Ignatius of Antioch
Ignatius, second bishop of Antioch during the reign of the
Emperor Trajan (98-117 C.E.), was a most unusual and unique personality.
While functioning as leader of this early Christian community
at Antioch, he was condemned for his faith and sentenced to death
by Imperial Rome. He was to be sport for the Roman citizenry
at the Coliseum offering his body to the “infamous”
lions. While on his way to this execution, he sent letters to
other Christian communities from which we may derive very useful
information about this infant church and the living faith experiences
of its leaders and ordinary believers.
Justin Martyr
One of the most important figures of the second century from
a theological point of view is Justin Martyr.
Born of non-Christian parents in Sichem in Palestine and flourished
during the period 143-165 C.E.
He tried many different approaches to find meaning in life, such
as, the philosophies: Stoicism, Pythagoreanism, Aristotelianism,
and
Platonism, which he ultimately found appealing.
However, it was in the new faith of the Christian community
that Justin found his truth for while Platonism had opened many
doors of life to him, it was only Christianity that filled his
heart. After converting to this new Christian philosophy, Justin
devoted the remainder of his life to the defense of Christianity.
He never relinquished his role of philosopher, however, and continued
to wear his philosopher's pallium, a cloak signifying that special
status. Thus, Christianity became INTELLECTUALIZED.
The Christian hating emperors were no longer soldiers persecuting
an oriental sect, but intellectuals persecuting intellectuals.
He traveled from place to place undertaking the propagation on
the only true philosophy, developing his own schools of Christian
philosophers. These were the first schools of a Christian nature
that were NOT so-called community church schools.
Instead, they were philosophical schools in the grand old Greek
style: groups of young scholars gathered around a master who
had the reputation for challenging lectures and exciting classroom
dialogue. The schools soon developed a reputation for knowing
how to embarrass visiting scholars. Justin's primary adversaries
were Greek philosophers and Roman government officials.
As a spokesperson for a group of Christians on trial for refusing
to sacrifice to the gods, Justin added characteristically that
if he were going to die for the truth it would be because his
judges, blinded by error, were unworthy of the truth. For that
kind of holy folly, Justin was beheaded.
Irenaeus of Lyons
Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons. Irenaeus was a man from the east,
born somewhere between 130-140 C.E. He states that as a young
man he sat at the feet of Bishop Polycarp (who was purported
to have been a disciple of the “beloved” John the Apostle)
who was martyred somewhere between 155-156 C.E.
At some point, Irenaeus left Asia Minor for Gaul and most
likely spent some time in Rome on his way. Irenaeus wrote a long
list of works of which only two have survived, but they are extremely
important works. Five Books of Detecting and Overthrow of the
“Knowledge” Falsely So-Called. Against Heresies.
Origen
Origen was a defender of orthodoxy and by rational temperament
and ecclesiastical discipline in no way inclined toward heretical
fancies of the gnostic varieties. Origen, c.185-c.254, generally
considered the greatest theologian and biblical scholar of the
early Eastern church. He was probably born in Egypt, perhaps
in Alexandria, to a Christian family. His father died in the
persecution of 202, and he himself narrowly escaped the same
fate. At the age of 18, Origen was appointed to succeed Clement
of Alexandria as head of the catechetical school of Alexandria,
where he had been a student.
Between 203 and 231, Origen attracted large numbers of students
through his manner of life as much as through his teaching.
According to Eusebius, he took the command in Matt. 19:12 to
mean that he should castrate himself. During this time Origen
traveled widely and while in Palestine (c.215) was invited to
preach by local bishops even though he was not ordained.
Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, regarded this activity as
a breach of discipline and ordered him to return to Alexandria.
The period following, from 218 to 230, was one of Origen's most
productive as a writer. In 230 he returned to Palestine,
where he was ordained a priest by the bishops of Jerusalem and
Caesarea. Demetrius then excommunicated Origen, deprived him
of his priesthood, and sent him into exile. Origen returned to
the security of Caesarea (231), and there established a school
of theology, over which he presided for 20 years. Persecution
was renewed in 250, and Origen was severely tortured. He died
of the effects a few years later.
