FYI!!!!!!!!

TST Patristics Seminar

Wednesday 27 February, 3.00-4.00 (USMC, Faculty of Theology, Room 207)
Marcos Ramos, O.P.

The New Eve: The Virgin Mary in Irenaeus of Lyons' Adversus haereses

Irenaeus of Lyons presents many important insights about the Christian
faith in his work Adversus haereses. This paper will examine the idea
of Mary as new Eve as presented in Adversus haereses and its
dependence upon the idea of the recapitulation of Christ. Secondly it
will explore the Eve-Mary typology, and its parallel Adam-Christ
typology, as reflective of the historical and cultural challenges of
the Church of the second and third centuries. Lastly, this paper shall
explore the insights of Irenaeus of Lyons regarding Mary still
relevant today; specifically the recapitulation in Christ, and the
typologies Adam-Christ and Eve-Mary, and their significance in
constructing the role of Mary in salvation history: her active role
for the advocacy of the human race and contemporary gender concerns in
soteriological discussions.



Wednesday 26 March, 3.00-4.00 (USMC, Faculty of Theology, Room 207)
Jeremy Siemens (MA student, University of St. Michael?s College)

To Shape an Empire: Religion, Philosophy and Philanthropy in St.
Gregory of Nazianzus and Emperor Julian ?the Apostate?

Points of connection between Emperor Julian and Gregory of Nazianzus
are manifold. Both Julian and Gregory were raised as Christians, both
considered themselves philosophers, both studied literature and
rhetoric in Athens together and they both eventually found themselves
in prime positions of leadership: Julian as Emperor, and Gregory as
bishop of Constantinople. They were both prolific writers trained in
the skills of rhetoric who issued stern calls for reform and action
based on their philosophies and theologies, which had become very
different especially due to Julian's conversion to paganism and
theurgy. As Emperor, Julian tried to stem the growing influence of
Christianity and pushed for the revival of pagan Hellenism, and
admonished his pagan priests to be of better character and more
philanthropic. Gregory, on the other hand, desired to shape Hellenism
in a more Christian direction, often criticized the state of the
episcopate, and was also intent on promoting philanthropy. This paper
will compare their approaches and discuss the extent to which they
embodied the virtues they preached.