Pantaenus

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Saint Pantaenus the Philosopher
Catechetical School of Alexandria
Main interests
Christian theology

Saint Pantaenus the Philosopher (

Catechetical School of Alexandria from around AD 180. This school was the earliest catechetical school, and became influential in the development of Christian theology
.

Biography

Pantaenus was a

Greek philosophy. His most famous student, Clement,[6] who was his successor as head of the Catechetical School, described Pantaenus as "the Sicilian bee".[7] Although no writings by Pantaenus are extant,[8] his legacy is known by the influence of the Catechetical School on the development of Christian theology, in particular in the early debates on the interpretation of the Bible, the Trinity, and Christology. He was the main supporter of Serapion of Antioch for acting against the influence of Gnosticism
.

Silk Road map showing ancient trade routes

In addition to his work as a teacher,

Syrian Churches, as Bar Tolmai (the Hebrew name of Bartholomew). The ancient seaport Muziris on the Malabar Coast (modern-day Kerala in India) was frequented by the Egyptians in the early centuries AD.[14]

Saint Jerome (c. 347 – 30 September 420), apparently relying entirely on Eusebius' evidence from Historia Ecclesiastica, wrote that Pantaenus visited India, “to preach Christ to the Brahmans and philosophers there.”[15]
It is unlikely that Jerome has any information about Pantaenus' mission to India that is independent of Eusebius. On the other hand, his claim that "many" of Pantaenus' Biblical commentaries were still extant is probably based on Jerome's own knowledge.

His feast day as July 7.[2][16][3]

The

Mark the Apostle by Pope Paul VI of Rome on 15 Paoni[17][18][19]
but does not assign Pantaenus any specific feast date.

19th century and modern study on Pantaenus

The

apokatastasis, Hanson's conclusion about Pantaenus lacks a firm basis.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Orthodox Calendar. Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, a parish of the Patriarchate of Moscow". www.holytrinityorthodox.com.
  2. ^ a b "Saint Pantaenus, Father of the Church. July 7. Rev. Alban Butler. 1866. Volume VII: July. The Lives of the Saints". www.bartleby.com.
  3. ^ a b "Saint Pantaenus, Doctor of the Church and Apostle to the Indies".
  4. ^ "As he was succeeded by Clement who left Alexandria about 203, the probable date of his death would be about 200. " (Catholic Encyclopedia)
  5. ^ Alban Butler; Paul Burns. Butler's Lives of the Saints, Volume 7. A&C Black. p. 48.
  6. ^ Cf. Article "Clement of Alexandria" in the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Ed. George Menachery, Vol. II, 1973, p. 201
  7. ^ Clement, Stromata, 1.1.
  8. ^ Although Lightfoot (Apost. Fathers, 488), and Batiffol (L'église naissante, 3rd ed., 213ff) attribute the concluding passages of the Epistle to Diognetius to Pantaeus; see "Pantaenus" in The Westminster Dictionary of Christian History, ed. Jerald Brauer.
  9. ^ Cf. Article "Christian Influences on Hinduism before the European Period" by P. Thomas in the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Vol. II, 1973, pp. 177 et. sq.
  10. ^ Church History by Eusebius. Book V Chapter 10. Pantaenus the Philosopher.
  11. ^ Article by S. S. Koder, "History of the Jews in Kerala", in the St. Thomas Christian Encyclopaedia of India, Vol. II, 1973, pp. 183 ff.
  12. .
  13. .
  14. ^ Cyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia. Ed. by Edward Balfour (1871), Second Edition. Volume 2. p. 584.
  15. ^ De viris illustribus 36
  16. ^ "Pantaenus, St. | Encyclopedia.com".
  17. ^ "Paona 15 : Lives of Saints : Synaxarium – CopticChurch.net".
  18. ^ Egypt, Michael Ghaly. "15 Baounah – Paonah Month – Coptic Synaxarium (Coptic Orthodox Calendar: Daily Synaxarion) | St. Takla.org". st-takla.org.
  19. ^ "The Blessed Month of Baounah". www.copticplace.com.
  20. ^ J. W. Hanson. Universalism: The Prevailing Doctrine of the Christian Church p. 49 "Pantænus was martyred AD 216. The Universalism of Clement, Origen and their successors must, beyond question, have been taught by their great predecessor, Pantænus, and there is every reason to believe that the Alexandrine school had never known any contrary teaching from its foundation"
  21. ^ Itter, Andrew C. Esoteric teaching in the Stromateis of Clement of Alexandria 2009 p. 181 "... universal salvation and hinges on the tension between an individual soul's freedom to refuse the chastisements of God, ... universal capacity to save all things. It is a tension between the soul's autonomy and universal salvation"
  22. ^ FW Norris, "Apokatastasis," in Westminster Handbook to Origen, 59–62 [58].

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