In Gregory the Great’s Pastoral Care the balance of the Christian life of the clergy not only permeates Gregory’s discussions in each major section of the book but also this theological motif served him to challenge the tendency of the clergy of his times to have a negative attitude towards the active life. Overall, Gregory’s middle-ground position of work is noteworthy and deserves more attention. He seems to defend ‘the mixed life’ in his discussions, where the balance motif serves such a purpose. The ‘mixed life’ is understood as the combination of both the active and contemplative life of the …