Lesson Two Irenaeus and Tertullian Bashers of Heresy

Who s Who in Church History Lesson Two Irenaeus and Tertullian Bashers of Heresy The Church of the Fathers: The Basic Plot Between the years AD 100 and AD 500 the Christian church changed almost beyond recognition. In AD 100 the church was a small minority, spasmodically persecuted. While the Gospels and epistles were in circulation, they had not yet been gathered together to form a New Testament. While there were brief affirmations of faith like Jesus is Lord there was no formula creed to be recited. The organization of the church was still fluid and varied from region to region, as in New Testament times. Finally, there were no set forms of worship, although particular prayers, like the Lord s Prayer, might be used. By the year 500 a very different picture had emerged. The great majority of people within the Roman Empire called themselves Christians and Christianity had become the official religion of the state. There were also substantial churches outside the bounds of the empire, as in Ethiopia or in India. The Scriptures consisted of an Old and a New Testament-the later being identical to our today, with a few lingering local variations. There were two major creeds, which were widely used. There was also a clear understanding of orthodoxy opposed to heresy, especially regarding the doctrines of the Trinity and the person of Christ. The ministry of the church everywhere took the threefold form of bishops, presbyters and deacons, through lesser regional differences remained. The worship of the church was entirely liturgical, with fixed set forms of prayer. Lane, The Christian Faith, p.10 A Boy Named Sue (or Irene as the case may be) Biographical Facts c. 130-140 Birth 177 Persecution of Christians in Lyon and Vienne 177-78 Appointed Bishop of Lyons 185 Considered for NPC s Associate Pastor, but declined c. 200 Death Irenaeus was a Greek, born in the Roman Province of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), to Christian parents. As a boy he listened to Polycarp (died c. 155), Bishop of Smyrna, who had known and been mentored by the Apostle John. As a young man, Irenaeus went to Lyon in the Roman province of Gaul (modern day France), where he became a presbyter (similar to our elder/pastor role). In 177 a persecution of the Christians in Lyon and Vienne during the rule of Marcus Aurelius claimed the lives of 50 people including the Bishop Pothinus. Irenaeus succeeded Pothinus. As bishop (or chief elder among the Christian community in the area), Irenaeus was a devoted pastor of souls, giving his attention to spreading the gospel in Gaul, defending his flocks from heresy and Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 1

maintaining close ties to the church at Rome. Later sources tell us that he too may have been martyred around the year 200. Why We Should Care About Irenaeus Irenaeus is most remembered for his compelling and thorough refutation against heresy, chiefly that of Gnosticism. His major work was his Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge Falsely So-Called generally know by the shorter title of Against Heresy. Irenaeus Major Ideas Description of Gnostic Systems Gnosticism is description of a variety of 2 nd century sects and teachings that have some common elements which include: Belief in a supreme God who is totally remote from this world. God had no part in the creation of the world. Rather this was done by some sort of lesser deity often identified with the God of the Old Testament. Mind/spirit are good and body/materiality are evil, thus salvation is the escape of the soul from the body to the heavenly realms. Between this evil, material world and supreme God there is a hierarchical series of divine beings and realms. In order for a person s soul to reach the presence of the supreme God, it is necessary ascend through these (the soul was thought of as the divine spark trapped in a physical body) various realms above this world. Salvation is by knowledge (γνωσις; gnosis). In order to do this, it was necessary to have the correct knowledge which was viewed, 1) crudely to refer the magical passwords that would allow someone to pass through higher and higher realms to reach the supreme God, or; 2) in a more philosophical manner describing knowledge of ones self. The basis for this knowledge was often claimed to be secret traditions passed on from an apostle to which only certain people had access. By making clear what the Gnostics believe, Irenaeus engaged in campaign to demonstrate how bizarre these beliefs truly were. In his words, merely to describe such doctrines is to refute them. This representative passage demonstrates how Irenaeus responded to Gnostic dualism: Marcion divides God into two, and calls one God good, the other just; and in so doing he destroys the divinity of both. For he who is just is not God if he is not also good; for if he lacks goodness he is not God; while he who is good without being just is similarly deprived of divinity. And how can the Fahter of all men be called wise if justice is not attributed to him?... God is therefore good and merciful and patient, and saves those whom he ought to save; nor does his goodness fail because it operates with justice, nor is his wisdom lessened. For he saves those whom he ought to save, and judges those who deserve judgment; and his justice Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 2

