Church Matters: Retrieving the Great Tradition

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Chur ch Mat ter s : Ret r i ev i ng the Great Trad i t i on

A. The Apologists

1. Justin Martyr: born of Greek parents early in the 2nd century. Greek philosopher greatly impacted by how Christians faced persecution; “came to see Christianity as the fulfilment of all that was best in philosophy, especially Platonism” (Lane, p. 15)

a. Dialogue with Trypho - debate with a Jew over the truths of Christian faith

b. I Apology - defended the Christian faith to emperor

c. II Apology - defense of the faith to the Roman senate

2. Irenaeus: bishop of Smyrna, succeeded Polycarp, died at the beginning of the 3rd century. Influenced by Justin, bridged between early Greek theology and Western Latin theology

a. Major work: Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge Falsely So-called (or Against Heresies ), written against Gnosticism

b. Argued strongly for the tradition of the apostles: “all who wish to see the truth can clearly contemplate in every church, the tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world. We can list those who were by the apostles appointed bishops in the churches and their successors down to our own time. They neither taught nor knew anything like what these heretics rave about” ( Against Heresies 3:3:1).