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80-767: The Church Fathers are generally divided into the Ante-Nicene Fathers , those who lived and wrote before the Council of Nicaea (325) and the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers , those who lived and wrote after 325. Also, the division of the Fathers into Greek and Latin writers is also common. Some of the most prominent Greek Fathers are Justin Martyr , Athanasius of Alexandria , Basil of Caesarea , Gregory of Nazianzus , John Chrysostom , Cyril of Alexandria , and Maximus

160-688: A Doctor of the Church , often referred to as the Doctor of the Assumption because of his writings on the Assumption of Mary. Those fathers who wrote in Latin are called the Latin (Church) Fathers. Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus ( c.  155  – c.  222 ), who was converted to Christianity before 197, was a prolific writer of apologetic, theological, controversial and ascetic works. He

240-486: A Christian Platonism and has been described by scholars as "the founder of what was to become the great tradition of Christian philosophical theology." Due to his teaching on salvation and divine judgement in passages such as Paedagogus 1.8 and Stromata 7.2, Clement is often regarded as one of the first Christian universalists . Like Origen, he arose from the Catechetical School of Alexandria and

320-514: A century and a half with more critically edited modern editions. The cheap paper of the originals has made them fragile today, but the scope of the Patrologia still makes it unique and valuable when modern editions do not yet exist. It is a far more complete collection of Patristic and later literature than anything that has appeared subsequently. To create so much so quickly, Migne reprinted the best or latest earlier editions available to him. In

400-450: A concubine and became a Manichean . He later converted to Christianity, became a bishop, and opposed heresies, such as Pelagianism . His many works—including The Confessions , which is often called the first Western autobiography —have been read continuously since his lifetime. The Catholic religious order, the Order of Saint Augustine , adopted his name and way of life. Augustine is also

480-546: A distinction between the Father and the Son (a distinction that Nicea had been accused of blurring) but at the same time insisting on their essential unity. John Chrysostom ( c.  347  – c.  407 ), archbishop of Constantinople , is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking ; his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, recorded sermons and writings making him

560-466: A hierarchical structure in the Trinity , the temporality of matter, "the fabulous preexistence of souls", and "the monstrous restoration which follows from it." These alleged "Origenist errors" were declared anathema by a council in 553, three centuries after Origen had died in the peace of the church. Athanasius of Alexandria ( c.  293  – 373) was a theologian, Pope of Alexandria , and

640-544: A non-specialized science: literary history. These distinctions are not much observed, nor do they seem very necessary; they are nothing else than aspects of patristic study as it forms part of fundamental theology, of positive theology, and of literary history. A vast number of patristic texts are available in their original languages in Jacques Paul Migne 's two great patrologies, Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca . For Syriac and other Eastern languages

720-679: A noted Egyptian leader of the 4th century. He is remembered for his role in the conflict with Arianism and for his affirmation of the Trinity. At the First Council of Nicaea (325), Athanasius argued against the Arian doctrine that Christ is of a distinct substance from the Father. The Cappadocian Fathers are Basil the Great (330–379), who was bishop of Caesarea ; Basil's younger brother Gregory of Nyssa ( c.  332  – 395), who

800-400: A pamphlet he had published, he went to Paris, and on 3 November started a journal, L'Univers religieux , which he intended to keep free of political influence. It quickly gained 1,800 subscribers and he edited it for three years. (It afterwards became his co-editor Louis Veuillot 's ultramontane organ, L'Univers .) Migne was, until June 1856, owner of the daily Vérité (formerly

880-406: A peaceful shelter for their mother. Abbess Macrina fostered the education and development of her three brothers Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and Peter of Sebaste ( c.  340 – 391) who became bishop of Sebaste. These scholars set out to demonstrate that Christians could hold their own in conversations with learned Greek-speaking intellectuals. They argued that Christian faith, while it

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960-472: A persecution. He later became a controversial figure and some of his writings were condemned as heretical. Using his knowledge of Hebrew, he produced a corrected Septuagint . He wrote commentaries on all the books of the Bible. In Peri Archon ( First Principles ), he articulated a systematic philosophical exposition of Christian doctrine. He at times employed an allegorical hermeneutic in his interpretation of

