Tradition and Polemic in Basil of Caesarea's Homily on the Theophany

Bibliographic Data

ID4065769
AuthorsMark Delcogliano (University of St. ThomasMail JRC153, 2115 Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN 55105, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume66
Issue1
Pages30-55
Publication date2012-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueVigiliae Christianae (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0042-6032 • E-ISSN: 1570-0720
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1163/157007211x561662
OpenAlexW2022137370
LanguageEN
Citations received3

The bulk of Basil of Caesarea's neglected Homilia in sanctam Christi generationem is a commentary on select verses of Matthew 1:18-2:11. He explicitly approves or rejects other interpretations, though without ever naming their authors. This study does not merely identify his sources and interlocutors, but more importantly examines how he engaged with previous and contemporary theologians and exegetes in a critical, selective, and creative manner. It shows that while Basil may have borrowed from Eusebius of Caesarea and refuted Eunomius, his primary conversation partner was Origen. Basil's use of Origen is by no means uniform, but ranges from wholesale adoption to outright rejection. Hence it is in his appropriation of Origen that Basil's critical, selective, and creative engagement with exegetical traditions is most clearly seen. This study concludes with a typology of seven ways in which Basil engaged with Origen in this homily

Appropriation · Archaeology · Art · Biblical studies · Conversation · Epistemology · Exegesis · Homily · Linguistics · Literature · Theology · Typology · Byzantine Studies and History · Historical and Linguistic Studies · History · Organic Chemistry Synthesis Methods · Philosophy

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