is not displayed harshly, since without doubt his goodness goes before and leads the way Against Heresies 3:25.3 Refutation of Gnostic Claims to Secret Apostolic Traditions He also challenged their claims to secrete apostolic knowledge by arguing that if there was such knowledge which was necessary for salvation the apostles would have surely entrusted it to the very churches that had founded and the leaders they themselves had trained. His appeal to this sort of handed down knowledge shouldn t be confused with later doctrines of apostolic success and the right of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) to make decisions on behalf of the entire church. Rather, his concern is to show that Gnosticism is an entirely different and heretical religion. All who wish to see the truth can clearly contemplate, in every church, the tradition of the apostles manifested throughout the whole world. We can list those who were by the apostles appointed bishops in the churches and their successors down to our own time. They neither taught nor knew any thing like what these heretics rave about. Suppose the apostles had known hidden mysteries which they were in the habit of imparting to the perfect privately and in secret. Surely they would have handed them down especially to those to whom they were also entrusting the churches themselves. For they wanted their successors to be perfect and blameless in everyt hing. Against Heresies 3:3:1 Tony Lane paraphrases Irenaeus main argument this way: Is one more likely to find apostolic Christianity in the apostolic churches whose teaching has been open and continuous since their foundation and who agree with one another or among the Gnostics, who claims to apostolic tradition are unverifiable and mutually contradictory and who disagree with one another? (Lane, The Christian Faith, p.16) Use of the Apostolic Scriptures (NT) for Doing Theology Of course if Irenaeus is going to appeal to a common, open apostolic tradition for doctrine he also needed to set out exactly what this tradition taught. Instead of only teaching from the accepted Old Testament scriptures, he also relied heavily on the writings of the apostles as authoritative. These writings would eventually be recognized as our New Testament. In addition, he also cited the apostolic interpretation of these writings (i.e. the apostolic tradition) as basic summations of orthodox theology. The church, though scattered throughout the whole world to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth and the sea and all things in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was made Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 3

flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who through the prophets proclaimed God s saving dealings with man and the coming, virgin birth, passion, resurrection from the dead and bodily ascension into heaven of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ and his second coming from heaven in the glory of the Father to sum up all things and to raise up all human flesh so that... he should execute just judgment upon all men. Against Heresies 1:10: 1 Notice as well how Irenaeus sees an organic progression in God s revelation from the Old Testament through the New Testament: So also God from the beginning fashioned man with a view to displaying his bounty. He chose the patriarchs with a view to their salvation; he prepared a people, teaching them, obstinate as they were, to follow God; he set up prophets on the earth, thus accustoming man to hear his Spirit and have fellowship with God. He indeed had need of none; but to those who had need of him he granted his fellowship; and for those who were pleasing to him he drafted a plan of salvation, like an architect; and to those who saw him not in Egypt he gave guidance; to those who were restless in the wilderness he gave the Law which suited their needs; to those who entered into the good land he presented a worthy inheritance; for those who return to the Father he kills the fatted calf and give them the best robe;1 in many different ways he restores man to harmony and salvation. For this reason John says in the Apocalypse: his voice was like the voice of many waters. 2 The many waters represent to Spirit of God; and in truth they are many, because the Father is rich and great. Through all these waters the Word passed and gave assistance ungrudgingly to those who submitted to him, prescribing laws suitable for every condition. Against Heresies 4:9:2 It was largely thanks to the work of Irenaeus, and others who read and used his teachings, that Gnosticism was defeated and orthodox Christianity continued to spread. Quintus Septimus Florens Turtulliansus Biographical Facts c. 160 Birth 196-220 Major Literary Activity c. 207 Critical Response to Church c. 220 Death Tertullian was born in Carthage (near modern day Tunis in Tunisia), in North Africa sometime around 160 into a pagan, Roman middle class family. He received a sound education in rhetoric (public speaking and literary style), law and philosophy and was able to read and write in Greek. Very little is known about his personal life although evidence suggests that he was married at one time (scholars speculate that his wife Rome Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 4 Carthage

