Church Fathers
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The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential
For many denominations of Christianity, the writings of the
, made major contributions to the development of later Christian theology, but certain elements of their teaching were later condemned.Apostolic Fathers
The Apostolic Fathers were
Clement of Rome
The First Epistle of Clement (c. 96)[7] is the earliest extant epistle from a Church Father.[8] In the epistle, Clement calls on the Christians of Corinth to maintain harmony and order.[7]
Copied and widely read in the
Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius of Antioch (also known as Theophorus) (c. 35 – c. 110)
Polycarp of Smyrna
Polycarp of Smyrna (c. 69 – c. 155) was a Christian
Polycarp tried and failed to persuade Pope Anicetus to have the West celebrate Passover on the 14th of Nisan, as in the Eastern calendar. Around AD 155, the Smyrnans of his town demanded Polycarp's execution as a Christian, and he died a martyr. The story of his martyrdom describes how the fire built around him would not burn him, and that when he was stabbed to death, so much blood issued from his body that it quenched the flames around him.[7]
Papias of Hierapolis
Very little is known of Papias apart from what can be inferred from his own writings. He is described as "an ancient man who was a hearer of John and a companion of Polycarp" by Polycarp's disciple Irenaeus (c. 180). Eusebius adds that Papias was
Despite indications that the work of Papias was still extant in the Late Middle Ages, the full text is now lost; however, extracts appear in a number of other writings, some of which cite a book number.
Greek Fathers
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Overview |
Those who wrote in
Justin Martyr
Justin Martyr was an early Christian apologist, and is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the theory of the Logos in the 2nd century.[15][16] He was martyred, alongside some of his students, and is considered a saint by the Catholic Church,[17] Anglicanism,[18] the Eastern Orthodox Church,[19] and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Irenaeus of Lyons
Irenaeus was
In his best-known book, .
Clement of Alexandria
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215) was the first member of the church of
Origen of Alexandria
Origen, or Origen Adamantius (c. 185 – c. 254) was a scholar and theologian. According to tradition, he was an Egyptian[22] who taught in Alexandria, reviving the Catechetical School where Clement had taught. The patriarch of Alexandria at first supported Origen but later expelled him for being ordained without the patriarch's permission. He relocated to Caesarea Maritima and died there[23] after being tortured during a persecution. He later became a controversial figure and some of his writings were condemned as heretical. Using his knowledge of Hebrew, he produced a corrected
Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 293 – 373) was a theologian,
Cappadocian Fathers
The Cappadocian Fathers are
These scholars set out to demonstrate that Christians could hold their own in conversations with learned Greek-speaking intellectuals. They argued that Christian faith, while it was against many of the ideas of Plato and Aristotle (and other Greek philosophers), was an almost scientific and distinctive movement with the healing of the soul of man and his union with God at its center. They made major contributions to the definition of the Trinity finalized at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 and the final version of the Nicene Creed.
Subsequent to the First Council of Nicea, Arianism did not simply disappear. The semi-Arians taught that the Son is of like substance with the Father (
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom (c. 347 – c. 407),
Chrysostom is known within Christianity chiefly as a preacher and theologian, particularly in the Eastern Orthodox Church; he is the patron saint of orators in the Catholic Church. Chrysostom is also noted for eight of his sermons that played a considerable part in the history of
Chrysostom's sermons along with Basil the Great's have greatly influenced the Christian Church's understanding of economic and distributive justice for the poor, being cited extensively by the Catechism of the Catholic Church[33] as well as Pope Francis in his own sermons critiquing modern-day forms of capitalism.[34][35]
Theodore of Mopsuestia
Theodore of Mopsuestia (c. 350 – 428) was a Christian theologian, and
In 394, he attended a synod at Constantinople on a question which concerned the see of
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria (c. 378 – 444) was the Bishop of Alexandria when the city was at its height of influence and power within the
Maximus the Confessor
Maximus the Confessor (also known as Maximus the Theologian and Maximus of Constantinople) (c. 580 – 662) was a Christian monk, theologian, and scholar. In his early life, he was a civil servant and an aide to the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius; however, he gave up this life in the political sphere to enter into the monastic life.
