Gregory of Nyssa’s fifteen Homilies on the Song of Songs offer an important resource for the history of Christian biblical exegesis, as well as for the history of Christian ascetical and spiritual teaching, and stand alongside Origen’s commentary on the Song as a source for the later interpretative tradition. In addition to offering the original text and an English translation of all fifteen homilies, Norris provides an analysis of the characteristic themes of Gregory’s ascetical teaching, emphasizes its connection in his mind with the institution of baptism, and stresses the degree to which Gregory sees the teaching of the Song as addressed not to a special class of believers but to any and all Christians.

The late Richard A. Norris Jr. was Emeritus Professor of Church History at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and Honorary Canon Theologian to the Episcopal Bishop of New York. He was the author of numerous works in patristic church history, theology, and ecumenism, including The Song of Songs: Interpreted by Early Christian and Medieval Commentators (Eerdmans).

Norris’s treatment of Gregory’s exegesis, though necessarily short of comprehensive, brings to bear his extensive erudition in the subject. He also offers thought-provoking observations on the text, both in the introduction and in the notes, and the translation itself is superb. This volume is both an admirable piece of scholarship and a very useful scholarly tool
— Sophie Cartwright, The Expository Times

 Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
Homilies on the Song of Songs
Homily 1
Homily 2
Homily 3
Homily 4
Homily 5
Homily 6
Homily 7
Homily 8
Homily 9
Homily 10
Homily 11
Homily 12
Homily 13
Homily 14
Homily 15
Bibliography
Index of Biblical References
Index of Modern Authors