Church History - People

Front 1

Apostolic Fathers

Back 1

writers of the 1st and 2nd centuries who are traditionally thought to have come in contact with the apostles.
• Clement of Rome: 1st – 2nd century bishop of Rome who wrote a letter to Corinth, and is mentioned in Philippians.
• Ignatius: 2nd century bishop of Antioch who wrote a series of letters to churches in Asia Minor on his way to Rome for martyrdom.
• Polycarp: 2nd century bishop of Smyrna, disciple of John, early Christian Martyr, wrote an Epistle to the Philippians

Front 2

Marcion

Back 2

2nd century heretic who distinguished between the Gods of the OT and NT, rejected the OT and issued his own edited canon of the NT, organized a church that rivaled the orthodox churches, and had some teachings similar to Gnosticism.

Front 3

Justin Martyr

Back 3

2nd century apologist who wrote 2 apologies and “Dialogue with Trypho,” defending the Christian faith in terms that were acceptable to Greek philosophy by synthesizing it with Platonism.

Front 4

Celcus

Back 4

2nd century opponent of Christianity later refuted by Origen

Front 5

Irenaeus

Back 5

2nd century bishop of Lyons, wrote Against Heresies against Gnosticism

Front 6

Tertullian

Back 6

2nd – 3rd century theologian, wrote Apology and Against Marcion, wrote about the Trinity, became a Montanist

Front 7

Clement of Alexandria

Back 7

2nd-3rd century theologian, wrote Stromateis, Platonist

Front 8

Cyprian

Back 8

3rd century bishop of Carthage, wrote The Unity of the Church, high view of the church, taught that baptism can only be performed by the one Catholic church

Front 9

Origen

Back 9

3rd century Alexandrian theologian who was a pioneer in allegorical interpretation, and wrote the apology Against Celcus, the first systematic theology First Principles, and the Hexapla.

Front 10

Eusebius

Back 10

3rd – 4th century bishop of Caesarea who wrote the first church history.

Front 11

Athanasius

Back 11

4th century theologian who opposed Arianism. Wrote On the Incarnation and Life of Anthony.

Front 12

Constantine

Back 12

4th century Emperor who legalized Christianity and called the Council of Nicaea.

Front 13

Epiphanius

Back 13

4th century bishop of Salamis, wrote Panarion against all heresies known up to his day.

Front 14

Chrysostom

Back 14

4th - 5th century bishop of Constantinople known for his preaching, exiled for opposing imperial and church politics.

Front 15

Jerome

Back 15

4th- 5th century theologian who translated the Latin Vulgate.

Front 16

Pelagius

Back 16

4th-5th century heretic who emphasized human free will and moral responsibility, denied original sin, and taught salvation through meritorious obedience. His chief opponent and critic was Augustine.

Front 17

Augustine

Back 17

4th – 5th century bishop of Hippo, who was one of the most influential theologians in the history of the church. Wrote many works, including Confessions and City of God.
• In opposition to the Manichaens, Donatists and Pelagians, Augustine taught that salvation was only by the grace of God, emphasizing original sin, divine election and baptismal regeneration.

Front 18

St. Patrick

Back 18

5th century missionary who brought Christianity to Ireland.

Front 19

Gregory the Great

Back 19

6th-7th century Pope whose reign inaugurated the middle ages and who greatly increased the power of the papacy. Wrote Pastoral Rule.

Front 20

Anselm

Back 20

11th-12th century theologian who pioneered the ontological proof for God and the satisfaction theory of the atonement.
• Most important works are Faith Seeking Understanding (ontological proof for God), and Why God Became Man (satisfaction theory).
• The greatest theologian between Augustine and the Reformers (1000 years).

Front 21

Bernard of Clairvaux

Back 21

12th century theologian who was the official preacher of the 2nd Crusade.
• Opposed Peter Abelard

Front 22

Peter Abelard

Back 22

12th century scholastic theologian who pioneered the moral influence theory of the atonement.
• Moral influence theory: Christ’s death was a demonstration of God’s love that moves us to love God in return and respond with obedience. Thus the result of Christ’s death is purely subjective; it only accomplishes something in us.

Front 23

Peter Lombard

Back 23

12th century scholastic theologian who wrote the Book of Sentences, which became the standard systematic theology textbook for centuries.
• Was one of the first to insist on there being 7 sacraments

Front 24

Francis of Assisi

Back 24

12th-13th century founder of the Franciscan Order. Wrote the hymn Canticle of Brother Son.

