Eunomius’ Creeds

This chapter offers a new reading of Against Eunomius 1, juxtaposing it with Refutation of Eunomius’ “Confession.” Structurally, Against Eunomius 1’s dogmatic section is shown to be organized around a refutation of the confession of faith in Eunomius’s Second Apology. Thematically, the chapter argues, Gregory’s book emphasizes what he takes to be Eunomius’ misunderstanding of baptismal grace in that confession. The famous metaphysical and epistemological arguments of Against Eunomius 1 are shown to be subordinate to the contrast Gregory draws between Eunomius’ creed, in which the persons are ranked in accordance with the ranking of their proper activities, and Christ’s creed. As in the anti-Pneumatomachian works, so too here Gregory’s central claim is that the giving of life in baptism (a work of the Spirit) must not be ranked as inferior to the creation of the universe (a work of the Son).