homework 5.12.10

Clement of Alexandria: he made the first catechism for us. He was very concerned with the life of the mind. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have the Nicene Creed.

Tertullian of Carthage: in his time, Christians were gravitating to Plato's world that there are two separate realms. "We really can't do much about this world, so we must fix our minds on the spiritual realm. We must be above this realm." They had given up on the earth. "Heavenly-minded" is what became the "fashion." Tertullian's argument however, was that Christ came to us by the world. We have to still work on earthly and worldly things. Christianity ought to change everything in life on earth.

Cyprian - he was the leader of Antioch. He wrote a book (well, I guess they didn't have books back then, but you know what I mean) called "Against the Novatians." The Novatians were teachers who believed the essence of the Gospel and the church are to safe-guard the secrets of God's knowledge. The Church is to "box" up that knowledge and give it out to only the "worthy and righteousness" people. The Church is to build up its walls. It is to invade the world; to attack the world. But Cyprian believed that the gates of hell are not marching against us...it's Satan. We have been given power, and we must strike while we have this kind of power and dominion. The Novatians were very strict about entrance to the Church. They were against Modalism which is all for that there is one god, but there are many different identities for him. Sometimes he is God, sometimes Christ, sometimes the Holy Spirit...but never one in three, and three in one. Therefore, they didn't truly believe in the Trinity and farther back from that, the Word. But there is always only one God. They had a rigorous church community and wouldn't let strays back into the fellowship of believers.

Polemical Fathers: they defend and apply the Gospel to new realms. They defend it by attacking.

Irenaeus: He believed that you can't fight something with nothing. That something is the world order or the world system: art, music, economics etc. that are at all flawed. We can pinpoint what is wrong, but how do we make it right? How does a Christian life influence others? What does it look like? These are questions he addressed. You must be affected by the Gospel. Christ is Lord and He is over the totality of our lives.

Hippolytus - he accumulated the apostolic tradition which taught us that we have to look back to know the present, and that you can't rely on opinion polls.

Origen - he was much like Athanasius. In his studies, he worked out a system of hermeneutics and rules of interpretation. Everyone can't see something the same way...there is one true interpretation, but many overall applications. There is a systematic worldview.

Athanasius - he was Origen's successor. He was forced into exile 7 times because he refused to bend under government's rule. The Bible is not open for changing. It is true and will always be. It will not change ever. It's here to stay and it can't be updated. You don't mess with the Gospel. His main point in life was that Jesus is Lord. He fought for the deity of God.

Ambrose - was a professor of rhetoric. He lived mainly in Northern Italy. He convicted and converted Augustine Bishop of Hippo.

Pastoral Fathers: these men built real communities and were more like pastors. They tended to do more of pastor-like things.

Basil - this man came from a prominent family to begin with. He lived in Ceaserea and was close friends with Gregory of Naziansis and Gregory Nyssa. When he was younger, he was a student in Athens with the future emperor. Nine of his family members were proclaimed saints. And during 1,000 years, there was always at least one member of his family that was governor, bishop, emperor or some other high office like that. Basil died in 379...his last words were, "This is but the beginning." Basil believed in hospitals. The church was found to be a healing center. Not only for spiritual needs, but for physical needs also. This shows us that hospitals are rooted in Christianity. AS the pagans take over the hospitals, it'll be more about death as opposed to life and healing.

Gregory Nyssa - he believed that Christians ought to be the best scientists, generals, artists, musicians and so forth. They should be the ones leading the culture and fashion.

Gregory Naziansis was the brother of Basil.

John Chrysostom (Chrysostom meaning golden tongue) was the bishop of Antioch. He was dragged down to be the bishop of Constantinople. He tended to speak strongly against the government. He firmly believed that the government was becoming an idol and was taking over the church's roles. This, he said, was tyranny and idolatry. For this, he was sent into exile.

Jerome - his scholarship was for the church. His most famous role was his Latin translation of the Bible which he wrote while staying in a cave in Bethlehem. He wrote it from a mixture of Greek and Hebrew to Latin.

The Dark Ages are only named that because pagans saw the Christian advance during that time.