Athanasius
What his Theology is NOT: Unlike Origen of Alexandria, Athanasius
was not a “scientific theologian;” unlike Justin Martyr,
he was not a philosopher of religion. Athanasius (295-373 C.E.)
does not contribute much, therefore, by way of speculation; he
does not develop any system of theology, nor does he invent new
terminology.
And yet, at the same time, Athanasius is one of the most significant
personalities of the history of doctrine in the fourth century.
What his Theology is like: In the words of J. K. Mozley, speaking
of Athanasius' famous treatise on the incarnation, his works
are rather paeans of victory, hymns singing the praises of religion
and in this specific case, the Christian faith.
Athanasius' greatest merit, or his greatest contribution to
Christian theology, was his defense of the faith against the
radical Hellenization of the faith in the person of Arius and
his followers.
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430 C.E.). Volumes can be written
about Augustine, bishop of Hippo, and indeed volumes have been
written. Defender of the faith, scholar, preacher, teacher, administrator
--- Augustine was all of these and more. Coming out of paganism
and encircled with the prayers of his beloved mother, Monica,
Augustine ran through a succession of philosophies and religious
experiments. Augustine describes this experience himself in his
Confessions in what some have argued is one of the most dramatic
conversions to the faith since that of the Apostle Paul on the
road to Damascus.
Ultimately “appointed” bishop of Hippo Regius, a
harbor city several miles west of the famous city of Carthage,
Augustine consolidated the church against schismatic groups and
set up a clerical training center that was famous throughout
the Roman world.
Augustine's work is comprehensive. He was drawn into almost every
conceivable theological and ecclesiastical dispute possible and
when challenged he used his pen like a sword, cutting through
all sorts of red tape with decisiveness.
Pseudo-Dionysius
Pseudo-Dionysius (500 C.E.). There appears, late in the fifth
century, as if from nowhere, an unknown genius of the highest
order:
a Neoplatonist destined forever to exercise a massive influence
on all Christian theology. Following a received custom of the
time, he uses a nom de plum, a pseudonym, a name already respected
by his audience in order to win a favorable reading, convinced
that the reader will have been so thoroughly benefited by the
truth of what has been read that no real deception would have
taken place.
The writer succeeded so well, with both pseudonym and presentation
of what he saw as the truth, that the entire cadre of church
leaders after him not only reverenced his purloined identity
(the Apostle Paul had a convert named Dionysius the Areopagite:
Acts 17:34) but accepted his strange mystical doctrine as well,
even if they had to purify it of unorthodox elements. Perhaps
the greatest of his disciples would be his orthodox interpreter,
Maximus of Chrysopolis better known as Maximus the Confessor.
Thomas Aquinas is another of his orthodox re-interpreters.
Little Known, Great Influence -- The actual author remains
unknown, although it has been reasonably suggested that he flourished
toward the end of the fifth century, probably in the vicinity
of Syria where speculative mysticism abounded. He was widely
read in the eastern church and when John Scotus Erigena translated
his work in the ninth century, a series of important commentaries
began in the west which extended his already vast influence.
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 C.E.) - To many people Thomas Aquinas
is the most magnificent architect of the discipline known as
systematic theology, especially when viewed in terms of size,
scope, and consistency. The systematics of Thomas paralleled
the great Gothic cathedrals which enshrined the unified view
of the world so predominate in the medieval world. The cathedrals
were built of stone; the system of Thomas Aquinas of enduring
ideas.
The Summa Theologiae, i.e. The Sum of Theology (more generally
referred to as the Summa Theologica --- a Theological Summary)
was begun in 1256 and nearly but not quite finished at his death
in 1274. It was and continues to be the theologian's theology,
though it was originally written as a textbook of instruction
for those who had already professed the faith and were members
of the Christian community.
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