1040-455: A synod at Constantinople on a question which concerned the see of Bostra in the patriarchate of Antioch. While there, Theodore had the opportunity to preach before the emperor Theodosius I , who was then starting for his last journey to the West. The sermon made a deep impression, and Theodosius, who had sat at the feet of Ambrose and Gregory Nazianzus , declared that he had never met with such

1120-625: A teacher (John of Antioch, ap. Facund. ii.2). Theodosius II inherited his grandfather's respect for Theodore, and often wrote to him. Another glimpse of Theodore's episcopal life is supplied by a letter of Chrysostom to him from Cucusus (AD 404–407) (Chrys. Ep. 212). The exiled patriarch "can never forget the love of Theodore, so genuine and warm, so sincere and guileless, a love maintained from early years, and manifested but now." Chrysostom (Ep. 204) thanks him profoundly for frequent though ineffectual efforts to obtain his release, and praises their friendship in such glowing terms that Theodore's enemies at

1200-511: A testament to the universal bounds of the Roman church. He is the second after Clement to mention Paul's epistles. Polycarp of Smyrna ( c.  69  – c.  155 ) was a Christian bishop of Smyrna (now İzmir in Turkey). It is recorded that he had been a disciple of "John". The options/possibilities for this John are John, the son of Zebedee , traditionally viewed as the author of

1280-457: A variety of collections. For example: A range of journals cover patristic studies: Audio Online collections Others Ante-Nicene Fathers The Church Fathers , Early Church Fathers , Christian Fathers , or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity . The historical period in which they worked became known as

1360-488: Is anachronistic due to his use of the Psogos. The Psogos, along with the encomium, were both rhetorical techniques used in the ancient world in a polemical context. With the encomium "one passes over a man's faults in order to praise him, and in a psogos, one passed over his virtues to defame him. Such principles are explicit in the handbooks of the rhetors, but an interesting passage from the church historian Socrates, writing in

1440-572: Is best known as the translator of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin. He also was a Christian apologist. Jerome's edition of the Bible, the Vulgate , is still an important text of Catholicism . He is recognised by the Catholic Church as a Doctor of the Church. Augustine (354–430), Bishop of Hippo, was a philosopher and theologian. Augustine, a Latin Father and Doctor of the Church,

1520-534: Is one of the most important figures in the development of Western Christianity . In his early life, Augustine read widely in Greco-Roman rhetoric and philosophy, including the works of Platonists such as Plotinus . He framed the concepts of original sin and just war as they are understood in the West. When Rome fell and the faith of many Christians was shaken, Augustine wrote The City of God , in which he defended Christianity from pagan critics and developed

1600-495: Is the study of the Early Fathers and their contemporaries as people, and the authenticity of the works attributed to them. Patristics, on the other hand, is the study of their thought. On the other hand, Fessler describes patristica as that theological science by which all that concerns faith, morals, or discipline in the writings of the Fathers is collected and sorted. The lives and works of the Fathers are also described by

1680-667: The Journal des faits ), which, being limited to reproducing other newspapers, described itself as the impartial echo of all opinions. Migne believed in the power of the press and the value of information widely distributed. In 1836 he opened his great publishing house, the Ateliers catholiques , at Petit-Montrouge , in Paris's outlying 14th arrondissement . He published numerous religious works in rapid succession meant for lesser clergy at prices that ensured wide circulation, and bypassed

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1760-779: The Patrologia Orientalis ( Patrologia Syriaca earlier) is less complete and can be largely supplemented by the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium . Noted collections containing re-edited patristic texts (also discoveries and new attributions) are the Corpus Christianorum , Sources Chrétiennes , Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum , and on a lesser scale Oxford Early Christian Texts , Fontes Christiani , and Études Augustiniennes . English translations of patristic texts are readily available in

1840-659: The 1st and 2nd centuries AD, who are believed to have personally known some of the Twelve Apostles , or to have been significantly influenced by them. Their writings, though popular in Early Christianity , were ultimately not included in the canon of the New Testament once it reached its final form. Many of the writings derive from the same time period and geographical location as other works of early Christian literature that did come to be part of

