St Basil's Contribution to the Trinitarian Doctrine: A Synthesis of Greek Paideia and the Scriptural Worldview, Philip Kariatlis

Abstract: St Basil's contribution to the formulation of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity has long been acknowledged in the Christian tradition. Indeed, he was responsible for articulating the 'orthodox' vision of God with theological and philosophical originality that truly laid the foundation upon which the way of pondering the Trinitarian mystery in the East was established. His achievement lay in his remarkable ability to ennoble the culture of the day with the Christian message without in any way compromising the latter. This paper explores the Trinitarian theology of St Basil with a view towards highlighting the harmonious synthesus of Greek paideia and the scriptural worldview.

Bio: Philip Kariatlis is Academic Secretary and Lecturer in Theology at St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College. He received his Doctor of Theology degree from the Sydney College of Divinity having examined the notion of koinonia in Orthodox ecclesiology as both gift and goal. His research interest lies in Church doctrine, specifically its existential and salvific significance. He translated the doctoral dissertation of Archbishop Stylianos (Harkianakis) The Infallibility of the Church in Orthodox Theology (2008) and has written in several peer reviewed journals within Australia and abroad.