Better By Example

Gregory urged the persecuted Christians of Nazianzus to be the better men.

AD 362-263

Julian, Roman Emperor 361-363

Introduction

From 361 to 363, the Roman Empire was ruled by Julian the Apostate, so named because he had been brought up as a Christian but had chosen Roman paganism instead. In 362, Julian began a systematic persecution of Christians, leading to anger and rebellion. Gregory, a priest in the town of Nazianzus, told his parishioners not to play Julian’s game — even when the tables were turning.

by Gregory Nazianzen ?329-390

Let us not abuse our power; let us not be bitter towards those that have wronged us; let us not do the same things that we have blamed in others, but profiting by the change so far as escaping danger goes, let us detest all thoughts of retaliation: a sufficient vengeance for reasonable men is the terror of those that have injured them, and their expecting the treatment of which they are deserving, and the torments of their own conscience; for what a person fears that he is about to suffer, the same he does suffer even though he does not actually suffer it; and perhaps even more from himself than he would from those that should inflict it.

Let us, therefore, not consent for anger to be meted out as their due to our enemies, nor let us show ourselves punishers too gentle for their deserts; but seeing that we cannot exact from them the full debt of vengeance, let us forgive them the whole; let us be better and more highminded than those who have wronged us; let us show them what their demons teach them, and what Christ hath taught us, who having glory in the things that He suffered, was not less superior in the things He refrained from doing, though He had the power.

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Précis

Julian, the Roman Emperor from 361 to 363, initiated a persecution of Christians. Gregory Nazianzen spoke out in public against him, but he did not demand justice. Let their enemies, he said, sweat for fear of what revenge Christians could take, though they never should; and instead of forgiving them in part, humble them by forgiving them for everything.

Sevens

Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.

Why, in Gregory’s opinion, would it be better for the Christians not to punish their enemies at all?

Suggestion

Because they couldn’t be punished sufficiently anyway.

Jigsaws

Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.

Julian persecuted Christians. Gregory told them not to take revenge.

See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.

IPay. IISuffer. IIIVictim.

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