1920-711: The Christianised Roman Empire . Following the scholar of Christianity Alister McGrath (1998), several major areas of theology can be seen to have developed during the Patristic Period: the extent of the New Testament canon , the role of tradition, the fixing of the ecumenical creeds , the two natures of Christ , the doctrine of the Trinity , the doctrine of the Church , and the doctrine of divine grace . Alister McGrath notes four reasons why understanding patristics can be difficult in

2000-760: The Early Church , First Clement had been considered by some as part of the New Testament canon , e.g., listed as canonical in Canon 85 of the Canons of the Apostles , among other early canons of the New Testament, showing that it had canonical rank in at least some regions of early Christendom. As late as the 14th century Ibn Khaldun mentions it as part of the New Testament. Ignatius of Antioch (also known as Theophorus) ( c.  35  – c.  110 )

2080-758: The Gospel of John , or John the Presbyter . Traditional advocates follow Eusebius of Caesarea in insisting that the apostolic connection of Polycarp was with John the Evangelist and that he was the author of the Gospel of John, and thus the Apostle John. Polycarp tried and failed to persuade Pope Anicetus to have the West celebrate Passover on the 14th of Nisan , as in the Eastern calendar. Around AD 155,

2160-549: The PG the Latin translations were often made in the renaissance before any Greek text had been printed, and so do not necessarily match the Greek text very accurately. The indexes themselves are useful for locating references in the patristic writings. The collection is available through Google Books and archive.org. Migne's Ateliers catholiques employed 5 steam-powered presses, and by 1854 some 596 workers. On average, it published

2240-712: The Patristic Era and spans approximately from the late 1st to mid-8th centuries, flourishing in particular during the 4th and 5th centuries, when Christianity was in the process of establishing itself as the state church of the Roman Empire . For many denominations of Christianity, the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers , Nicene Fathers and Post-Nicene Fathers are included in Sacred Tradition . As such, in traditional dogmatic theology, authors considered Church Fathers are treated as authoritative for

2320-709: The "Father of the Latin Church". He was evidently a lawyer in Rome. He is said to have introduced the Latin term trinitas with regard to the Divine ( Trinity ) to the Christian vocabulary (but Theophilus of Antioch had already written of "the Trinity, of God, and His Word, and His Wisdom", which is similar but not identical to the Trinitarian wording), and also probably the formula "three Persons, one Substance" as

2400-614: The Baptist of Audresselles in Pas de Calais , France. The Ateliers also produced and sold a variety of religious items. In time, the Ateliers catholiques became the largest privately held press in France. However, on the night of 12–13 February 1868, a devastating fire, which began in the printing plant, destroyed Migne's establishment. "Five hundred thousand plates, stacked in piles, melted in an instant; they are now enormous blocks on

2480-606: The Catholic Church. Chrysostom is also noted for eight of his sermons that played a considerable part in the history of Christian antisemitism , diatribes against Judaizers composed while a presbyter in Antioch, which were extensively exploited and misused by the Nazis in their ideological campaign against the Jews. Patristic scholars such as Robert L Wilken point out that applying modern understandings of antisemitism back to Chrysostom

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2560-548: The Chalcedonian position that Jesus had both a human and a divine will. Maximus is venerated in both Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity. His Christological positions eventually resulted in his torture and exile, soon after which he died; however, his theology was vindicated by the Third Council of Constantinople , and he was venerated as a saint soon after his death. His feast day is celebrated twice during

2640-542: The Confessor . Among the Latin Fathers are Tertullian , Cyprian , Jerome , Ambrose of Milan, Augustine of Hippo , and Gregory the Great . There were also Church Fathers who wrote in languages other than Greek or Latin, such as Coptic , Syriac , Ge'ez , and Armenian , among others. Historically, Chalcedonian Christians have had less interest in these authors since the associated churches ended up rejecting

2720-582: The Gospels of Matthew , Mark , Luke and John all be accepted as canonical . Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–215) was the first member of the church of Alexandria whose writings have survived, and was one of its most distinguished teachers. He saw wisdom in Greek philosophy and sought to harmonize it with Christian doctrine. Clement opposed Gnosticism , and yet used some of its terminology; for instance, he valued gnosis that with communion for all people could be held by common Christians. He developed

