Patristic Studies

Patristic Studies Spiritual Theology 1. The ApostolicFathers

(50-150 ad) pre-nicene fathers • Didache’ (50 -120ad) • Barnabas (Epistle)(ep. 131ad) • Clement of Rome (ep.96-98ad) +101ad • Ignatius of Antioch(? - ?107 ad) • Polycarp of Smyrna (?+156ad?) • Papias of Hierapolis (??ad) • Shepherd of Hermas( ˜ clem. PROB .1ST CENT.)

Clement of Rome: ? - 101 ad

Clement of Rome (ep.96-98ad) • The 1st letter to the Cor., is the only authentic writing of Clement • Reached us in the Greek original • Clement intervened to calm the waters in the Church of Corinth • The Church here was founded by St. Paul • Some scholars erroneously attribute the 2nd letter to the Cor., to Clement • Note the role of Clement as Bishop of Rome

Having therefore received their orders, and being fully assured by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and established in the word of God, with full assurance of the Holy Spirit, they went forth proclaiming that the kingdom of God was at hand. • And thus preaching through countries and cities, they appointed the first-fruits [of their labours], having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who should afterwards believe.

Nor was this any new thing, since indeed many ages before it was written concerning bishops and deacons. For thus saith the Scripture in a certain place, “I will appoint their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith.”

Importance (1st epistle Clm.) • A witness to the primacy of the Roman Church in Christian Doctrine • Rome was asked to intervene • Role and Authority of Rome • St. John was still living (cfr. J. Hamell) • The Father sent Jesus, Jesus sent the Apostles, the Apostles sent the disciples Everything proceeds according to the will of God

God’s will and “ordinations” • Chapter XLII.—The order of ministers in the Church. • The apostles have preached the Gospel to us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ [has done so] from God.

Christ therefore was sent forth by God, and the apostles by Christ. Both these appointments, then, were made in an orderly way, according to the will of God.

Ignatius of Antioch

Notes - Ignatius • Called Theophoros (God-bearer). • He was the third bishop of Antioch after St. Peter i.e. Peter, Evodius and hence Ignatius. • Condemned to death and sent to Rome prob. martyred at the Colosseo in Rome. • On his way to martyrdom he wrote seven letters: six to the Churches and one to Polycarp., the bishop of Smirne

Many Christian terms are used for the first time by Ignatius e.g. “Catholic” Church. • Note Pliny’s letter to Trajan (Emperor) on the early Christians and the primitive Church (Cfr. Notes)

Contents…. Ignatius letters • The Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Saviour • Jesus born of the Virgin Mary • Mysteries of Our Salvation: Virginity of Mary, the Birth of Jesus Christ, His death • Unity in the Church and with the Bishop • Orthodox doctrine against Gnosticism and Docetism…etc. ( appear or not real ) • Jesus, Son of God - truly human and truly divine

Ignatius to the Efesians 7,2 • But our Physician is the only true God, the unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of all, the Father and Begetter of the only-begotten Son. • We have also as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began, • but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For “the Word was made flesh.”

.....Cont. • Being incorporeal, He was in the body; • being impassible, He was in a passible body; • being immortal, He was in a mortal body; • being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness.......

And after the observance of the Sabbath, let every friend of Christ keep the Lord’s Day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all the days [of the week]. (chap. 9) • Looking forward to this, the prophet declared, “To the end, for the eighth day,” on which our life both sprang up again, and the victory over death was obtained in Christ, whom the children of perdition, the enemies of the Saviour, deny, “whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things,” (chap. 9)

........Really and Truly God made Man • Mary then did truly conceive a body which had God inhabiting it. And God the Word was truly born of the Virgin, having clothed Himself with a body of like passions with our own. • He who forms all men in the womb, was Himself really in the womb, and made for Himself a body of the seed of the Virgin, but without any action of man. He was carried in the womb, even as we are, for the usual period of time; and was really born, as we also are; and was in reality nourished with milk, and partook of common meat and drink, even as we do. And when He had lived among men for thirty years, He was baptized by John, really and not in appearance;

and when He had preached the Gospel three years, and done signs and wonders, He who was Himself the Judge was judged by the Jews, falsely so called, and by Pilate the governor; was scourged, was smitten on the cheek, was spit upon; He wore a crown of thorns and a purple robe; He was condemned:

He was crucified in reality, and not in appearance, not in imagination, not in deceit. He really died, and was buried, and rose from the dead, even as He prayed in a certain place, saying, “But do Thou, O Lord, raise me up again, and I shall recompense them.” And the Father, who always hears Him, answered and said, “Arise, O God, and judge the earth; for Thou shall receive all the heathen for Thine inheritance.” (Trallians 10, 2)

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Patristic Studies