In the traditional Roman calendar, May 9 is the feast of a great Doctor of the Church, St Gregory of Nazianzus (d 389 – also known as Gregory Nazianzen). In the newer calendar he is fêted on January 2. The Orthodox, who rightly call him Gregory the Theologian, and various Protestants honour him on other dates. Gregory was Archbishop of Constantinople in times of fierce theological turmoil. He is one of the “Cappadocian Fathers”, together with St Basil the Great and Basil’s younger brother, St Gregory of Nyssa.

When we attentively watch what is going on in the Church these days, we might imagine that we have it tough, and in some ways we do. We do today especially, because it seems that very few take our faith seriously enough to learn it well and to have the discussions and, sometimes, the fights which ensure that sound doctrine is defended. In Gregory’s time, Christians took the faith seriously and even had physical fights over it.