Ruch Biblijny i Liturgiczny (Jun 2008)

The way of Christian perfection according to the teaching of Gregory the Great

  • Oleksandr Kashchuk

DOI
https://doi.org/10.21906/rbl.355
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 61, no. 2

Abstract

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The main purpose of the article is to look at the doctrine of Gregory the Great and explore his teaching on the means, through which a Christian can advance spiritually, i.e. achieve a spiritual unity with God. According to the teaching of Gregory the Great, a hu- man being in his/her nature constantly pursues God. To realize human natural longing, the human needs the assistance of God’s grace. The human should consent to the cooperation with God’s grace. First of all, one should discover and wake up in one’s self the longing for God, which is the force d’être of every spiritual development. This longing for God is a state of the introductory unity with God. To improve and solidify this longing human’s should purify it from the earthly devotion, then spiritually improve one’s self in the reading of the Holy Scripture, model one’s self after the life of just people, pray, make use of sacramental grace, observe the commandments of God, and do good deeds.

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