Front 25

Thomas Aquinas

Back 25

13th century scholastic theologian who used the dialectical method (Aristotilean logic) to write the massive systematic theology Summa Theologeia. Arguably the greatest Catholic theologian after Augustine.
• Dominican monk
• Taught at the University of Paris

Front 26

John Duns Scotus

Back 26

13th-14th century theologian who taught at Oxford, the University of Paris and Cologne. His division between faith and reason influenced William of Ockham.

Front 27

William of Ockham

Back 27

13th-14th century theologian who adhered to a division between faith and reason, and created “Ockham’s Razor”: whatever can be done in fewer assumptions is done in vain with more.
• As a Nominalist, Ockham advocated the study of specifics over universal concepts.

Front 28

Wycliffe

Back 28

14th century British theologian who first translated the Bible into English.
• Taught at Oxford.
• Opposed sacramental soteriology, ceremonialism and papal authority.
• Advocated the Bible as the ultimate authority over church tradition, and taught salvation by grace and divine election.
• Often called the morning star of the Reformation.

Front 29

Hus

Back 29

14th-15th century theologian who attacked clerical abuses and papal authority, and emphasized the priesthood of all believers and the importance of preaching the Word of God. He was burned at the stake for his views.
• Highly influenced by Wycliffe.

Front 30

Erasmus

Back 30

The leading humanist of the 16th century, who wanted to reform the church through scholarship. Produced a new Latin translation of the NT, and wrote Diatribe on Free Will as a polemic against Martin Luther’s theology, to which Luther responded with Bondage of the Will.

Front 31

Luther

Back 31

16th century German theologian whose work was the primary catalyst for the Reformation. Recovered the doctrines of justification by faith, the ultimate authority of Scripture, and the priesthood of all believers.
• Wrote the 95 Theses, Commentary on Galatians, and Bondage of the Will
• Founded the Lutheran church
• Believed in consubstantiation
• Taught at the University of Wittenberg
• Augustinian monk

Front 32

Philip Melanchthon

Back 32

16th century associate of Luther who systematized Luther’s work in the Augsburg Confession and Loci Communes.

Front 33

Zwingly

Back 33

16th century Swiss reformer. Disputed with the Anabaptists, and taught a “memorial” view of the Lord’s Supper.

Front 34

Calvin

Back 34

16th century reformer who was born in France, and ministered in Geneva, Switzerland. The founder of modern Reformed theology, and author of Institutes of the Christian Religion.
• Born in France
• Ministered in Geneva for two years, then exiled
• Lived in Strasbourg for 3 years, where he was influenced by Martin Bucer
• Returned to Geneva, where he ministered for the remaining 23 years of his life.
• Major theological contributions include the Holy Spirit, Presbyterian polity, covenant theology, and the Spiritual presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper.

Front 35

Knox

Back 35

16th century Scottish reformer, who led the reformation of the Scottish church, and was heavily influential in the development of Presbyterian worship. Wrote the Scots Confession and the Book of Discipline.

Front 36

Covenanters

Back 36

group of Scots who signed the 17th century National Covenant, protesting the English monarchy’s imposition of Episcopal church government and the Book of Common Prayer upon Scotland.

Front 37

Arminius

Back 37

17th century Dutch theologian who founded Arminianism.

Front 38

Amyraut and the School of Sumur (Amyraldianism)

Back 38

17th century Reformed theologian and school that attempted to synthesize the Calvinist view of divine election with the Arminian view of unlimited atonement.

Front 39

Richard Baxter

Back 39

17th century Puritan and author of The Reformed Pastor.

Front 40

Count Zinzendorf

Back 40

17th century pietist and founder of the Moravian Church.

Front 41

William Carey

Back 41

18th-19th century missionary to India who has been dubbed “the father of modern missions.”

Front 42

George Muller

Back 42

19th century founder of a British orphanage.

Front 43

Charles Finney

Back 43

19th century evangelist and leader of the second Great Awakening, whose methods and theology departed from traditional Reformed practices, and unfortunately exerted a great influence over revivalism and 20th century fundamentalism.

Front 44

D.L. Moody

Back 44

19th century evangelist, preacher, and founder of Moody Bible Institute.