Well finally Irenaeus has overtaken Athanasius! :) I am somewhat kidding, for Athanasius was certainly great also. But Irenaeus simply manifests the early ancient Catholic Church. Btw, the Letters of Ignatius are historically Catholic, and just a grand read in the ancient church also! We could spend a long time on The Fathers! (Puzzling, but Augustine though in the lead, has not seemed to move?)
I've got to go with Ignatius, but since he is not available, I will take Irenaeus on my team. This is probably the most difficult forced choice you have posted so far.
It is interesting that Athanasius is not all that far ahead of Irenaeus? I know it is early. And I am surprised that Chrysostom is not higher? Btw, I like to read Cyril of Alexandria also, his Christology is very interesting, the saint or man of Byzantine orthodoxy!
Whatever we may think of Origen, and certainly he had some false lines and roads; in the main, we must be thankful for him and his work in the hermeneutical and exegetical. He was quite a thinker and theolog! I have and have read Henri de Lubac's fine book: History and Spirit, The Understanding Of Scripture According To Origen (Ignatius Press). We can note his escape of the influence of Neoplatonism for example!
Athanasius hands down. No contest. I do have a question though, who voted for Origen? I want to hear reasons behind that vote...
Heironymus intellectibus minoris - 13 years ago
Where's Heironymus? Nasty tempered, opinionated, and not very gender sensitive-all to human but he would have gotten at least 1 vote more than John of Damascus ;-)
Tyson - 13 years ago
I agree. Irenaeus is way under-rated. I suppose if I could have a hybrid Father with the trinitarianism of Gregory of Nazianzus and the anthropology of Augustine, i'd change my vote. Especially if we could place him in the 2nd century.
Based upon a historical time-line or table, certainly Irenaeus would be very important. I wonder how many know Irenaeus actually came from the old Greek district of Asia Minor. And of course all the churches in Asia bear witness to Smyrna and Polycarp (Eastern). But Irenaeus gathered up and combined the traditions from Asia Minor, Syria, and Rome and used then to stand against and refute the Gnostics. Irenaeus was the greatest theologian between the apostles and the third century Origen. He simply built the first body of Apostolic & Christian theology: biblical, traditional, and exegetical, but also based from the outside by logic and rhetorical and philosophical ideas. There are simply none like him at this stage!
Well finally Irenaeus has overtaken Athanasius! :) I am somewhat kidding, for Athanasius was certainly great also. But Irenaeus simply manifests the early ancient Catholic Church. Btw, the Letters of Ignatius are historically Catholic, and just a grand read in the ancient church also! We could spend a long time on The Fathers! (Puzzling, but Augustine though in the lead, has not seemed to move?)
I've got to go with Ignatius, but since he is not available, I will take Irenaeus on my team. This is probably the most difficult forced choice you have posted so far.
It is interesting that Athanasius is not all that far ahead of Irenaeus? I know it is early. And I am surprised that Chrysostom is not higher? Btw, I like to read Cyril of Alexandria also, his Christology is very interesting, the saint or man of Byzantine orthodoxy!
Whatever we may think of Origen, and certainly he had some false lines and roads; in the main, we must be thankful for him and his work in the hermeneutical and exegetical. He was quite a thinker and theolog! I have and have read Henri de Lubac's fine book: History and Spirit, The Understanding Of Scripture According To Origen (Ignatius Press). We can note his escape of the influence of Neoplatonism for example!
Athanasius hands down. No contest. I do have a question though, who voted for Origen? I want to hear reasons behind that vote...
Where's Heironymus? Nasty tempered, opinionated, and not very gender sensitive-all to human but he would have gotten at least 1 vote more than John of Damascus ;-)
I agree. Irenaeus is way under-rated. I suppose if I could have a hybrid Father with the trinitarianism of Gregory of Nazianzus and the anthropology of Augustine, i'd change my vote. Especially if we could place him in the 2nd century.
Yeah, I voted for Augustine in the long haul. But Irenaeus stands first in the historical line! :)
Based upon a historical time-line or table, certainly Irenaeus would be very important. I wonder how many know Irenaeus actually came from the old Greek district of Asia Minor. And of course all the churches in Asia bear witness to Smyrna and Polycarp (Eastern). But Irenaeus gathered up and combined the traditions from Asia Minor, Syria, and Rome and used then to stand against and refute the Gnostics. Irenaeus was the greatest theologian between the apostles and the third century Origen. He simply built the first body of Apostolic & Christian theology: biblical, traditional, and exegetical, but also based from the outside by logic and rhetorical and philosophical ideas. There are simply none like him at this stage!