Approaching An Apology for the Hexaemeron: Its Aims, Method and Discourse, Doru Costache

Abstract: The article addresses a series of current assumptions about St Gregory of Nyssa's Apology, such as its supposed exegetical character, and its intent of defending and continuing St Basil's Homilies on the Hexaemeron. The presentation of this otherwise ignored treatise is followed by an analysis of its peculiarities, mainly its lack of structure together with its lack of interest in theology and spirituality. The article likewise discusses the Apology's attitude towards the Basilian Hexaemeron and the scientific or naturalistic approach it adopted. The last aspect points to the apologetic aspect of the treatise, as prevalent over the exegetical one. The article concludes by highlighting the relevance of this treatise to the understanding of tradition and the efforts of mediating the scripturally based Christian worldview by the means of various scientific paradigms.

Bio: Doru Costache is Senior Lecturer in Patristics at St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney, and a Presbyter under the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. He holds a ThD from the University of Bucharest and is co-convenor of the St Andrew's Patristic Symposia. He has published and edited a number of books in Romanian, dealing with theology and the field of science and theology, together with numerous articles, in both English and Romanian, in patristics, theology, and science and theology. He is currently working to finalise his first book in English, on the creation narrative (Genesis) as represented within tradition.