1. Lecture 6: Irenaeus
22 September 2015
Irenaeus

2. Outline Controversies over canon Gnosticism Irenaeus 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 Mean 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 becomes 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 and
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 god
Good god as a trinity with spirit and Sophia
Jesus as a demi-god born of Sophia
Jesus only appears to be human (docetist)
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
Docetists
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
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 Polycarp (student of Ignatius and perhaps John the Apostle)
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 Scripture
Genealogy of true Scripture: Evangelists, Paul, Apostles
Apostolic Succession; Roman bishops
Importance of teaching publicly
Focus on New Testament
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
Read 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, , 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