1 / 23

Lecture 6: Irenaeus

Lecture 6: Irenaeus. 19 September 2019. Outline. Controversies over canon Issues with OT Issues with NT Gnosticism Irenaeus. Issues with the Old Testament. First, which Old Testament are we talking about Hebrew Scriptures Aramaic Versions Septuagint Other Greek Versions

andrewwright
Télécharger la présentation

Lecture 6: Irenaeus

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Lecture 6: Irenaeus 19 September 2019 Irenaeus

  2. Outline • Controversies over canon • Issues with OT • Issues with NT • Gnosticism • Irenaeus Irenaeus

  3. Issues with the Old Testament • First, which Old Testament are we talking about • Hebrew Scriptures • Aramaic Versions • Septuagint • Other Greek Versions • Portrayal of God in OT, when read only literally, • God seems anthropomorphic • God seems to be the author of evil • God seems to be capricious • Other issues • Contradictions among some of the OT Books • NB: These are all exactly the issues that will cause Augustine to abandon Catholicism as a young man Irenaeus

  4. What is the Septuagint? • Septuagint means 70, sometimes referred to as LXX • Legend (1st C BC) • 72 Jewish Scholars invited to Alexandria in c 200 BC to translate Scriptures into Greek • Legend says that 72 scholars translated exactly the same way independently of each other • Septuagint became canonical for Greek speaking Jews • Includes works of special importance to Jewish community in Alexandria: 1, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach • Used by Paul and the Evangelists when quoting Scripture Irenaeus

  5. Formation of Jewish Hebrew Canon of Scripture • Early Rabbinic Judaism; only form of Judaism to survive Jewish-Roman Wars of 65-73 and 133-135. • Compilation of TANAKH • Pentateuch (Torah) • Prophets (Nevtim) • Writings (Kethuvim) • Some Books not included in Hebrew Canon • Not written in Hebrew: Sirach, Wisdom of Solomon • Not recognized by Babylonian Jews: I Maccabees • But many of these books are honored in Judaism as important (I Maccabees) but not Scriptural Irenaeus

  6. Early Ways to Refer to ‘New Testament’ • ‘Scripture’ in New Testament = Old Testament • The Way = Jesus, following Jesus • Rule of Faith: canon • From Greek meaning ruler or standard; measurer • See 1 Clement 7:2 • ‘New Testament’ used in late 2nd C (Tertullian) Irenaeus

  7. Issues with the New Testament • By the Second Century there was a significant number of Christian and pseudo-Christian works in circulation • Some books in the canon were contested • Some groups wanted John’s Gospel as most important, some only wanted Luke’s Gospel • Primacy of Paul or Gospels • Uncertain about Book of Revelation • Other literature which we recognize as having great value, but not canonical may have been canonical for some groups • Shepherd of Hermas • Clement’s Letters to Corinthians • Some books that had a Christian flavor to them; these groups had much in common with mystery religions: gnosticism • Gospel of Truth • Apocryphon of John Irenaeus

  8. Marcion • Wealthy sea captain from Asia Minor • Contemporary of Justin Martyr • Settled in Rome, originally part of Catholic community; generous donor • Falling out over Scripture; • Rejected the Old Testament; creator God is evil • Rejected All of New Testament except Paul’s Letters and parts of Luke’s Gospel • Took a very literal approach to reading Scripture • He sponsored his own version of Christianity • Had the resources to spread his version of Christianity around Empire Irenaeus

  9. Gnostics • Unlike Marcion, many different contributors to gnosticism (knowledge); what follows is a composite • For Irenaeus, primary gnostic was Valentinus; • Valentinus had a competing Christian school in Rome • Large following in Rome and Asia Minor; • Other prominent gnostics are associated with Alexandria • Rejected the OT, because of philosophical (Platonic) considerations • OT gives a false picture of God; • Material world is inferior, or even evil • Two gods, one good, one evil creator • Accept fanciful ‘gospels’ that contain secret truths available only to the initiates (common with mystery religions); • Knowledge comes from divine illumination of the gnostic believer into special, hidden mysteries • Much recent knowledge of gnosticism comes from discoveries at Nag Hammadi, Egypt in 1945 Irenaeus

  10. Gnostic Cosmology (composite) • Because they rejected OT, needed a different cosmology • Alternate explanation to creation • Relied on “Platonism” • World eternal • But goes through cycles of material destruction and renewal • Reincarnation Irenaeus

  11. Gnostic Theology (composite) • Two gods • Good spiritual god • Evil creator material god • Good god as a trinity with spirit and Sophia • Jesus as a demi-god born of Sophia • Jesus only appears to be human (docetic) • Gnostics pray to God and Sophia, Jesus their son • Stories of heavenly relationships become quite fantastic Irenaeus