2800-589: The Greek (Church) Fathers. In addition to the Apostolic Fathers, famous Greek Fathers include: Justin Martyr , Irenaeus of Lyons , Clement of Alexandria , Athanasius of Alexandria , the Cappadocian Fathers ( Basil of Caesarea , Gregory Nazianzus , Gregory of Nyssa ), Peter of Sebaste , Diodorus of Tarsus , Theodore of Mopsuestia , John Chrysostom , Cyril of Alexandria , Maximus the Confessor , and John of Damascus . Justin Martyr

2880-509: The Latin " tres Personae , una Substantia " (itself from the Koine Greek "τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις, ὁμοούσιος; treís hypostasis , Homoousios "), and also the terms vetus testamentum ( Old Testament ) and novum testamentum ( New Testament ). In his Apologeticus , he was the first Latin author who qualified Christianity as the vera religio , and systematically relegated the classical Roman imperial religion and other accepted cults to

2960-440: The New Testament, and some of the writings found among the Apostolic Fathers' seem to have been just as highly regarded as some of the writings that became the New Testament. The first three, Clement, Ignatius, and Polycarp, are considered the chief ones. Clement of Rome (also known as Pope Clement I) was a late 1st-century bishop of Rome who, according to Tertullian , was ordained by St. Peter . According to Irenaeus , Clement

3040-464: The Old Testament, and was partly influenced by Stoic , Neo-Pythagorean , and Platonist thought. Like Plotinus , he has been thought to believe that the soul passes through successive stages before incarnation as a human and after death, eventually reaching God. However, more recent scholarship has concluded that Origen actually denied the preexistence of disembodied souls, and simply taught

3120-479: The Smyrnans of his town demanded Polycarp's execution as a Christian, and he died a martyr . The story of his martyrdom describes how the fire built around him would not burn him, and that when he was stabbed to death, so much blood issued from his body that it quenched the flames around him. Very little is known of Papias apart from what can be inferred from his own writings. He is described as "an ancient man who

3200-531: The Son is of like substance with the Father ( homoiousios ), as against the outright Arians who taught that the Son was unlike the Father ( heterousian ). So the Son was held to be like the Father but not of the same essence as the Father. The Cappadocians worked to bring these semi-Arians back to the Orthodox cause. In their writings they made extensive use of the formula "three substances ( hypostases ) in one essence ( homoousia )", and thus explicitly acknowledged

3280-427: The area of western north Africa around Carthage . Milan and Jerusalem were also sites. Major focuses for these theologians during the period are, in chronological order, Christianity's relationship with Judaism ; the establishment of the New Testament canon ; apologetics (the 'defense' or 'explanation' of Christianity); and doctrinal discussions that sought to achieve consistency of faith , in particular within

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3360-654: The books of the Bible, and Theologiae cursus , each of them in 28 vols, 1840–45; Collection des auteurs sacrés (100 vols., 1846–48); Encyclopédie théologique (171 vols., 1844–46). However, the three great series that have made his reputation were Patrologiae cursus completus , Latin series ( Patrologia Latina ) in 221 vols. (1844–55); Greek series ( Patrologia Graeca ), first published in Latin (85 vols., 1856–57); then published with Greek text and Latin translation (165 vols., 1857–58). Though scholars have always criticised them, these hastily edited, inexpensive, and widely distributed texts have only slowly been replaced during

3440-463: The bookselling establishment with direct subscriptions. These works were reproduced from the best available texts, generally without requesting permission. His publishing house was complemented during the Second Empire by painter artists' workhalls for the decoration of churches: three of their main works, in the style of Eugène Delacroix , still remain in the choir of the church of Saint John

3520-484: The concept of the Church as a spiritual City of God , distinct from the material City of Man. Augustine's work defined the start of the medieval worldview , an outlook that would later be firmly established by Pope Gregory the Great . Augustine was born in present-day Algeria to a Christian mother, Monica of Hippo . He was educated in North Africa and resisted his mother's pleas to become Christian. He took

3600-555: The councils of Chalcedon (becoming Oriental Orthodox ), or Ephesus (becoming the Church of the East ). Recently this has begun to change, with the easing of tensions between these branches of Christianity and the Western and Byzantine ones. There are Eastern Catholics who follow Oriental rites while remaining in communion with Rome. The major locations of the early Church fathers were Rome , Constantinople , Alexandria , Antioch , and

