The apostolic Fathers

1. St Ignatius of Antioch The apostolic Fathers

2. The Post-Apostolic Period (late 1st c- mid-2nd c) • Emergence and Formation of: • Confessions of faith (see Ignatius, Tral. 9. 1-2, p.100) • List of the NT books • Structure of the Eucharist • Threefold orders of ministry • Veneration of the martyrs and saints

3. Ignatius, Trallians 9. 1-2: • Be deaf, then, to any talk that ignores Jesus Christ, of David’s lineage, of Mary; who was really born, ate, and drank; was really persecuted under Pontius Pilate; was really crucified and died, in the sight of heaven and earth and the underworld. He was really raised from the dead, for his Father raised him, just as his Father will raise us, who believe on him, through Christ Jesus, apart from whom we have no genuine life. (cf. Smyrn. 1: 1- 2: 1).

4. Ignatius, Trallians 9. 1-2: • Be deaf, then, to any talk that ignores Jesus Christ, of David’s lineage, of Mary; who was really born, ate, and drank; was really persecuted under Pontius Pilate; was really crucified and died, in the sight of heaven and earth and the underworld. He was really raised from the dead, for his Father raised him, just as his Father will raise us, who believe on him, through Christ Jesus, apart from whom we have no genuine life.

5. Emerging Canonical Heritage Canon: List. Rule.

6. Further reading… Eerdmans, 2008

7. Main Sources • 1 Clement • Didache • 7 Letters of Ignatius of Antioch • Letter and Martyrdom of Polycarp of Smyrna • Epistle of Barnabas • Shepherd of Hermas • Epistle to Diognetus • Fragments of Papias of Hierapolis

8. Main Genres • Letters • Manual of Discipline • Exegetical Treatise • Theological Treatise • Moral Treatise • Collection of Visions and Prophecies • Apology

9. Who was Ignatius? • Bishop of Antioch on the Orontes (Syria) • Arrested around 107 during Emperor Trajan’s reign (98-117) • Wrote letters on his way from Antioch to Rome (7 letters survive) • Polycarp and Origen attest that he died a martyr in the Roman Colosseum

10. Persecution under Emperor Trajan • Time: 112AD • Place: Bythinia, Asia Minor • Occasion: Pliny toured his province and discovered a group that looked like a secret society Pliny the Younger Governor of Bythinia 111-113 Emperor Trajan 98-117

11. Testimony about Christian practices • Christians meet on Sunday • Sing a hymn to Christ ‘as to a god’ • Promise to each other to live good lives • Eat together • Pliny conclusion: ‘depraved, excessive superstition’ Banquet Scene. Catacomb of Priscilla, Rome. 3rd c.

12. What problems do Christians cause? • Temples deserted • Nobody buys sacrificial animals • Christians disrupt local economy Temple dedicated to Trajan in Pergamum.

13. Trajan’s reply to Pliny • Do not seek Christians out • Do not consider anonymous accusations • Give them a chance to sacrifice • Punish only those who refuse to sacrifice

14. Colosseum, Rome. Amphitheater Arena Underground Zoo

15. Martyrdom was a public event “A great audience is gathered to watch you who are engaged in conflict and are called to martyrdom, such as we might compare to the vast crowd that gathers to watch the conflict between popular wrestlers. As you fight you may say no less than Paul, ‘We are become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men.’ The whole world, then, and all the angels of the right and left and all men, both those who belong to God’s portion and the rest, will be watching us as we fight for Christianity.” --Origen, Exhortation to Martyrdom, 18. Amphitheater in Pergamum

16. Possible Route of Ignatius’s Journey to Rome via Smyrna & Troas Letters to Philadelphia, Smyrna & Polycarp Letters to Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles Rome

17. The Limitations of Available Evidence • We don’t know much about Ignatius’s life, or his conversion, or his service in the church • We don’t even have his full journey: we catch a glimpse of him between Philadelphia and Troas • There are no reliable accounts of his death

18. Transmission History of Ignatian Letters • Mid 2nd c.: Polycarp of Smyrna collects the Letters • Around 380’s: A semi-Arian (?) redactor interpolates 7 authentic letters interpolated & forges 6 more letters • 12th c: Anonymous author produces a correspondence between Ignatius and the Virgin Mary (2 more letters) • 1644: Bishop James Ussher discovers & publishes 7 authentic non-interpolated letters in Latin (incorrectly rejecting Letter to Polycarp)

19. Possible Route of Ignatius’s Journey to Rome via Smyrna & Troas Letters to Philadelphia, Smyrna & Polycarp Letters to Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles Rome

20. Modern Smyrna. Izmir, Turkey. Church of St Polycarp. 1625.

21. Roman Houses. Ephesus. 1st c AD

22. Paul: ‘I taught you publicly and from house to house’ (Acts 20: 20)

23. Theater. Ephesus

24. Acts 19: 23-41 • 23 About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. 24 A man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the artisans. 25 These he gathered together, with the workers of the same trade, and said, "Men, you know that we get our wealth from this business. 26 You also see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost the whole of Asia this Paul has persuaded and drawn away a considerable number of people by saying that gods made with hands are not gods. 27 And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be scorned, and she will be deprived of her majesty that brought all Asia and the world to worship her." 28 When they heard this, they were enraged and shouted, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 29 The city was filled with the confusion; and people rushed together to the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul's travel companions. 30 Paul wished to go into the crowd, but the disciples would not let him; 31 even some officials of the province of Asia, who were friendly to him, sent him a message urging him not to venture into the theater. 32 Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd gave instructions to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed forward. And Alexander motioned for silence and tried to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours all of them shouted in unison, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!" 35 But when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, "Citizens of Ephesus, who is there that does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple keeper of the great Artemis and of the statue that fell from heaven? 36 Since these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. 37 You have brought these men here who are neither temple robbers nor blasphemers of our goddess. 38 If therefore Demetrius and the artisans with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges there against one another. 39 If there is anything further you want to know, it must be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion." 41 When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

25. Ruins of the Temple of Artemis. Ephesus

26. Magnesia…excavation in progress

27. Gavrilyuk’sJewishness meter Early Judaism Hellenistic religions ‘Judaizers’ Marcion James Matthew Peter John Paul Mark Luke ‘God-fearers’ Ebionites Christian Gnostics

28. Luther’s Jewishness meter Early Judaism Hellenistic religions James Marcion Matthew Peter Paul John Mark Luke ‘Judaizers’ Gnostics

29. The Master Narrative Reminder HERESIES HERESIES HERESIES ORTHODOXY HERESIES HERESIES HERESIES

30. Analyze this... Recently excavated column remains. Laodicea.

31. Ignatius’s arguments against Docetism. See Letter to Smyrneans

32. Emerging Canonical Heritage