After moving to Carthage, Maximus studied several Neo-Platonist writers and became a prominent author. When one of his friends began espousing the Christological position known as Monothelitism, Maximus was drawn into the controversy, in which he supported the Chalcedonian position that Jesus had both a human and a divine will. Maximus is venerated in both Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity. His Christological positions eventually resulted in his torture and exile, soon after which he died; however, his theology was vindicated by the Third Council of Constantinople, and he was venerated as a saint soon after his death. His feast day is celebrated twice during the year: on 21 January and on 13 August. His title of Confessor means that he suffered for the faith, but not to the point of death, and thus is distinguished from a martyr. His Life of the Virgin is thought to be the earliest complete biography of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
John of Damascus
John of Damascus (c. 676 – 749) was a Syrian Christian monk, priest, hymnographer and apologist. Born and raised in Damascus, he died at his monastery, Mar Saba, near Jerusalem.
A polymath whose fields of interest and contribution included law, theology, philosophy, and music, he was given the by-name of Chrysorrhoas (Χρυσορρόας, literally "streaming with gold", i.e. "the golden speaker"). He wrote numerous works expounding the Christian faith, and composed hymns which are still used both liturgically in Eastern Christian practice throughout the world as well as in western Lutheranism at Easter.[40] He was particularly known for his defense of icons.[41]
The Catholic Church regards him as a Doctor of the Church, often referred to as the Doctor of the Assumption because of his writings on the Assumption of Mary.
Adapting Greek culture and mythology to Christianity
Some Greek Church Fathers viewed the
Latin Fathers
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Those fathers who wrote in Latin are called the Latin (Church) Fathers.
Tertullian
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus (c. 155 – c. 222), who was converted to Christianity before 197, was a prolific writer of apologetic, theological, controversial and ascetic works.[43] He was born in Carthage, the son of a Roman centurion.
Tertullian denounced Christian doctrines he considered heretical, such as allowing widows to remarry and permitting Christians to flee from persecution, but later in life adopted
In his Apologeticus, he was the first Latin author who qualified Christianity as the vera religio, and systematically relegated the classical Roman imperial religion and other accepted cults to the position of mere "superstitions".
He used the early church's symbol for fish—the Greek word for "fish" being ΙΧΘΥΣ which is an acronym for Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour)—to explain the meaning of baptism since fish are born in water. He wrote that human beings are like little fish.
Cyprian of Carthage
Cyprian (c. 200 – 258) was bishop of Carthage and an important early Christian writer. He was born in
Hilary of Poitiers
Hilary of Poitiers (c. 300 – c. 368) was Bishop of Poitiers and is a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" (
Ambrose of Milan
Ambrose
Pope Damasus I
Jerome of Stridonium
Jerome (c. 347 – 420) is best known as the translator of the
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine (354–430), Bishop of Hippo, was a philosopher and theologian. Augustine, a Latin Father and Doctor of the Church, is one of the most important figures in the development of
Augustine was born in present-day
Pope Leo the Great
Pope Gregory the Great
Gregory I the Great (c. 540 – 604) was pope from 3 September 590 until his death.
He is also known as Gregorius Dialogus (Gregory the Dialogist) in Eastern Orthodoxy because of the
Isidore of Seville
Isidore of Seville (c. 560 – 636) was Archbishop of Seville for more than three decades and is considered, as the historian Montalembert put it in an oft-quoted phrase, "le dernier savant du monde ancien" ("the last scholar of the ancient world"). Indeed, all the later medieval history-writing of Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula, comprising modern Spain and Portugal) was based on his histories.
At a time of disintegration of classical culture and aristocratic violence and illiteracy, he was involved in the conversion of the royal
Syriac Fathers
A few Church Fathers wrote in
Aphrahat
Aphrahat (c. 270 – c. 345) was a
Ephrem the Syrian
Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306 – 373) was a
Ephrem wrote a wide variety of hymns,
Isaac of Antioch
Isaac of Antioch (451–452), one of the stars of Syriac literature, is the reputed author of a large number of metrical homilies (The fullest list, by Gustav Bickell, contains 191 which are extant in MSS), many of which are distinguished by an originality and acumen rare among Syriac writers.
