strict moralist, Basil never separates morality from understanding. His monasticism, it must be noted, was not so much a protest against existing authority in the church, but a sincere search for spiritual revitalization. Completing the studies are two essays, one studying Basil's contribution to Western canonical collections, the other focusing on Basil's iconographical representations. This volume, it is hoped, will be a landmark in Basil studies and will herald renewed and wider interest in a great man who belongs not just to Caesarea and the fourth century, but to the whole world and to all time. CONTRIBUTORS Milton V. Anastos Roger E. Reynolds Konstantinos G. Bonis John M. Rist Paul J. Fedwick A. Martin Ritter Wilma Fitzgerald, SP Stig Y. Rudberg Jean Gribomont, OSB Thomas Spidlik, SJ Ioannis Karayannopoulos Ramon Teja George L. Kustas Barnim Treucker Jaroslav Pelikan Gabriella Uluhogian P. Wallace Piatt, CSB Sever J. Voicu BASIL OF CAESAREA: CHRISTIAN, HUMANIST, ASCETIC A Sixteen-Hundredth Anniversary Symposium Part One edited by PAUL JONATHAN FED WICK PONTIFICAL INSTITUTE OF MEDIAEVAL STUDIES Acknowledgment The publishing program of the Pontifical Institute is supported by the generosity of the De Rancé Foundation CANADIAN CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA Main entry under title: Basil of Caesarea Papers presented at a symposium held in Toronto, June 10-16, 1979. Bibliography: p. Includes index. ISBN 0-88844-412-5 1. Basil, Saint, Archbishop of Caesarea, ca. 330-379 — Congresses. I. Fedwick, Paul Jonathan, 1937- II. Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies. BR1720.B3B37 28Γ.4Ό924 C81-094348-4 © 1981 by Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies 59 Queen's Park Crescent East Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 2C4 PRINTED BY UNI VERSA, WETTEREN, BELGIUM The Contributors wish to dedicate these volumes to the Congregation of the Priests of Saint Basil, organizers and sponsors of the Toronto St. Basil Symposium, 10-16 June 1979 Contents Part One Message of His Holiness, John Paul u, to the Saint Basil Symposium χι Message of His Holiness, Demetrios 1, Ecumenical Patriarch xv Abbreviations 1. The Works of Basil of Caesarea χιχ —A. Works xix. —B. Dubia xxix. —C. Spuria xxix. 2. Other Works xxxn Introduction P. Wallace Piatt, CSB XXXIX VITA, OPERA, DOCTRINA 1. A Chronology of the Life and Works of Basil of Caesarea Paul J. Fedwick 3 2. Notes biographiques sur s. Basile le Grand Jean Gribomont, OSB 21 —A. La correspondance 24. —B. Les homélies 27. —C. Les traités dogmatiques 34. —D. L'œuvre ascé tique 40. —E. L'Ad adolescentes 43. —F. Les livres De baptismo 44. —G. Les éloges funèbres à la mémoire de Basile 45. —H. Basil au centre des tensions et des cri ses 47. 3. Manuscripts and Editions of the Works of Basil of Caesarea Stig Y. Rudberg 49 —A. The Manuscripts 49. —Β. The Editions 56. 4. Basil's Κατά Εύνομίου, A Critical Analysis Milton V. Anastos 67 —A. Book 1 (On God the Father) 67. —B. Book 2 (On the Son) 92. —C. Book 3 (On the Holy Spirit) 111. —D. Conclusions 118. —Epilogue 133. —Glossa­ ry 134. VIII CONTENTS 5. Basil's "Neoplatonism": Its Background and Nature John M. Rist 137 I. Platonism and Christianity: 270-325: —A. Introduction 137. —B. The Editions of Eusto- chius. Preliminary Observations, 270-301 140. —C. The Early History of Porphyry's Against the Christians, De regressu animae, and Related Mat­ ters 141. —D. Eustochius, Porphyry and Euse- bius 159. —E. Pagan Alexandria, 270-325 165. —F. Arius 170. —G. The Early Athanasius 173. —H. Some Concluding Remarks: 270-325 178. II. Platonism and Christianity: 325-355: —A. Introduction 180. —B. Iamblichus and his Pu­ pils 180. —C. Philosophy at Athens, 250-355 182. —D. Neo-Arianism: Aetius and Eunomius 185. —E. Porphyry, Victorinus Again, and "Candidus" 189. —F. Conclusion: 325-355 190. III. Basil of Caesarea: —A. Introduction 190. —B. De spiritu and Ennead 5.1 192. —C. The Authorship of De spiritu: Some Preliminary Remarks 193. —D. De Spiritu Sancto outside Chapter 9 195. —E. De spiritu and De Spiritu Sancto 9 199. —F. Other Texts of Basil 202. —G. Basil and Plotinus: Provisional Results 207. —H. Porphyry and Iamblichus in Basil 212. —I. Plotinus the Philosopher and Basil the Bishop 215. —J. Epilogue 219. 6. Saint Basil and the Rhetorical Tradition George L. Kustas 221 7. Basilios von Caesarea und die Organisation der christlichen Kirche im Vierten Jahrhundert Konstantinos G. Bonis 281 —Α. Zur Lage der Kirche im Vierten Jahrhundert 281. —B. Basilios' des Grossen Weg zum Wirken in der Kir­ che 292. —C. Basilios' des Grossen Anachorese 296. —D. Ruckkehr in die Welt - Priesterlich-pastorales Wir­ ken 301. —E. Zu Basilios' Zeiten die Kirche bedrängende Irrlehren 308. —F. Basilios der Theologe 317. —G. Basilios der Kirchenmann 331. 8. The "Spiritual Sense" of Scripture: The Exegetical Basis for St. Basil's Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Jaroslav Pelikan 337 CONTENTS IX 9. L'idéal du monachisme basilien Thomas Spidlik 361 —A. Un problème en forme d'objection 361. —B. La loi écrite et la loi des faits 362. —C. La "morale du consente ment"? 365. —D. Le souvenir continuel de Dieu 367. —E. La sophiologie 370. —F. Les effets du souvenir de Dieu 372. —G. Conclusion 373. 10. St. Basil's Social Activity: Principles and Praxis Ioannes Karayannopoulos 375 11. San Basilio y la esclavitud: teoria y praxis Ramon Teja 393 12. A Note on Basil's Letters of Recommendation Barnim Treucker 405 13. Statt einer Zusammenfassung: Die Theologie des Basileios im Kontext der Reichskirche am Beispiel seines Charismaver- standnisses A. Martin Ritter 411 Part Two THE TRADITION 14. The Translations of the Works of Basil Before 1400 Paul J. Fedwick 439 —Introduction: Significance and Limitations of the Pro blem 439. —A. Syriac Translations 444. —B. Basiliana Latina 455. —C. Works in Armenian 473. —D. Basil in Coptic Literature 480. —E. Basil in Arabic 485. —F. Georgian Translations 492. —G. Old Church Slavonic Translations 503. 15. Basil and the Early Medieval Latin Canonical Collections Roger E. Reynolds 513 16 Notes on the Iconography of Saint Basil the Great Wilma Fitzgerald 533 —A. Official Basil 535. —B. Popular Basil 552. 17. P. Antin 111·. Un testimone ignorato delle Erotapokriseis brevius tractatae di Basilio Sever J. Voicu 565 18. Repertorio dei manoscritti della versione armena di S. Basilio di Cesarea Gabriella Uluhogian 571