8 /26 TO BHMA The Greek Australian VEMA OCTOBER 2014

Professor Paul M. Blowers (centre), the Very Revd Dr Doru Costache (right) along with reverend clergy, students and participants in T9684A Patristic Profile: St Gregory of Nyssa.

Professor Paul M. Blowers Lecturing on St Gregory of Nyssa

at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College
It was on a bright, sunny morning that
we went to pick up Paul M. Blowers
(Dean E. Walker Professor of Church His-
tory at Emmanuel Christian Seminary,
Johnson City, TN, USA) from Sydney air-
port; our brief time together acting as a
foretaste for the week ahead, where this
internationally renowned patristics scho-
ScriptureTeachers
ADVANCEDCOURSEͲ2014
lar would ‘shake up’ the very walls of St
Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological
College - and I mean this as a most posi-
tive metaphor - with his two day lectures
for the residential component of T9684A
Patristic Profile: St Gregory of Nyssa.
And so it was that from the 24-25 Sep-
tember 2014, clergymen, students, facul-
ty-members, and lovers of the fathers
and mothers of the Church gathered at
the College to participate in this auspi-
cious event, which was hosted by the
Very Revd Dr Doru Costache, Senior Lec-
turer in Patristic Studies at St Andrew’s,
who also created and manages the on-
line component of the unit. Professor
Blowers also visited St Andrew’s last year
to deliver lectures for the residential
components of units on ‘Spiritual Peda-
gogy in St Maximus the Confessor’ and
‘Creator and Creation in Early Christian
Theology’ - both created and managed
by Fr Doru - and, with the blessing of the
Dean of St Andrew’s, His Eminence Arch-
bishop Stylianos, returned this year to
uncover the wisdom in the thought and
writings of the great Cappadocian St Gre-
gory.
Professor Blowers traversed a wide
range of insightful topics during his two-
day lectures, including the historical-the-
ological context of St Gregory, his contri-
bution to Trinitarian Orthodoxy, his cos-
mology, theological anthropology, bibli-
cal interpretation, ascetical theology,
and views on eschatology.
Of particular interest to me were his
reflections on St Gregory’s cosmology
and theological anthropology, which
were enhanced both by Professor Blow-
ers’ clear and amiable teaching style, and
his references to his own experiences in
order to highlight a particular point;
thereby giving his lectures a personal,
and relatable, ambience.
The spontaneity with which a particu-
lar topic would spark dialogue between
Fr Doru and Professor Blowers was also a
highlight as it led us down new, unchart-
ed pathways into the thought and works
of the Nyssen that were nevertheless
framed by the saint’s overall, ecclesial
disposition.
In short, the lectures were truly inspir-
ing, and were met with much enthusi-
asm and acclaim; the perfect precursor
to Professor Blowers’ keynote lecture at
St Andrew’s 2014 Patristic Symposium,
which was held on the 26 and 27 Sep-
tember.
Mario Baghos
Associate Lecturer in Church History,
St Andrew’s Theological College


9.50AM–2.30PM,Monday3rdNovember2014

GreekOrthodoxParishofStsRaphael,NicholasandIrene
29ForbesStreet,Liverpool(besidetheChurch)

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The Very Revd Dr Doru Costache and Professor Paul M. Blowers