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Book Reviews
Carla D. Sunberg
The Cappadocian Mothers: Deification Exemplified in the Writings of Basil, Gregory,
and Gregory(Eugene,OR: Pickwick Publications, 2017). 252 pp. $24.00 paper-
back.
Carla D. Sunberg, in her book The Cappadocian Mothers, examines the influ- ential role of key female figures in the lives of the Cappadocian Fathers. While Christian history is populated with numerous male figures who have made an impact in Christian theology, the number of female figures are rather scarce. The retrieval of the important role these women played in the development of Christian theology is one of the main reasons behind this book. Guiding this trajectory is the switch from a modern to postmodern approach in the human- ities that has led many scholars to question the status quo. Since the normal Christian history is one dominated by men, one wonders why female voices are often silent or non-existent. Could this silence possibly be attributed to the fact that in its two thousand year-long history, Christianity has not been able to produce apt and able women? Certainly not. It is within this vein that Sun- berg’s exploration concerning the influential role of the Cappadocian Mothers is best understood.
Who were the Cappadocian Mothers? “In brief, they were the mothers and sisters of these three great doctors of the church” (ix). They are: Gregory and Basil’s grandmother, Macrina the Elder, their mother, Emelia, and their older sister, Macrina the Younger; Gregory Nazianzen’s mother, Nonna and his sister, Gorgonia; Basil’s “two younger sisters, Theosebia and one whose name we do not know who went back on her vows of virginity to be married” (x). Their lives are the models for theosis for the Cappadocian Fathers.
A key concept within the book is the kenosis-theosis parabola within the Cappadocian theological framework. “Nazianzen expresses it in this manner: ‘I must be buried with Christ, rise with Christ, be joint heir with Christ, become the son of God, even God Himself’” (50). Christ emptied himself and became man. This kenotic activity is the very same activity that we must engage in if we are to properly engage in the act of theosis. Only in the letting go of self can we truly participate in God’s divine will for our lives. Theosis is an activity that at its core is unyielding in its insistence that God be the main focus and desire of our lives. The lives of the Cappadocian Mothers are a living testimony to this divine reality. Whether they were single or married, they were committed to obey and follow the words of the Lord.
Sundberg’s ability to set the stage for the discussion concerning Christian theosis is noteworthy in its breadth and depth. She notes that
© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2018 | doi: 10.1163/15700747-04001026
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in Cappadocian thought, the goal of the Christian life was theosis: to become like God or union with God. This concept of theosis signaled a return to the telos of humanity, a humanity that was made in the image and likeness of God. People are saved through their participation in theo- sis, culminating in their growth in holiness, love, and Christ-likeness. Throughouttheir lives,the Cappadocians workedtowardthis salvific goal.
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One of the problems with the Cappadocian Fathers’ use of the term theosis is that there is a tendency to use the word without providing a proper definition of the term. Although “Gregory of Nazianzus makes constant use of theosis or the doctrine of deification within the Christian context … the term was not yet normalized within the Christian community” (16). While the term may not have been properly defined, the Cappadocians’ theological framework for theo- sis was informed by Origen and Neo-Platonic thought along with the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament (16).
Chapter 2 entitled “The Christianization of Deification” gives a detailed out- look into the process by which theosis was co-opted into Christian theology. The “Christocentric Development” of Chapter 3 speaks of how theosis became “a Christocentric and eschatological concept, expressed in Platonic language but basically independent of philosophical speculation” (47). AccordingtoRus- sell, the Cappadocians made theosis a term that is best understood as partici- pation rather than deification. This meant that “the human is not completely absorbed into the divine … But while humans are invited to be ‘partakers of the divine benefits,’ humanity will never become God” (47, 72). Chapter 4 delves into the role of monasticism and the role of virginity as means by which one can achieve theosis. In this chapter, Sundberg examines “the historical context of the Cappadocians: the outside influences, and the internal influences … in relation to their development of monasticism” (74). The Cappadocians’ fam- ily life is highlighted. Their families are marked by piety and strong Christian roots. In particular, the role of the various women (mother, grandmother, and sisters) in their lives are featured prominently. Chapter 5 explores the concept of the fallen virgin. Through the figure of the fallen virgin, we get a vision of the redemptive power of Christ. While virginity may be a means to achieve theo- sis, the Cappadocians were adamant in ensuring that virginity should not be only understood from a physical perspective, but from a spiritual perspective as well.
Chapter 6 further explores this possibility as it uses the lives of Nonna and Gorgonia, Gregory Nazianzen’s mother and sister—who were both married— as models of theosis. Virginity, then, is not the sole means through which one
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can participate in the divine act of theosis. Chapter 7 presents Macrina as the perfect virgin bride of Christ. “Her life as a virgin becomes representative for men and women, all of whom may become brides through acts of virtue, result- ing in participation in God” (133). For the Cappadocians, the purpose of theosis istorestorethehuman-divine relationshipthatwasbrokenduringthe Fall.This broken relationship can now be restored through theosis. While the individual “works” towards this end, it is only through the power and grace of God that the individual can attain this goal. As the human will is submitted to the will of the Triune God, the human is invited to share in the very heart of the Creator of the universe. Chapter 8 speaks of the practical implications for life and ministry as it is exemplified in the lives of Macrina the Elder, Emmelia, and Theosebia. These women provide us with glimpses of how the church can accept women as voices who need to be heard and heeded.
It is a tragic reality that most North American evangelical churches are typ- ically illiterate of Christian history. There is a general belief that Christianity’s tradition, often marked with patriarchal and misogynistic tendencies, have contributed to the reason why women in leadership have often been seen in a negative light. While this may be true in many cases, the Cappadocian Fathers’ views have often been glossed over in the way we understand the early church’s predilections concerning this issue. The Cappadocian Mothers is a must-read for any Christian, male or female, who would be interested in understanding not only the role of women in leadership, but also of the woman in general. The Augustinian view of the woman as inferior and defective tends to domi- nate Western Christianity’s mindset. The Cappadocian Fathers’ view that the woman is an image-bearer—just like the man—is an often forgotten insight. Sunberg provides a necessary corrective to this type of faulty thinking that has permeated and pervaded our churches.
Sid Sudiacal
McMaster Divinity School, Hamilton, Ontario
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