died early) and that he may have lived and practiced law in Rome. Sometime after 207, Tertullian began to become slightly disillusioned with the mainstream Church, perhaps even severing his formal ties with the local church in Carthage. Tertullian also appears to have given measured support to the ideas of Montanism, a small sect in Asian minor who predicted the immanent end to the world. Tertullian (along with Origien) is one of the two greatest Christian writers of the 2 nd and 3 rd century, and greatest to write in Latin at that time. Why We Should Care About Tertullian Tertullian was the first major theologian to write in Latin instead of Greek. His prolific writings in the areas of apologetics (defending the Faith to non- Christians), polemics (attacking false Christian teaching), and doctrine make him the father of Latin theology. It is said that pagans read his work simply to enjoy his style and one modern author notes that Tertullian, possessed an ability rare among theologians: he is incapable of being dull. Tertullians Major Ideas Apologetic Writings Tertullian engaged in full contact theology. His aim in nearly all of his writings was to use whatever intellectual and rhetorical skills at his disposal to totally annihilate his opponents, be they unbelieving pagans or teachers of false doctrine within the church. His strategy was often to show that these people s ideas made no sense, that Christianity instead made much better sense, and that often the moral quality of these enemies of true religion was highly suspect. We get a taste for this sort of rhetoric in the following quotes: The name of faction is deserved (not by Christians but) by those who conspire to slander good and virtuous men, who cry out against innocent blood. They justify their enmity by the groundless pleas that Christians are the cause of every public disaster, of every affliction visited upon the people. If the Tiber rises to the city walls or the Nile does not rise to the fields, if the heavens stay still or the earth moves, if there is famine of plague, the cry is at once: The Christians to the lion. What! So many of them to one lion? Apology 40 Your cruelty (against us) does not profit you, however exquisite. Instead, it tempts people to our sect. As often as you mow us down, the more we grow in number. The blood of the Christians is the seed (of the church)... The very obstinacy you criticize teaches for us. For who on seeing it is not excited to enquire what lies behind it? Who, having enquired, does not embrace our faith? Apology 50 Polemical and Doctrinal Writings Tertullian also battled Gnosticism, as well as those like Marcion who as a modified Gnostic had his own blend of Old Testament religion, Gnostic teaching, and Pauline theology. Part of his strategy was to demonstrate Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 5

these opponents of true theology were simply offering a competing version, or variation on Christianity, but are espousing an entirely different relgion: As they are heretics they cannot be true Christians. Thus, not being true Christians, they have not right to the Christian Scriptures. We can fairly ask them: Who are you? When and whence did you come? As you are none of mine, what are you doing with my property? Indeed, Marcion, what right have you to hew my wood? By whose permission, Valentinus, are you diverting the streams of my fountain? By what power, Apelles, are you removing my landmarks? This is my property I am the heir of the apostles. Prescription of Heretics 37 In typical rhetorical style, he also expresses his distrust of eastern, Greek philosophy as a suitable tool for doing theology since it often ensnared people in it s so called logic, thus paving the way for Gnostic teachings. He (Paul) had been at Athens and had in his interviews with its philosophers become acquainted with that human wisdom which pretends to know the truth. In fact it only corrupts it and is itself divided into its own multiple heresies by the variety of its mutually hostile sects. What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the church? What have heretics to do with Christians? Our instruction comes from the porch of Solomon, who himself taught that the Lord should be sought in simplicity of heart. Away with all attempts to produce a Stoic, Platonic and dialectic Christianity. We want no curious disputation after possessing Christ Jesus, no speculation after enjoining the gospel. With our faith we desire no further belief. For this is our prime belief: that there is nothing more that we should believe besides. Prescription of Heretics 7 The Son of God was crucified. I am not ashamed, because it is shameful. The Son of God died. It is credible because it is absurd. He was buried and rose again. It is certain because it is impossible. The Flesh of Christ 5 Tertullian was far more content with the language of the Roman legal community which in his view contained none of the sophistry and philosophical slight of the hand he saw in eastern philosophy. Tertullian also opposed those who believed in Monarchianism. Monarchianism was the belief that there is only one God, thus strictly monotheistic, and that any references in Scripture to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit are simply reference to different roles that the one God has (the Father is the Son is the Holy Spirit). Much like someone can be a father, husband, and employee, so too with the Scriptural language. The names are simply distinctions between the roles God plays; they do not describe different persons. Tertullians response was that God is one Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 6

