Unfassbarkeit und Erfahrbarkeit Gottes bei Gregor von Nazianz

Gregory of Nazianzus (329–390 AD), one of the most significant and influential late antique church writers, distinguishes in his work between the absolutely incomprehensible essence of God and the ways in which God can be experienced by humans. Nadja Heimlicher illustrates how the theologian makes this distinction and what he derives from it for his discourse on God. Heimlicher presents a consistent depiction of the interplay between theoretical foundations and their practical application in the life of Gregory of Nazianzus. While his theological work focuses on the question of the knowledge of God, it shifts in the context of lived faith towards the pursuit of the experience of God and ultimately towards union with God. One of Gregory's core concerns is that the practice of faith always precedes theology and serves as its nourishing foundation.