The Church Fathers: Early Pillars of the Church

Fathers of the Church

Church Fathers of the post-canonical period

Introduction

"Father of the Church" is a traditional title given to Christian preachers, writers and theologians of the post-canonical period (after the books of the Old and New Testament were formed). Unlike the title of "doctor of the Church", which denotes an outstanding teacher, "Father of the Church" is a popular title but not given officially by the Church. Thus, if "Father of the Church" and "doctor of the Church" are not synonymous terms, there Fathers of the Church who were declared doctors of the Church as well.

The Fathers of the Church came immediately after the age of the New Testament and contributed much to the doctrine of the Christian faith. They were reputedly known for their sanctity (even if some have never been given the title of sainthood), and their opinions have always mattered greatly in the Catholic Church. The influence of the Fathers of the Church also extend beyond Roman Catholicism. The Orthodox Christians are more devoted to them than the Catholics, while the Anglicans and the Protestants have made extensive use of their teaching.

Popular Church Fathers

Ignatius - a bishop of Antioch in Syria, ca. 110-117 A.D., who wrote a letter to each of the six churches exhorting unity among the believers. The basis of this unity was the threefold ministry of bishop, presbyter (priest), and deacon. The churches Ignatius wrote to were at Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, Rome, Philadelphia, and Smyrna. Ignatius was led through Asia Minor to his execution as a martyr in Rome.

Justin - he was called the Martyr from his testimony unto death in Rome ca. 165 A.D. Born in Samaria of heathen parents, Justin was a student of philosophy and was gradually converted to Christianity. Justin believed that Christianity was the oldest, the truest, and most divine among all the philosophies. In Christianity's defense, he wrote his "Apology" which defends Christianity against the attacks of Judaism by means of a discussion between himself and a Jew named Trypho.

Tatian - he was from Syria or Assyria and wrote in the middle of the second century. He is known chiefly for his "Diatessaron", which interweaves the four Gospels into one continuous narrative.

Irenaeus - he was born in Asia Minor in the second quarter of the second century. As bishop of Lyons, he was known chiefly for his book refuting various Gnostic schools: "Refutation of Gnosticism" and "Against Heresies". The latter is the oldest surviving work in which the Church repudiated heresy. Irenaeus also wrote several books and letters which are regarded as treatises. (note: St. Irenaeus of Lyons has been declared the 37th Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis last January 21, 2022).

Tertullian - born in Carthage ca. 150-155 A.D., Tertullian studied law and was converted to Christianity ca. 190-195 A.D. He is regarded as the Father of Latin theology. When he died in ca. 223 A.D., he had left the Montanists and founded a sect of his own. His chief polemical work was "Against Marcion" in five books written over a period of about twelve years, ca. 200-212 A.D.

Clement of Alexandria - a successor of Pantaenus as head of the Alexandrian catechetical school from ca. 200 A.D. till his death in ca. 215 A.D. Clement was a presbyter of the Alexandrian Church. Not really a great theologian, Clement was a Greek puritan who understood philosophy as the handmaid of Christianity, and was known to have led the Greeks to Christ. Four of his more important surviving writings are: the "Exhortation to the Heathen", the "Protrepticus", or "Address", the "Instructor", and the "Stromateis", or "Miscellanies".

Origen - Origen was born in ca. 184-185 A.D. and lived mostly in Alexandria where he headed the catechetical school. He died in Caesarea in 254 A.D. during the Decian persecution. Origen is noted to be "the greatest Christian scholar and the most prolific Christian writer of antiquity". He wrote thousands of scrolls similar in length to the Gospel of Matthew. He was also a biblical critic and exegete, interpreting Scripture allegorically. Some of his numerous commentaries and doctrinal works include "On Prayer", "Contra Celsum", and "De Principiis". He was also compiler of the famous Hexapla, which contained the Old Testament in six columns. Also attributed to him were the Greek translations of Aquila, Theodotion, and Symmachus.

Hippolytus - born in ca. 170 A.D., Hippolytus spent most of his life in Rome where he was a priest and then bishop for about seven years (ca. 222-23 A.D. to 230 A.D.). He split with Calixtus when Calixtus was elected as bishop. Sent into exile to the mines of Sardinia in 235 A.D., he died there and was buried on the road to Tivoli. He wrote many books but is known chiefly for his "Refutation of All Heresies" which seeks to show that heresies have their source in Greek philosophy and paganism.

Cyprian - Cyprian was born probably in Carthage ca. 200-210 A.D. and spent all of his life there. He became bishop of Carthage from 248-249 A.D. till his death as a martyr in the year 258 A.D.

Eusebius of Caesarea - Eusebius was born ca. 260 A.D. in Palestine, and became bishop of Caesarea from ca. 315 A.D. till his death in 340 A.D. He played a prominent role in the Council of Nicea, and was known chiefly for his "Church History" in ten books, written between 323-325 A.D. He also wrote "Theophany", a brief exposition of the meaning of Christ.

Didymus - Didymus was a disciple of Origen. Blind early in his youth, he became one of the last presidents of the catechetical school at Alexandria. He died ca. 398 A.D. and was noted chiefly for his exegesis of Biblical books and his three books, "On the Trinity". Also surviving are his treatise on the Holy Spirit in a Latin translation.

Epiphanius of Salamis - Epiphanius was born in Palestine between 310 A.D. and 320 A.D. He was an ascetic who became bishop of Salamis, the capital of Cyprus, in 367 A.D. He spent his life hunting heretics and died at sea on his way from Constantinople to Cyprus in 403 A.D. He wrote the "Ancoratus", which is a defense of Christian doctrine in 373 A.D. He also wrote the more important "Panarion", which is a work against heresies - between 374 A.D. and 377 A.D.

