CREED.) But his influence upon the final formu lation of the doctrine of the Trinity was con siderable, especially in drawing a distinction be tween the one divine essence, or substance, and the three hypostases, or persons. (See ARIANS ; HYPOSTASIS; HOMOOUSION. ) He also emphasized the attributes of the three persons in the Trin ity—viz. that the Father is eternally Father, un begotten; that the Son is eternally begotten; and that the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds (from the Father). In addition to these funda mental articles of the faith, Gregory maintained certain ideas, derived from Origen, which never met with favor in the Church, notably the theory of a final restoration of all men to harmony with God (the apokatastasis). He visited Constanti nople three times after the Council of 381. On one of these occasions he delivered funeral ora tions over the Princess Pulcheria and the Em press Flacilla. We' hear of him for the last time in 394.
Gregory had none of those accidental marks of distinction which attach to popes and patri archs. His episcopal see was insignificant, ex cept as he himself shed lustre upon it. His place in history depends upon his service to the de velopment of Catholic theology, and in particu lar to the formulation of the trinitarian dogma.
His doctrinal views may be read in his extensive work Against Eunomius (who was a pronounced Arian) ; in his book Against Apollinarius; or in his Great Catechism, which was designed for the use of the clergy in dealing with candidates for admission to the Church. In his treatise on The Soul and the Resurrection we have an illus tration of his power as a speculative philosopher; in that On Virginity we may examine one side of his ethical system, and also notice his regret that he is himself shut out by marriage from the more excellent life he praises. An adequate edition of his works is much to be desired.
BIBLIOGRAPHY. Migne, Patrol. Grcec., vols. Bibliography. Migne, Patrol. Grcec., vols. xliv.-xlvi. (Paris, 1863), gives the text of most of Gregory's works. An English translation by Moore and Wilson is given in The Nicene Fathers, second series, vol. v. (New York, 1893). In gen eral, consult: the article "Gregorius Nyssenus," in Smith and Wace, Dictionary of Christian Biog raphy (London, 1877-87) ; Harnack, History of Dogma, vol. iv. (English translation, London, 1898) ; Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. iii. (New York, 1889) ; Vollert, Die Lehre Gregors von Nyssa vom Guten end Bosen (Leip zig, 18971.