Early Church People

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Clement of Rome

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First Century Father wrote 1 extant letter in 96 AD.
Irenaeus says he is the Bishop of Rome
Wrote letter to the Corinthians about dispute where younger churchmen were trying to overthrow the older appointed leadership. Clement argues for peach through christlike humility and submission to leaders chosen from Christ to the Apostles to these current men.

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Epistle of Barnabas

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Unknown author,
Written after the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70, but before the Bar Kochba Revolt of AD 132, because it seems likely in the text that the temple might be rebuilt.

It is a Greek epistle traditionally ascribed to Barnabas who is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, although some ascribe it to another Apostolic Father of the same name, "Barnabas of Alexandria".

Polemics directed against Judaizing Christians (see Ebionites, Nazarenes, Judaizing teachers). It is the earliest document that clearly insists on the separation of the Gentile Christians from observant Jews,

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Ignatius of Antioch

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Letters from ca 110. Student of John the Apostle, Bishop of Antioch

Wrote to churches at

- Ephesus
- Magnesia
- Trallia
- Rome
- Philadelpha
- Smyrnae

and also to Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna.

First to use "catholic church", argued for role of bishop and a real physical presence view of the eucharist, possibly against his docetic interlocutors.

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Didache

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possibly 60-80 AD.
Earliest document on "Church Orders"
Earliest surviving "catechism"

Represents early Jewish Christianity
[edit]

Didache consists of four parts
1.) Two Ways (like in Barnabas), the Way of Life and the Way of Death (chapters 1-6)
2. ) Rituals dealing with baptism, fasting, and Communion (chapters 7-10)
3.) Ministry and how to deal with traveling prophets (chapters 11-15)
4.) a brief apocalypse.(chapter 16)

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Shepherd of Hermas

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late first century document
unknown author
Consists of five visions, 12 mandates and 10 parables.
mandates are ethical imperatives and the document is also known for high ecclesiology.
Main characters are Hermas, Rhoda, his "accuser in heaven", the angel of repentance in the guise of a shepherd from the fifth vision, and the church which appears as an elderly woman. Hermas sins against Rhoda which hurts the church, but both Hermas and the church are healed by his repentance.

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Polycarp of Smyrna

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Bishop of Smyrna, discipled and ordained by John the Apostle. With Clement of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch, he is one of the three chief Apostolic Fathers.

DIscipled Irenaeus, Refuted Marcion,

Wrote epistle to Philippians - mid second century. Orthodox doctrine and ethics.

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Martrydom of Polycarp

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Letter written by the Church at Smyrna to the Church at Philomelium, to give a succinct account of the martyrdom of Polycarp in the second century.

It is one of the earliest of all the Martyria, orthodox theology including physical resurrection of the dead and eternal punishment of the wicked.

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Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus

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Possibly the first extant apology, though in AF collection. It is of uncertain date (mid to late second century) and includes apologetical argument with a gospel presentation.

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Aristides the Athenian

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Aristides the Athenian early apologist
Writes his apology delivered to Hadrian, probably c. 124-25.

Aristides calls the Greek gods corrupt, immoral and guilty of being human.

He describes the commandments of God and claims Christians "walk in all humility and kindness, and falsehood is not found among them, and they love one another."

He concludes the Apology in chapter 17 by requesting the emperor stop persecuting the Christians and convert to their faith; where he ends with a nice description of the Christian life.

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Athenagoras of Athens

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Second Century Philosopher convert to Christianity
2 extant works
1. Embassy for the Christians
2. Resurrection of the Dead

1. The Embassy (176-77) to Marcus Aurelius arguing philosophically for justice for Christians. Argues against charges of atheism and immorality (cannabalism, incest)

2. Resurrection, called the first complete exposition of this doctrine in Christian literature. Possibly written as appendix to apology. He argues philosophically that the nature of man requires a perpetuation of both body and soul.

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Melito of Sardis

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d180. Bishop of Sardis near Smyma.
On Pascha is a 2nd-century homily written between A.D.160 and 170 in Asia Minor. It describes Christian doctrine on the Paschal mystery.

