Lesson Nine: The Church Fathers  Lesson Nine B: The Organization of the Early Church

Early Church Fathers Formidable; distant in time Famous, but not well known  Long winded  Entered all kinds of digressions  Loved imagery & symbolism

Who Were The Church Fathers? Leaders of the church after the Apostles 1. Anti-Nicene 2. Nicene 3. Post- Nicene Church leaders of the “Hellenized Mediterranean”

Who Were The Church Fathers? Leaders of the church after the Apostles 1. Anti-Nicene 2. Nicene 3. Post- Nicene Church leaders of the “Hellenized Mediterranean” They were ‘fathers” i.e. they were looked up to They lived the gospel They were orthodox Christian leaders

Clement of Rome (?-110) Polycarp (70-155/60)

Justin the Martyr ( ) Tatian ( ) Diatessaron Irenaeus ( )

Justin the Martyr ( ) Tatian ( ) Diatessaron Irenaeus ( ) Against Heresies

Tertullian ( ) The first important Christian writer in Latin The most exciting to read The most ‘original’ linguist Trinity Clement of Alexandria ( ) Pantaenus

Origen ( ) Hexapla On First Principles Cyprian ( )

How should we view the church fathers? Roman Catholic/Orthodox - venerate Protestant (except Ch of England) - ignore “the consensus of the first five centuries” John Calvin

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Thomas Oden ( ) "It is never too late to rediscover the joy of studying God."

How did the Early Church Fathers Function in the Church?  episcopoi) - bishop/overseer  presbuteroi) - elders/pastors  diakanoi) - deacons “…these are the main elements that you see here in the description of the overseer; not a job description but a character description.”Dr. Garth Roselle

Where did the bishops come from, and why? Clement in 1 st Clement – two offices Ignatius of Antioch – threefold office Irenaeus of Lyon – apostolic succession Monarchial Episcopate Efficiency Concern for orthodoxy

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Christian, What do you believe?