3680-589: The debates of the Council of Chalcedon , the fourth ecumenical council . Gregory I the Great ( c.  540  – 604) was pope from 3 September 590 until his death. He is also known as Gregorius Dialogus ( Gregory the Dialogist ) in Eastern Orthodoxy because of the Dialogues he wrote. He was the first of the popes from a monastic background. Gregory is a Doctor of the Church and one of

3760-618: The early 21st-century: The terms neo-patristics and post-patristics refer to recent theologies according to which the Church Fathers must be reinterpreted or even critically tested in light of modern developments since their writings reflected that of a distant past. These theologies, however, are considered controversial or even dangerous by orthodox theologians. Some scholars, chiefly in Germany, distinguish patrologia from patristica. Josef Fessler , for instance, defines patrologia as

3840-551: The early development of Christian theology, and he is recognized as a saint by both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. He was a notable early Christian apologist . He was also a disciple of Polycarp. In his best-known book, Against Heresies (c. 180) he enumerated heresies and attacked them. Irenaeus wrote that the only way for Christians to retain unity was to humbly accept one doctrinal authority—episcopal councils. Irenaeus proposed that

3920-414: The establishment of doctrine. The academic field of patristics , the study of the Church Fathers, has extended the scope of the term, and there is no definitive list. Some, such as Origen and Tertullian , made major contributions to the development of later Christian theology, but certain elements of their teaching were later condemned. The Apostolic Fathers were Christian theologians who lived in

4000-554: The fifth Ecumenical Council made unsuccessful efforts to deny the identity of Chrysostom's correspondent with the bishop of Mopsuestia. Cyril of Alexandria ( c.  378  – 444) was the Bishop of Alexandria when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire . Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the late 4th and early 5th centuries. He

4080-616: The first time into the hands of the priesthood. Migne was born in Saint-Flour , Cantal and studied theology at the University of Orléans . He was ordained in 1824 and placed in charge of the parish of Puiseaux, in the diocese of Orléans , where his uncompromisingly Catholic and royalist sympathies did not coincide with local patriotism and the new regime of the Citizen-King . In 1833, after falling out with his bishop over

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4160-420: The four great Latin Fathers of the Church (the others being Ambrose, Augustine, and Jerome). Of all popes, Gregory I had the most influence on the early medieval church. Jacques Paul Migne Jacques Paul Migne ( French: [miɲ] ; 25 October 1800 – 24 October 1875) was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias, and

4240-655: The heresies of Apollinarianism and Macedonianism, and sent legates (papal representatives) to the First Council of Constantinople that was convoked in 381 to address these heresies. He also wrote in defense of the Roman See's authority, and inaugurated use of Latin in the Mass , instead of the Koine Greek that was still being used throughout the Church in the west in the liturgy. Jerome ( c.  347  – 420)

4320-500: The mid-fifth century, shows that the rules for invective were simply taken for granted by men and women of the late Roman world." Chrysostom's sermons along with Basil the Great's have greatly influenced the Christian Church's understanding of economic and distributive justice for the poor, being cited extensively by the Catechism of the Catholic Church as well as Pope Francis in his own sermons critiquing modern-day forms of capitalism. Theodore of Mopsuestia ( c.  350 – 428 )

4400-418: The most bizarre forms," reported Le Monde illustré . Despite his insurance contracts, Migne was only able to retrieve a pittance. Shortly afterwards, Georges Darboy , Archbishop of Paris , forbade the continuance of the business and even suspended Migne from his priestly functions. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 inflicted further losses. Then from the curia of Pope Pius IX came a decree condemning

4480-410: The most prolific of the eastern fathers, and his ascetic sensibilities. After his death (or according to some sources, during his life) he was given the Greek epithet chrysostomos , meaning "golden mouthed", rendered in English as Chrysostom. Chrysostom is known within Christianity chiefly as a preacher and theologian, particularly in the Eastern Orthodox Church; he is the patron saint of orators in

4560-406: The patron saint of many institutions and a number have been named after him. Pope Leo I ( c. 400 – 461) was pope from 29 September 440 until his death. He was active in defending the Latin Church against the threat of schism associated with Monophysitism , Miaphysitism and Dyophysitism , most remembered theologically for issuing the Tome of Leo , a document which was a major foundation to

