THE ROLE OF THEORIA IN GREGORY OF NYSSA'S VITA MOYSIS AND IN CANTICUM CANTICORUM

In this article the author focuses on the problem of spiritual sense in the hermeneutics of Gregory of Nyssa, as it is described in his late works Vita Moysis (The life of Moses) and In Canticum Canticorum (Commentary on the Song of Songs). The author explores how spiritual sense (in terms of theoria) was understood in the milieu of the Early Church. He then approaches each of the mentioned books in their own context and analyzes them from the perspective of modern scholarship. Finally the author presents Gregory's unique hermeneutics of spiritual sense, which is assembled around three terms: allegory, skopos and akolouthia. His primary goal is to advocate the ascent of the soul to God. In addition the author questions the summary dividing of patristic hermeneutics into Alexandrian and Antiochene approaches.