substance in three persons. This basic idea would later be clarified and adopted as the basis for the creedal definitions of the Trinity and Incarnation. (In Gen. I.26 and iii.22, God uses the plural Let us make..., in our image, as one of us.) There was attached to him the Son a second person, his Word; and a third person, the Spirit in the Word: therefore he used the plural in speaking... In whose company was he making man? And in whose likeness? With the Son, who was to put on human nature; with the Spirit, who was to sanctify man: he was speaking with these as his ministers and agents, as a result of the unity of the Trinity. In fact the text which follows distinguished the persons; and God made man; he made him in the image of God. Why not in his own image if the maker was one sole person?... He had, as his model, the Son who was to become man, a man more genuine and real, and who thus caused the man, who was at the time to be formed out of clay, to be called him image, as the image and likeness of the real 1. (Tertullian proceeds, with some inconsistency) There you have (in creation) two beings, one saying, Let it be made, the other creating, I have already explained how you must take other, in the sense of person not of substance, as marking distinction, not division. Yet although I always maintain one substance in three coherent persons, still I am bound to call the giver of a command other than the executor; the sense of the texts demands this. Against Praxean, 12 We who by the grace of God have insight into the situations and contexts of the Scriptures (especially as we are disciples not of man but of the Paraclete) declare that there are two beings, the Father and the Son (and even three, with the Holy Spirit) according to the principle of economy, which introduces plurality, lest (and this is your perverse conclusion) it be believed that the Father was born and died; and inadmissible belief, since it is not part of the tradition. Yet we have never given vent to the phrases two Gods, or two Lords, not that it is untrue that the Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God; each is God. But we believe this inasmuch as in time past (i.e. in the Old Testatment) two were proclaimed as Gods and two as Lords, so that when Christ came he should be acknowledged as God and be called Lord, because he is the Son of him who is God and Lord... But when Christ came as was recognized by us as that same person who in time past had made plurality in the godhead, being made a second from the Father and a third with the Spirit, and when the Father was made more fully manifest through him ; then the name of God and Lord was restored to unity... Against Praxean, 13 Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 7

And Now, Hailing from Greater Cappadocia, Starting at Power Bishop It s There are several large movements within church history that will help us keep our bearings. Irenaeus c. 130-c. 200 Tertullian c. 150- c. 212 The Church of the Fathers (90 AD to 500 AD) 90 AD Athansius 500 AD 296-373 Augustine 354-430 Council of Chalcedon 451 Council of Nicea 325 Benedict 480-547 Anselm 1033-1109 The Medieval Church* (500 AD to 1500 AD) Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274 Gregory the Great 540-604 500 AD 1500 AD John Wycliffe c. 1380-1384 Jan Hus 1372-1415 Martin Luther 1483-1546 John Calvin 1509-1564 Reformation and Reaction (1500 AD to 1700) 1500 AD 1700 AD Westminster Assembly 1643-1649 Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758 * The Medieval Church for our purposes really refers to the church in Western Europe. In 1054 the tensions between church in the East (eastern Europe and the Middle East) and the church in the West came to a head prompting the Great Schism. Even though their remained a vibrant and growing church in the East, our tradition comes from these Western churches and so we focus on them. Who s Who in Church History, L2, p. 8