Date of Award

1990

Document Type

Dissertation - Restricted

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Theology

First Advisor

Joseph T. Lienhard

Second Advisor

Patrick W. Casey

Third Advisor

Ronald J. Fienstra

Fourth Advisor

William J. Kelly

Abstract

It has generally been assumed by historical theologians that there was no significant development in the theology of the Holy Spirit until after the question concerning the Son's relationship to the Father had been dogmatically defined at the Council of Nicaea (325). Recent historical scholarship has called into question the adequacy of viewing the Council of Nicaea as the historical and doctrinal pivot point that earlier generations of scholars thought it was. This calls for a renewal of studies of the theology of the fourth century in general and the theology of the Holy Spirit in particular.

One of the key bishops at the Council of Nicaea was Eusebius of Caesarea (born A. D. 260, died A. D. 339). Historians of theology have tended to pass over the study of Eusebius' theology—assuming either that Eusebius was a historian, not a theologian, or that his theology simply reproduced the thinking of Origen. With the renewal of studies in fourth century theology has come a new understanding of Eusebius as a theologian in his own right and a new interest in what Eusebius' theology was.

One area of Eusebius' theology that has been neglected is his theology of the Holy Spirit. This dissertation seeks to address that lack and so contribute both to the new understanding of Eusebius of Caesarea the theologian and to the study of the development of the theology of the Holy Spirit.

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