Gregory of Nyssa on the Resurrected Life: Bodies of Hope

Amy Brown Hughes

doi:10.1017/9781009492089

Series: Elements in Early Christian Literature

Gregory of Nyssa on the Resurrected Life

Bodies of Hope

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 April 2026

Amy Brown Hughes

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Amy Brown Hughes: Affiliation:
Gordon College

Summary

This Element is composed of three sections that explore Gregory of Nyssa's understanding of the resurrected life. First, according to Gregory, Christ establishes the ascent as the way of virtue and all who desire virtue will be sustained and sated by an infinite God. Second, Gregory assumes that the resurrected life affects us now, and not just our souls but our bodies, our relationships, and our neighbors. Finally, the resurrected life includes companions and teachers, such as his sister Macrina, and those who offer us their lives as instruction, model, and guide like Moses or Paul. This Element engages across multiple works to demonstrate that, for Gregory, Christ's resurrected body affects the bodies of all humans who choose to be on the ascent to God. For Gregory, everything was at stake. As a person lives into the resurrection, they become newly connected and beholden to their neighbors, near and far.

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Keywords

Gregory of Nyssa Macrina eschatology theological anthropology resurrection

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Type: Element
Information: Series: Elements in Early Christian Literature
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009492089 [Opens in a new window]
Online ISBN: 9781009492089
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication: 14 May 2026

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