Dictionary of Philosophy of Religion

GURU GRANTH SAHIB

101

Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus)
and the younger brother of Basil and
Macrina the Younger. It appears that
Gregory was married at some point in his
life, though very few details about this mar-
riage exist. Gregory hailed from a promi-
nent Christian family and is usually seen as
having been heavily influenced by his
brother Basil, who appointed him bishop
of Nyssa in the fight against Arianism.
Gregory is often seen as continuing
the work of Basil and defending Basil’s
positions (e.g., Against Eunomius and On
Virginity), but he also took up ideas of
Christian Platonism (e.g., On the Soul and
Resurrection and On the Making on Man)
and wrote the lives of saints, including
his sister (e.g., Life of Macrina and Life of
Moses). Gregory of Nyssa, along with
Gregory of Nazianzus and Basil the Great,
developed a doctrine of the trinity, stress-
ing that it was necessary to believe in the
three Godheads as being a single God in
order to be a Christian follower of the
Catholic Church. Gregory also elaborates
the idea of giving Jesus to Satan as a
ransom in order for salvation. Jesus (the
sinless, God-man) is given to Satan as a
kind of substitute for us. Jesus thus lures
Satan into releasing us from captivity, and
then overcomes Satan. This model of the
atonement has sometimes been called the
mousetrap, as Jesus is used as a kind of
bait to trap the evil one.

GROTIUS, HUGO (1583–1645). An
important Dutch jurist and philosopher

who defended the concept of interna-

tional law on the grounds of natural law

as opposed to contractarianism or utili-

tarianism. His works include On the Law

of Booty (1604), On the Law of War and

Peace (1625), and On the Truth of the

Christian Religion (1627).

GUILT. One is guilty of a wrongdoing

if one is morally responsible for the act

and therefore worthy of blame. The state

of being guilty differs from the state of

feeling guilt. One may be guilty of an act

without feeling guilty, and one may feel

guilty for an act when one is not guilty.

In some moral and religious traditions,

internal desires (such as envy or lust)

even if not acted upon are deemed wor-

thy of blame and thus can be sources of

guilt and guilt feelings. Some religious

rites of confession, remorse, repentance,

forgiveness, and personal renewal are

believed to involve absolution, the

removal of guilt. See also SHAME.

GURU (Sanskrit, “teacher”). A term used

in Indian religions to refer to a teacher,

usually of a spiritual nature.

GURU GRANTH SAHIB. The sacred

book of Sikh religion, believed to be

the tenth and final incarnation of Guru

Nanak (the founder of the religion).