Isaac of Nineveh
Isaac of Nineveh was a 7th-century
Desert Fathers
The
Modern positions
In the Catholic Church, the patristic era is believed to have passed, and
The Eastern Orthodox Church does not consider the age of Church Fathers to be over and includes later influential writers up to the present day. The Orthodox view is that men do not have to agree on every detail, much less be infallible, to be considered Church Fathers. Rather, Orthodox doctrine is determined by the consensus of the Holy Fathers—those points on which they do agree. This consensus guides the church in questions of dogma, the correct interpretation of scripture, and to distinguish the authentic sacred tradition of the Church from false teachings.[62]
The original
Though much
Patristics
The study of the Church Fathers is known as patristics.
Works of fathers in
See also
- Christian apologetics
- Confessor of the Faith
- Great Church
- Historiography of early Christianity
- List of Church Fathers
- List of Christian women of the patristic age
- List of Eastern Orthodox saint titles
- Patron Saints of Europe
- Sacred tradition
- Clavis Patrum Graecorum
Notes
- ^ Byzantine Iconoclasm began in AD 726, John of Damascus died in AD 749; the last of the seven ecumenical councils took place in AD 787.
- ^ Known in Latin and Low Franconian as Ambrosius, in Italian as Ambrogio and in Lombard as Ambroeus.
References
- ISBN 978-0-7425-3163-5.
- .
These teachers, both in the East and the West, manifested the strength of Christian truth and the power of Christian life in their writings that marked this period as the Golden Age of the Fathers. The end of the Patristic era is generally marked in the West with the death of St. Isidore of Seville (d. c. 636) and in the East with the death of St. John of Damascus (d. c. 750). The writings of the Fathers have been given great respect both in their role of establishing the Christian tradition of beliefs and patterns of living and also as works that provide a deeper grasp of the meaning of Christian truths or provoke questions that lead Christians to a deeper understanding of their beliefs.
- ^ Preus, J.A.O. (1984). "The Use of the Church Fathers in the Formula of Concord". Concordia Theological Quarterly. 48 (2–3): 97—112.
- ^ Kelly, John N. D. "Patristic literature". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ Rasmussen, Adam (10 June 2011). "Who are the Fathers of the Church? A chronological list". Catholic Theology. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
- ^ Peterson, John Bertram (1913). "The Apostolic Fathers". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Durant, Will (1972). Caesar and Christ. New York: Simon and Schuster.
- ^ Di Berardino, Angelo (2014). Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity. IVP Academic. p. 1:549.
- ^ Elliott, John. 1 Peter. Doubleday, Toronto, 2000. Page 138.
- ^ "The Ecclesiastical Canons of the Same Holy Apostles". Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Ante-Nicene Fathers. Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A.: Eerdmans Pub Co. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
- ^ Ibn Khaldun (1958) [1377], "Chapter 3.31. Remarks on the words "Pope" and "Patriarch" in the Christian religion and on the word "Kohen" used by the Jews", Muqaddimah, translated by Rosenthal, Franz.
- ^ See "Ignatius" in The Westminster Dictionary of Church History, ed. Jerald Brauer (Philadelphia:Westminster, 1971) and also David Hugh Farmer, "Ignatius of Antioch" in The Oxford Dictionary of the Saints (New York:Oxford University Press, 1987).
- ^ EPISTLE OF IGNATIUS TO THE MAGNESIANS, chapter IX
- ISBN 9780674990289.
- ^ Rokeah (2002) Justin Martyr and the Jews p.22.
- ^ Philippe Bobichon, Dialogue with Trypho, critical edition and French translation, vol. 1; vol. 2.
- ^ Lebreton, Jules (1910). "St. Justin Martyr". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "For All the Saints" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-05-24. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
- ^ "Justin the Philosopher & Martyr and his Companions". Retrieved 2011-04-02.
- ^ Bray. God Has Spoken. p. 202.
- ^ Ramelli. The Christian Doctrine of Apokatastasis. pp. 119–136.
- S2CID 143379839.
