Church Fathers

Clement of Rome (c.30-c.100).

Considered the fourth Pope. Wrote in Greek. Was martyred for the faith.

Ignatius (c.35-c.107).

Lived in Antioch, Syria. Wrote seven epistles in Greek. Eager accepted martyrdom.

Polycarp (c.69-c.155).

Bishop of Smyrna, knew the Apostle John. Wrote an Epistle to Philippians in Greek. Opposed Gnosticism.

Marcion (c.85-c.160).

Rejected all of the Bible except parts of Luke and Paul; said that the true God of the N.T. was not the false god of wrath of the O.T. Opposed by Irenaeus, Tertullian, others.

Justin Martyr (c.100-165).

Student of Greek philosophy. Refuted Gnosticism. Said Plato and others were pre-Christians. The first of the great apologists.

Montanus (c.120-c.180).

Founder of a semi-Pentecostal prophetic movement of the 2nd century. Claimed to be able to prophesy, encouraged asceticism.

Irenaeus (c.130-c.200).

Pupil of Polycarp; a leading apologist against Gnosticism, Montanism and other heresies. Wrote 'Against Heresies.' Martyr.

Clement of Alexandria (c.150-215).

Combated Gnosticism by positing a Greek semi-Platonic allegorical Christianity. Strong against any form of idolatry

Tertullian (c.160-c.225).

Lawyer from Carthage. Converted in middle age. Against Gnosticism and Greek philosophy; mocked paganism as superstitious. First major church writer in Latin. Joined Montanism later.

Sabellius (c.180-c.240).

Said God is only one Person who revealed Himself in 3 modes, never 2 or 3 at once but successively as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Origen (c.185-c.254).

Died after torture. Like his teacher Clement, used extreme allegory in interpretations. Odd ascetic lifestyle, emasculated himself. Taught universal salvation, even of Satan. Was opposed by Methodius and others.

Cyprian (c.200-258).

Middle-age convert from Carthage, trained in oratory and logic, became Bishop. Stressed the church hierarchy and church discipline. Influenced by Tertullian.

Novatian (c.200-c.260).

Lived in Rome. Wrote one of the earliest defenses of Trinitarianism. Very strict, his followers were excommunicated. Martyr.

Mani (c.216-276).

Founded a semi-Gnostic combination of Christianity and Zoroastrianism with extreme asceticism. Lived in Persia.

Arius (c.250-c,336).

In North Africa. Opposed by Alexander, Athanasius, others, was condemned at Council of Nicea (325). Said that Christ was a created being who in turn created all else and was superior to everything but God; Christ was of 'similar' but not 'same' substance of God the Father.

Antony the Hermit (c.251-356).

Egyptian hermit and founder of monasteries. An anti-Arian associate of Athanasius at the Council of Nicea. Wrote a few letters in Greek. Eccentric lifestyle.

Eusebius (c.260-340).

Bishop of Caesarea and early church historian. Personal advisor to Constantine. Was anti-Sabellian but weak on Christ's full deity, thus a leading 'moderate' at Nicea.

Athanasius (c.296-373).

Bishop of Alexandria. The strongest defender of Christ's full deity at Council of Nicea. Main opponent of Arius. Influential also at Council of Alexandria. Was exiled and recalled 5 times.

Apollinarius (c.310-c.390).

Rejected the true doctrine of the Trinity in On the Incarnation of the Word of God. Also wrote some commentaries. Said that Man has body, soul and spirit; that Jesus had a human soul but not a human spirit, but rather had the Divine Logos; thus, Jesus had full deity but not full humanity.

Basil (c.329-379).

Bishop of Cappodocia. brother of Gregory of Nyssa. Known especially for his organizing and building many churches, missions and monasteries. Anti-Arian.

Gregory of Nazianzus (329-389).

Bishop and Patriarch. Famous as a preacher. Anti-Arian.

Gregory of Nyssa (c.330-c.395).

Brother of Basil. Bishop. A leading anti-Arian at Council of Constantinople. Prolific writer. Somewhat allegorical, influenced by Origen, taught universal salvation.

Ambrose (c.339-397).

Was baptized after being made Bishop of Milan, Italy. One of the 'Four Latin Doctors of the Church'. Wrote On Faith, On the Holy Ghost, On the Sacraments, On the Ministerial Office, etc. in Latin. Anti-Arian. Teacher of Augustine.

Jerome (c.342-420).

Knew Hebrew, wrote in Latin; one of the 'Four Latin Doctors of the Church.' One of most prolific writers, wrote commentaries on most of Bible, translated the Latin Vulgate, rejected the Apocrypha. Fought Arius, Origen, etc. Irritating.

John Chrysostom (c.347-407).

Most famous preacher in ancient church, 'Golden-mouth' was Bishop, wrote commentaries on much of the Bible in Greek (one of most prolific writers), plus liturgical writings.

Augustine (354-430).

North Africa, Bishop of Hippo. One of the four Latin doctors. Against Manichaenism, Pelagianism, Donatism. Stressed the utter depravity of Man due to Original Sin; stressed the sovereign grace of God and predestination, but also the sacraments.

Pelagius (c.354-c.418).a

England. Said that Man does not inherit Adam's sin or guilt, and has the free will to resist God's grace and thus can make the first steps to salvation. Opposed by Augustine, Jerome, others.

Eutyches (c.378-454).

Taught that before the Incarnation. Christ had 2 natures but after it only 1; thus, His human nature was not the same as ours. This is also called Monophysitism.

Nestorius (c.381-c.451).

Syrian who said Christ had 2 separate Persons, against orthodox teaching that Christ had I Person in 2 natures.

Boethius (c.480-c.524).

A Roman statesman executed for political reasons. Wrote numerous philosophical writings which have caused many to doubt whether he even professed Christianity at all (e.g., On the Consolation of Philosophy); but also the Christian book On the Holy Trinity.

Augustine of Canterbury (died 604 or 606).

Missionary to England and first Archbishop of Canterbury (ecclesiastical head of the Church of England today). Sent by Gregory the Great, he converted King Ethelbert, who decreed Christianity the official religion of England.

Cornelius Jansen

Believed that too much emphasis on freedom had eclipsed focus on grace. Rejected Protestantism; stressed the sacraments, church hierarchy, irresistible grace, and predestination.

Cyprian of Carthage

church father who wrote of Decius's persecution

Homoousios

Homo = same, "ousios" derived from the Greek for "physis" or substance. Of the same substance

Turtullian

Wrote, ""The blood of Christians is effective seed,"" which was interpreted by later authors as, "The blood of the is the seed of the Church"

Tertullian, Ireneaus, Jerome, Augustine

The four theologians referred to as the Latin fathers of the Roman church are: