An Introduction to Gregory of NyssaThe classic understanding about Gregory of Nyssa, and his view of slavery, is that in his fourth homily on Ecclesiastes he denounces slave ownership but does not go far enough and call for the abolition of the institution. Peter Garnsey offers an analysis of this homily; he states that "Gregory was inspired by a long tradition of 'liberal' thought in both pagan and Christian circles, emphasizing the common humanity of slaves and masters and their common potential for virtue and salvation" but that he stops short of "exhorting the entire institution be eliminated” or even suggesting that his parishioners emancipate all their slaves. Many scholars attempt to deconstruct Gregory of Nyssa's beliefs by trying to discern what, if anything, may have influenced his beliefs about slavery. First, he was an extremely intellectual philosopher, combining the traditions of Greek rhetoric with Christian theology, in effect following “his theological logic far beyond the contemporary context.” Nissa believes, through his understanding of God, that slavery it is not a luxury and is not necessary for the domestic economy, but which is antithetical to "God's actions in creation, salvation and the Church" and above all "incompatible with the Gospel". To further the scholarly view of Nyssa's biblical prowess, J. Kameron Carter asserted that Gregory of Nyssa's abolitionism was explicitly intertwined with his ability to read, interpret, and communicate Scripture. Carter also offers a stark contrast between Gregory of Nyssa and the other Cappadocian Fathers, giving us a context in which to place Nyssa's interpretive ability. He stated that although both Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nazianzus had...... half of the final document... of the Society of Comparative Legislation (1909): 13–16.Schaff, Philip, and Henry Wace. A selected library of the Nicene and post-Nicene fathers of the Christian Church. 5 vols. The Company of Christian Literature, 1890.Stead, G. Christopher. The Easter Sermons of Gregory of Nyssa. Edited by Andreas Spira and Christoph Klock. Series of patristic monographs n. 9. Philadelphia: The Philadelphia Patristic Foundation, Ltd., 1981. Stramara, Daniel F. “Gregory of Nyssa: An Ardent Abolitionist?” St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly 41, no. 1 (January 1, 1997): 37-60. Turner, G. “The Christian Life as Bondage: Paul's Subversive Metaphor.” The Heythrop Journal (May 28, 2010): 1-12.de Wet, CL “Sin as Slavery and/or Slavery as Sin? On the relationship between slavery and Christian hamartiology in late ancient Christianity". Religion and theology, 17 1, n. 2 (2010): 26–39.