He preaches the victory over death achieved by Jesus having been himself led as a lamb. He clothed death with shame because he arose from the dead, and raised up mortals from the grave below (n. 67-68, cf. 100).

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Justin Maryter

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100-165AD pagan gentile convert
Started his own school of philosophy in Rome
Used by Irenaues and Tertullian
Two apologies and dialogue are extant

1. First apology (147-61) to Antioninus Pius, sons and Senate
2. Sec. apology to Roman Senate
3. Dialogue with Trypho - seeks to show that Christianity is the new law for all men. Set as a dialogue with Trypho the Jew.

1. First Apology - provides the Emperor with a defense of the philosophy of Christianity and a detailed explanation of contemporary Christian practices and rituals.

2. meant to expose the real reasons behind the recent persecutions of Christians under Urbicus. It also tried to expose the utter irrationality of allegations and propaganda spread against the Christians.

3. Argues that Christianity is the new law for all men and seeks to prove from Scripture that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah

Justification is made for the worship of Christ with the Logos-idea, where he explicitly deals with the divinity of the Redeemer and his relation to the Father. His use of Logos is a controversial topic.

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Marcion

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excomm in 144

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Valentinus

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c.140

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Irenaeus

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ca130-ca202 (Greek Father) Bishop of Lyons in second century. Student of Polycarp (originally from Smyrna). This gives him unique view of Western and Eastern Christianity in his day. 2 main surviving works, plus a letter on the quaterdeciman controversy and some fragments.

1. Against Heresies, about 195, written to confront gnosticism. In the process Irenaeus lays out what he understands as orthodox Christianity, including much of what is formalized in the counsels of the fourth century. Irenaeus presents a high ecclesiology to preserve doctrine, a strong view of the theosis of man which includes body and soul as the proper spiritual man.

2. On the Apostolic Preaching - mentioned in Eusebus, but lost until 1904, it is a non-polemic document describing the essence of the Christian faith to a believer using mostly the old testament.

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Tertullian

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ca160-ca225 (Latin Father*) from Carthage in North Africa, one of the earliest Latin Fathers* (he was not canonized). HIs writings are first extant to include "three persons, one substance" and the term "trinity".

Tertullian joins the montanist group and falls out of favor . This group believed its leaders received guidance by the Holy Spirit and received prophacies for their times and the future. Some of these fell outside received teaching and were deemed by some as heretical. A key issue was likely the resistance to submitting received prophecy to the church teachers.

Thirty-one works are extant, together with fragments of more writings, some have been lost.

We have a variety of genre, several polemical works

5 books against Marcion, other works against Hermogenes, Valentianianus, Praxaes, etc.

Doctrinal compositions, with separate works on the soul, prayer, repentance, baptism, martyrdom, etc.

Polemical works Like "Apologeticus"

Many of Tertullians works contain important and influential works of orthodox doctrine. Some of these teachings include the rule of faith, four and only four gospels, high ecclesiology and spiritual disciplines.

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Hippolotius of Rome

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170-235 possibly a disciple of Irenaeus

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Cyprian of Carthage

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(Latin)

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Origin of Alexanderia

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(Greek)

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Clement of Alexanderia

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(Greek)

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Athanisus

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(Greek)

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Basil the Great

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(Greek)

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Gregory of Nyssa

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(Greek)

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Gregory Nanzanzius

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(Greek)

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Hiliary of Potiers

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(Latin)

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Ambrose of Milan

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(Latin)

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Jerome

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(Latin)

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Gregory the Great

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(Latin)

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John Chrysostom

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(Greek)

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Cyril of Alexanderia

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(Greek)

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Augustine of Hippo

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(Latin)

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First Nicaea

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(325) First Council

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First Constantinople

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(381) Second Council

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First Ephesus

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(431) Third Council

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Chalcedon

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(451) Fourth Council

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Second Constantinople

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(553)

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Third Constantinople

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(680-681)

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Second Nicaea

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(787)