The Ancient Witnesses

98 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

“In the Greek Orthodox Church,” he whispered, “every bishop is considered a successor of Peter, not just those named by Irenaeus. Besides,” said Father Greg, “Irenaeus is not arguing for the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church but for the reliability of the apostolic doctrine.” Irenaeus went on naming Bishops until he came to the legendary Christian martyr Polycarp. “Polycarp was instructed by the Apostles and spoke with many who had seen Christ face to face, and was appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna by apostles in Asia. I myself met him in my early youth, for he lived a very long time; and as a very old man, gloriously and most nobly suffering martyrdom, departed this life, having always taught the things which he had learned from the Apostles, and which the Church has handed down, and which alone are true. To these things all the Asian Churches testify, as do also those men who have succeeded Polycarp down to the present time. He was a man of much greater weight, and a more steadfast witness of truth, than Valentinus and Marcion and the rest of the heretics.” 23 The Creation of Humankind Now that Irenaeus had made his case for the authenticity of the Apostle’s doctrine, Mentor returned to the subject of the creation of humanity. “Brothers,” said Mentor, “thanks to Christ’s holy Apostles we know that our God created the man and woman good. However, before the Story of God was

23 Irenaeus, Against Heresies , III.III.4 (ANF 1:416).