4640-438: The position of mere "superstitions". He used the early church's symbol for fish—the Greek word for "fish" being ΙΧΘΥΣ , which is an acronym for Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour)—to explain the meaning of baptism, since fish are born in water. He wrote that human beings are like little fish. Cyprian ( c.  200  – 258) was bishop of Carthage and an important early Christian writer. He

4720-432: The preexistence of individuals' logoi in the mind of God. Yet Origen did suggest, based on 1 Corinthians 15:22–28, that all creatures, possibly including even the fallen angels, will eventually be restored and reunited to God when evil is finally eradicated. For Origen, God was the First Principle , and Christ , the Logos through whom salvation is accomplished. Origen's various writings were interpreted by some to imply

4800-479: The science which provides all that is necessary for the using of the works of the Fathers, dealing, therefore, with their authority, the criteria for judging their genuineness, the difficulties to be met within them, and the rules for their use. But Fessler's own Institutiones Patrologiae has a larger range, as have similar works entitled Patrologies, for example, that of Otto Bardenhewer (tr. Shahan, Freiburg, 1908). Catholic writer Karl Keating argues that patrology

4880-408: The texts of the Church Fathers , with the goal of providing a universal library for the Catholic priesthood . The Patrologia Latina and the Patrologia Graeca (along with the Monumenta Germaniae Historica ) are among the great 19th century contributions to the scholarship of patristics and the Middle Ages . Within the Roman Catholic Church, Migne's editions put many original texts for

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4960-440: The use of Mass stipends to purchase books, which specifically called out Migne and his publications. Migne died in Paris. He died without ever regaining his former success and his Imprimerie Catholique passed in 1876 into the hands of Garnier Frères. The best known of his publications are: Scripturae sacrae cursus completus ("complete course in sacred scripture") which assembled a wide repertory of commentaries on each of

5040-472: The work of Papias was still extant in the Late Middle Ages , the full text is now lost; however, extracts appear in a number of other writings, some of which cite a book number. Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: Those who wrote in Greek are called

5120-586: The year: on 21 January and on 13 August. His title of Confessor means that he suffered for the faith, but not to the point of death, and thus is distinguished from a martyr. His Life of the Virgin is thought to be the earliest complete biography of Mary, the mother of Jesus. John of Damascus ( c.  676  – 749) was a Syrian Christian monk, priest, hymnographer and apologist. Born and raised in Damascus , he died at his monastery, Mar Saba , near Jerusalem. A polymath whose fields of interest and contribution included law, theology, philosophy, and music, he

5200-403: Was Bishop of Poitiers and is a Doctor of the Church. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" ( Latin : Malleus Arianorum ) and the "Athanasius of the West." His name comes from the Graeco-Latin word for happy or cheerful. His optional memorial in the General Roman Calendar is 13 January. In the past, when this date was occupied by the Octave Day of the Epiphany, his feast day

5280-442: Was a Christian theologian, and Bishop of Mopsuestia (as Theodore II) from 392 to 428 AD. He is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate. He is the best known representative of the middle Antioch School of hermeneutics . He is known to be a prolific writer and exegete with strong emphases on the literal, historical and rational interpretation of Christian scriptures. Throughout his lifetime, he

5360-456: Was a central figure in the First Council of Ephesus in 431, which led to the deposition of Nestorius as Archbishop of Constantinople . Cyril's reputation within the Christian world has resulted in his titles "Pillar of Faith" and "Seal of all the Fathers". Maximus the Confessor (also known as Maximus the Theologian and Maximus of Constantinople) ( c.  580  – 662) was a Christian monk, theologian, and scholar. In his early life, he

5440-421: Was a civil servant and an aide to the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius ; however, he gave up this life in the political sphere to enter into the monastic life. After moving to Carthage , Maximus studied several Neo-Platonist writers and became a prominent author. When one of his friends began espousing the Christological position known as Monothelitism , Maximus was drawn into the controversy, in which he supported

