Pierre Mikhaylov

This article examines the place accorded to rationality in Christian theology as conceived by the Cappadocian Fathers, namely Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa. The study adopts a patristic and analytical approach, drawing on the texts of these fourth-century authors to identify their conception of the relationship between reason and faith. The main idea is that the Cappadocians legitimized the use of rationality as an instrument in the service of theological reflection, without reducing the knowledge of God to a purely discursive approach. On the theological level, the article highlights the patristic foundations of a Christian theology that integrates reason while acknowledging its limits in the face of the divine mystery, thereby contributing to illuminating the origins of the intellectual tradition of Eastern Orthodox theology.