Dictionary of Philosophy of Religion

GOVERNMENT

100

Q (from Quelle, German for “source”).
John’s gospel was written latter and varies
significantly from the other three. There
are also many Apocryphal gospels (such
as the Gospel of Thomas), which were not
included in the canon. See also BIBLE.

GOVERNMENT. Philosophers, from
Ancient Greece and China onward, have
addressed the nature and legitimacy of
governance and the proper structure
of political communities. In philosophy
of religion, inquiry has focused on the
extent to which governance and politics
requires a religious foundation; the legiti-
macy of monarchical rule, democracy,
and other forms of governance; the rela-
tionship of religious and civic duty and
virtue; toleration; the freedom to practice
religion; and the limits of imposing reli-
gious practices among non-religious sub-
jects or citizens. Just War Theory is a
domain that many philosophers and
theologians have engaged which bears
directly on the philosophy of government
and politics.

GRACE. Unmerited favor. In theology,
grace has been conceived in formal, penal
terms (through grace God forgives sins),
and as linked to gifts such as God’s cre-
ation and redemption. Creation itself has
been construed as a matter of common
grace and God’s calling of souls to salva-
tion as special grace. Infused grace occurs
when God instills in the soul the gift of
faith or virtue.

GREEK PHILOSOPHY. The term used

to refer to Ancient Greek philosophy,

from the pre-Socratics to the fifth century

CE and the collapse of the Western

Roman Empire.

GREGORY OF NAZIANZUS (c. 329–

390). One of the great fathers of the

early Christian church and one of the

Cappadocian fathers along with Basil

the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. Gregory

was raised in Nazianzus and was schooled

in the classical tradition in Athens along-

side Basil. Gregory returned to Nazianzus

around 359 and began to serve the church

there in 361. In 373, Basil appointed

him bishop of the small territory of

Sasima in an attempt to combat Arianism

by appointing anti-Arian friends to high-

ranking positions, but Gregory was never

happy about this appointment. Gregory

spent two years in Constantinople around

380 before returning to Nazianzus. He

vigorously emphasized the importance

of believing in the trinity in order to be

a faithful Christian, claiming that God

the Father is the source and cause of the

trinity, but nevertheless comprising a

unity that is indicative to the doctrine.

He wrote poems and letters, but it is his

sermons (now published as Forty-five

Sermons) that are best known.

GREGORY OF NYSSA (c. 335–c. 398).

One of the great fathers of the early

Christian church. He is the youngest of

the Cappadocian fathers (the others being