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Examined Doctrine

Basil the Great on Continuation of spiritual gifts

C.330 – 379 · GREEK FATHER
DISPUTED AMONG SCHOLARSINTERNALLY CONTESTED°
STANCE

Yes, the gifts continue

De Spiritu Sancto 9.23
"Hence comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, apprehension of what is hidden"

THE POSITION

De Spiritu Sancto 9 describes the charismata as present operations of the Spirit on those cleansed from every spot — foreknowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, apprehension of what is hidden, distribution of good gifts — citing Romans 12:6. He is describing the Spirit's work in the church of his own day as a matter of course, with no suggestion any of it has lapsed.

SCRIPTURE
ROMANS 12:6 · BSB

6 We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;

5 OTHERS HOLD THIS

AthanasiusThe Church of Eleven22 Statement of FaithJosh HowertonIrenaeusJohn Piper
No, they ceased with the apostolic ageVODDIE BAUCHAM · CALVIN · CHRYSOSTOM · JONATHAN EDWARDS · JOHN MACARTHUR · JOHN OWEN · JUSTIN PETERS · R.C. SPROUL
Open in principle, cautious in practiceAUGUSTINE · M. HEISER · TIM KELLER · LUTHER · GAVIN ORTLUND
See all 23 figures on continuation of spiritual gifts →

ABOUT THIS FIGURE

Bishop of Caesarea and monastic legislator. Supplied the Trinitarian vocabulary the church still uses — one ousia, three hypostases — and argued the Spirit's deity in De Spiritu Sancto while deliberately never calling him God outright.

7 OF 11 POSITIONS QUOTED
Everything Basil the Great holds →
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"Basil the Great on Continuation of spiritual gifts", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/basil/spiritual-gifts (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/basil/spiritual-gifts).

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