Jerome - St. Jerome was born in Stridon, Dalmatia, between 331 A.D. and 342 A.D. He obtained his education in Rome and was baptized ca. 370 A.D. In 385 A.D., he left Rome for Jerusalem where he presided over a monastery as an ascetic till his death in 420 A.D. His supreme gift to Christendom was the Vulgate - a translation of the whole Bible into Latin. Also of great importance are his many commentaries on biblical books, his dialogue against the Pelagians in three books (415 A.D.), and "On Illustrious Men" written in 392 A.D. and 393 A.D. Many of his letters are also preserved.

Augustine - St. Augustine of Hippo was born in North Africa in 354 A.D. and died in August 430 A.D. Augustine is noted to be the most prominent of the Western Fathers of the Church. He is the most quoted in the present Catechism (together with St. Thomas Aquinas). Of all his works, the popular ones are his "Confessions" and his "City of God".

A list of Latin Fathers of the Church

• St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan (340-97)
• Arnobius, apologist (d. 327)
• St. Augustine, bishop of Hippo (354-430)
• St. Benedict, father of Western monasticism (480-546)
• St. Caesarius, Archbishop of Arles (470-542)
• St. John Cassian, abbot, ascetical writer (360-435)
• St. Celestine I, Pope (d. 432)
• St. Cornelius, Pope (d. 253)
• St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage (d. 258)
• St. Damasus I, Pope (d. 384)
• St. Dionysius, Pope (d. 268)
• St. Ennodius, bishop of Pavia (473-521)
• St. Eucherius, bishop of Lyons (d. 449)
• St. Fulgentius, bishop of Ruspe (468-533)
• St. Gregory of Elvira (died after 392)
• St. Gregory the Great, Pope (540-604)
• St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers (315-68)
• St. Innocent I, Pope (d. 417)
• St. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons (130-200)
• St. Isidore, Archbishop of Seville (560-636)
• St. Jerome, priest, (343-420)
• Lactantius Firmianus, apologist (240-320)
• St. Leo the Great, Pope (390-461)
• Marius Mercator, Latin polemicist (early fifth century)
• Marius Victorinus, Roman rhetorician (fourth century)
• Minucius Felix, apologist (second or third
  century)
• Novatian, the Schismatic (200-62)
• St. Optatus, bishop of Mileve (fourth century)
• St. Pacian, bishop of Barcelona (fourth century)
• St. Pamphilus, priest (240-309)
• St. Paulinus, bishop of Nola (353-431)
• St. Peter Chrysologus, archbishop of Ravenna (400-50)
• St. Phoebadius, bishop of Agen (d. 395)
• St. Prosper of Aquitaine, theologian (390-463)
• Rufinus, Latin translator of Greek theology (345-410)
• Salvian, priest (400-80)
• St. Siricius, Pope (334-99)
• Tertullian, apologist (160-223)
• St. Vincent of Lerins, priest and monk (d. 450)

A list of Greek Fathers of the Church

• St. Anastasius Sinaita, apologist, monk (d. 700)
• St. Andrew of Crete, archbishop of Gortyna (660-740)
• Aphraates, Syriac monk (early fourth century)
• St. Archelaus, bishop of Cascar (d. 282)
• St. Athanasius, archbishop of Alexandria (c. 297-373)
• Athenagoras, apologist (second century)
• St. Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea (329-79)
• St. Caesarius of Nazianzus (330-69)
• St. Clement of Alexandria, theologian (150-215)
• St. Clement I of Rome, Pope (30-101)
• St. Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem (315-86)
• St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria (376-444)
• Didymus the Blind, theologian (313-98)
• Diodore, bishop of Tarsus (d. 392)
• Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite, mystical theologian (late fifth century)
• St. Dionysius the Great, archbishop of Alexandria (190-264)
• St. Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis (315-403)
• Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea (260-340)
• St. Eustathius, bishop of Antioch (fourth century)
• St. Firmillian, bishop of Caesarea (d. 268)
• Gennadius I, Patriarch of Constantinople (d. 471)
• St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople (634-733)
• St. Gregory of Nazianzus, bishop of Sasima (329-90)
• St. Gregory of Nyssa (330-95)
• St. Gregory Thaumaturgus, bishop of Neocaesarea (213-70)
• Hermas, author of "The Shepherd" (second century)
• St. Hippolytus, martyr (170-236)
• St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch (35-107)
• St. Isidore of Pelusium, abbot (360-c. 450)
• St. John Chrysostom, patriarch of Constantinople (347-407)
• St. John Climacus, monk (579-649)
• St. John Damascene, defender of sacred images (675-749)
• St. Julius I, pope (d. 352)
• St. Justin Martyr, apologist (100-65)
• St. Leontius of Byzantium, theologian (sixth century)
• St. Macarius the Great, monk (300-90)
• St. Maximus, abbot and confessor (580-662)
• St. Melito, bishop of Sardis (d. 190)
• St. Methodius, bishop of Olympus (d. 311)
• St. Nilus the Elder, priest and monk (d. 430)
• Origen, head of the catechetical school of Alexandria (184-254)
• St. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna (69-155)
• St. Proclus, patriarch of Constantinople (d. 446)
• St. Serapion, bishop of Thmuis (died after 362)
• St. Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem (560-638)
• Tatian the Assyrian, apologist and theologian (120-80)
• Theodore, bishop of Mopsuestia (350-428)
• Theodoret, bishop of Cyrrhus (393-458)
• St. Theophilus, bishop of Antioch (late second century)

References of this article

• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, S.J.
• Gospel Parallels, by Burton H. Throckmorton, Jr.
• The New Dictionary of Theology, by editors Komonchak, Collins, and Lane