  12. Gnostic Anthropology (composite) • Heavenly realm filled with souls looking at God • When souls look away (or cool) fall to earth and take on human bodily form • Body belongs to evil god • Some few humans have divine insight into heavenly realm • Gnostics – true believers • Psyches – learners • Somatist – majority trapped in their bodies • Because body belongs to evil god, gnostics either think body and its functions unimportant (licentious) or body to be severely disciplined (encratite) • In either case, martyrdom is of no value Irenaeus

  13. Tatian: Mentioned by Irenaeus • From Syria • A student of Justin Martyr in Rome • Compiled (as did Justin) a Gospel synopsis, or harmony • Diatesseron • Very influential in Syriac Christianity; used liturgically into the 5th C • Apostasized, joining an encratite sect Irenaeus

  14. Comparison of Early Heresies • Docetics • Reject OT • Accept a few ‘pseudo-Christian’ works (Gospel of Peter) • Very high Christology: Jesus God, not man • Key philosophical issue: impassibility of God • Marcion • Rejects OT • Rejects most NT; only allows Paul, some of Luke • Literal interpretation of canon • Gnostics • Reject OT • Accept many ‘pseudo-Christian’ works • Jesus son of God and Sophia • Allegorical interpretation of New Testament • Key philosophical issues: theodicy • Two gods: evil creator god, good spiritual god Irenaeus

  15. Irenaeus (d. c 180) • Knew Justin Martyr’s works, may have know Justin Martyr; also knew St. Polycarp • Born in Asia Minor; sent to Lyons in Gaul to be bishop after a brutal persecution • Like Justin Martyr, wrote in Greek • Some key issues for Irenaeus: • What constitutes Canon • Apostles as guarantors of Truth • How to think about Jesus Christ and Mary Irenaeus

  16. Map of Roman Empire and Spread of Christianity, Second Century Irenaeus

  17. The Genius of Irenaeus • God as Creator and Ruler implies the unity of Scripture (OT and NT) • Mary and Jesus as the restoration of humanity; ‘undoing’ the sin of Eve and Adam • Key theological concept of recapitulation • ‘Proper’ Scripture is determined by the Truth of its teaching • ‘Proper’ interpretation of Scripture is determined by wisdom of Apostles • But this is not a hidden wisdom available only to a few Irenaeus

  18. Works by Irenaeus • On the Detection and Refutation of the Knowledge, Falsely so Called (Against the Heresies) • Only portions of original Greek are extant • Complete Third Century Latin is extant • Complete Books IV and V available extant in Armenian • Version you will read is based primarily on Greek portions • Proof of the Apostolic Teaching • Discovered in 1907, Armenian version • Other works treatises, letters, sermons are now lost • Works by Irenaeus were well known in Christian community of his time: Tertullian refers to them Irenaeus

  19. Structure of Against Heresies • Arranged in 5 books; books written as installments and sent individually • Book I • An analysis of the false teachings • Describes how the false teachers use Scripture • Gives a ‘genealogy’ of heresies (relies on Justin Martyr for this) • Book II • Attack on specific points of gnosticism • Based as much on philosophy as Scripture Irenaeus

  20. Structure (cont.) • Book III • Proofs of true teaching drawn from New Testament • Genealogy of true Scripture: Evangelists, Paul, Apostles • Apostolic Succession; Roman bishops • Importance of teaching publicly • Book IV • Proofs from Jesus that God of OT is his Father • Jesus reveals the Father • Importance of preaching of presbyters and bishops who are in line of apostolic succession • Interpret the OT in the light of the NT • Book V • Eucharist • Importance of body and resurrection of the dead Irenaeus

  21. The Importance of the Imago Dei • Human dignity, man’s special place in creation; a creation that is good • Dignity of all persons who live and strive for the truth • Importance of the resurrection of the body and, therefore the importance of what you do with your body • Jesus restores man’s place in the goodness of creation • Optional: Weinandy “St. Irenaeus and the Imago Dei” • How Irenaeus supports the goodness of God’s creation, and of human beings in particular • The importance of Jesus; humans created in likeness to Son; our bodies manifest Son’s image • How to grow as imago Dei Irenaeus

  22. How Irenaeus Will Be Used (Misused?) by Some Modern Philosophers • Irenaeus describes Adam and Eve as children; need for humanity to grow in God’s grace • Used by modern process theologians as an alternative to original sin • Also used as an alternative to neoPlatonic definition of evil as an absence of good • John Hick, Evil and the God of Love • But then why is recapitulation so important to Irenaeus? Irenaeus

  23. Assignment • Read Carefully Against Heresies • Especially Books III, IV, V • Prepare for class discussion • Read CCC 51-53, 279-324, 516-518 to see how some of Irenaeus teaching about the Truth have been handed down • Write a 1-2 page paper on Against Heresies • Don’t forget clearly marked thesis sentence Irenaeus

More Related