5520-475: Was a hearer of John and a companion of Polycarp" by Polycarp's disciple Irenaeus ( c.  180 ). Eusebius adds that Papias was Bishop of Hierapolis around the time of Ignatius of Antioch . In this office, Papias was presumably succeeded by Abercius of Hierapolis . The name Papias was very common in the region, suggesting that he was probably a native of the area. The work of Papias is dated by most modern scholars to about AD 95–120. Despite indications that

5600-483: Was against many of the ideas of Plato and Aristotle (and other Greek philosophers), was an almost scientific and distinctive movement with the healing of the soul of man and his union with God at its center. They made major contributions to the definition of the Trinity finalized at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 and the final version of the Nicene Creed . Subsequent to the First Council of Nicea, Arianism did not simply disappear. The semi-Arians taught that

5680-432: Was an early Christian apologist , and is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the theory of the Logos in the 2nd century. He was martyred , alongside some of his students, and is considered a saint by the Catholic Church , Anglicanism , the Eastern Orthodox Church , and the Oriental Orthodox Churches . Irenaeus was bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul , which is now Lyon (s), France. His writings were formative in

5760-467: Was bishop of Nyssa ; and a close friend, Gregory of Nazianzus (329–389), who became Patriarch of Constantinople . The Cappadocians promoted early Christian theology and are highly respected in both Western and Eastern churches as saints. They were a 4th-century monastic family, led by Macrina the Younger (324–379) to provide a central place for her brothers to study and meditate, and also to provide

5840-545: Was born in North Africa , probably at the beginning of the 3rd century, perhaps at Carthage, where he received an excellent classical ( pagan ) education. After converting to Christianity, he became a bishop and eventually died a martyr at Carthage. He emphasized the necessity of the unity of Christians with their bishops, and also the authority of the Roman See, which he claimed was the source of "priestly unity"'. Hilary of Poitiers ( c.  300  – c.  368 )

5920-552: Was born in Carthage, the son of a Roman centurion. Tertullian denounced Christian doctrines he considered heretical, such as allowing widows to remarry and permitting Christians to flee from persecution, but later in life adopted Montanism , regarded as heretical by the mainstream Church, which prevented his canonization. He wrote three books in Greek and was the first great writer of Latin Christianity, thus sometimes known as

6000-482: Was given the by-name of Chrysorrhoas (Χρυσορρόας, literally "streaming with gold", i.e. "the golden speaker"). He wrote numerous works expounding the Christian faith, and composed hymns which are still used both liturgically in Eastern Christian practice throughout the world as well as in western Lutheranism at Easter. He was particularly known for his defense of icons . The Catholic Church regards him as

6080-606: Was hailed as one of the outstanding, prolific biblical theologians and staunch defender of Christ's humanity. More than a century after his death, he was condemned in person in the Chalcedonian Church at the Second Council of Constantinople . However he continues to be recognised as a Greek Doctor in the Church of the East, which honours him with the title 'Theodore the Interpreter'. In 394, he attended

6160-464: Was moved to 14 January. Ambrose was an archbishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He was a governor before becoming bishop. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the Church. He offered a new perspective on the theory of atonement . Pope Damasus I (305–384) was active in defending the Catholic Church against the threat of schisms. In two Roman synods (368 and 369) he condemned

6240-572: Was the fourth bishop of Rome after Anacletus . Eusebius described him as the "co-laborer" of Paul and identified him with the Clement mentioned in Philippians 4:3 . The First Epistle of Clement ( c.  96 ) is the earliest extant epistle from a Church Father. In the epistle, Clement calls on the Christians of Corinth to maintain harmony and order. Copied and widely read in

6320-520: Was the third bishop of Antioch , and was said to be a student of the Apostle John . En route to his martyrdom in Rome, Ignatius wrote a series of letters which have been preserved. Important topics addressed in these letters include ecclesiology , the sacraments , the role of bishops , and the incarnation of Christ . Specifically, concerning ecclesiology, his letter to the Romans is often cited as

6400-627: Was well-versed in pagan and biblical literature. Origen, or Origen Adamantius ( c.  185  – c.  254 ) was a scholar and theologian. According to tradition, he was an Egyptian who taught in Alexandria, reviving the Catechetical School where Clement had taught. The patriarch of Alexandria at first supported Origen but later expelled him for being ordained without the patriarch's permission. He relocated to Caesarea Maritima and died there after being tortured during

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