- ^ About Caesarea
- ^ Ramelli (2019). A Larger Hope, Volume 1. Cascade Books. pp. 226–227.
- Fifth Ecumenical Council(Schaff, Philip, "The Seven Ecumenical Councils", Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2, Vol. 14. Edinburgh: T&T Clark)
- ^ The Anathematisms of the Emperor Justinian Against Origen (Schaff, op. cit.)
- ^ "Commentary on Song of Songs; Letter on the Soul; Letter on Ascesis and the Monastic Life". World Digital Library. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
- ^ Pope Vigilius, Constitution of Pope Vigilius, 553
- ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- ISBN 0-19-530429-2. 48
- ISBN 965-07-0665-8.
- ^ John Chrysostom and the Jews: Rhetoric and Reality in the Late 4th Century, by Robert L. Wilken (University of California Press: Berkeley, 1983), p. 112.
- ^ "Catechism of the Catholic Church – The seventh commandment". www.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 2002-09-10.
- ^ "St. John Chrysostom and Pope Francis: What they have in common". 12 September 2014.
- ^ "What St. John Chrysostom Can Teach Us About Social Justice". 6 September 2018.
- ^ "Theodore Of Mopsuestia | Syrian theologian | Britannica". Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ McLeod 2009.
- ^ "ഗ്രീക്ക് സഭാപിതാക്കന്മാരുടെ ഓർമ്മ" (PDF). syromalabarliturgy.org (in Malayalam).
- ISBN 9781134079278.
- ^ Lutheran Service Book (Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 2006), pp. 478, 487.
- ISBN 978-0-87-973689-7.
- Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ISBN 9780192802903.
- ^ Vincent of Lerins in 434 AD, Commonitorium, 17, describes Tertullian as 'first of us among the Latins' (Quasten IV, p.549)
- ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- ISBN 0-671-21426-8(p. 43)
- ^ To Autolycus, Book 2, chapter XV
- ^ "Hiëronymus in zijn studeervertrek". lib.ugent.be. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
- ^ Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York: Oxford University Press. 2005, article Platonism
- ISBN 978-1-135-28408-4.
- ISBN 978-0-8146-5616-7.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope St. Leo I (The Great)". Newadvent.org. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- ^ "Philip Schaff: NPNF2-14. The Seven Ecumenical Councils - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". Ccel.org. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
- about.com
- ]
- ISBN 978-90-429-0859-8. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-90-429-0759-1. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
- ISBN 978-0-415-09095-7. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
- ISBN 9781405166584.
- ^ Pius XII. "Doctor Mellifluus". The Holy See. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- ^ Stephen Beale. "Who Was the Last of the Church Fathers?". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
- ^ Pomazansky, Michael (1984) [1973, in Russian], Orthodox Dogmatic Theology (English trans.), Platina CA: Saint Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, pp. 37, ff
- Henry Beveridge, trans. Calvin's Tracts (Calvin Translation Society, Edinburgh. 1849)
External links
- ChurchFathers.org – All of the Church Fathers' writings broken down by topic. Find writings by the Fathers on everything from the Eucharist, to baptism, to the Virgin Mary, to the Pope
- Church Fathers' works in English edited by Philip Schaff, at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library
- Church Fathers at the Patristics In English Project Site
- Early Church Fathers Additional Texts Part of the Tertullian corpus.
- Excerpts from Defensor Grammaticus
- Excerpts from the Church Fathers
- The Fathers, the Scholastics, and Ourselves by von Balthasar
- Faulkner University Patristics Project A growing collection of English translations of patristic texts and high-resolution scans from the comprehensive Patrologia compiled by J. P. Migne.
- Early Church Fathers Writings Ante Nicene, Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers
- Writings from the church fathers at www.goarch.com. Archived 2008-09-22 at the Wayback Machine
- The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, by Dr. Roy Joseph Deferrari (1890–1969) and Dr. Ludwig Schopp (d. June 16, 1949) [1] [2], founder and editorial director. Works hosted at the Internet Archive
- Migne Patrologia Latina and Graeca: a free digital edition of almost all the original texts.
- Catholic Encyclopedia: The Fathers of the Church