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Patrology, Part 1

Servants Preparation Curriculum

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Patrology, Introduction to Patrology

Objectives:

  1. To define Patrology
  2. To learn the criteria of The Church Fathers
  3. To study the classifications of The Church Fathers
  4. To see examples of the Church Fathers’ Writings/Teachings
  5. To learn how to search for Church Fathers’ Writings

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Patrology and Patristics

  • A Latin word Pater which means Father

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  • Patrology is the science dealing with the life, acts, writings, sayings, and doctrines of The Orthodox writers of The Early Church

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  • Patrology and Patristics can be used interchangeably referring to the same field of study

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Patrology, Introduction to Patrology

Objectives:

  1. To define Patrology
  2. To learn the criteria of The Church Fathers
  3. To study the classifications of The Church Fathers
  4. To see examples of the Church Fathers’ Writings/Teachings
  5. To learn how to search for Church Fathers’ Writings

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The Criteria of The Church Fathers

  • The Church Fathers should have the following:

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  • Orthodoxy of Doctrine
    • Concerning The Faith of The Church, The Holy Trinity, The Nature of Christ, The Sacraments, The Liturgies, etc.
  • Holiness
    • Asceticism, austerity and endurance of pain and persecution in acknowledging Christ

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The Criteria of The Church Fathers Cont.

  • The Church Fathers should have the following:

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  • Antiquity
    • Coptic Orthodox Church = 5th Century
    • Catholic Church = 7th Century (The death of St. Gregory the Great in 604 AD)
    • Eastern Orthodox Church = 8th Century (The death of St. John of Damascus in 749 AD)
  • Approval by The Church

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Why Study Patristics?

False assumption - ancient books should ONLY be read by the professionals

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“Thus ,I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about “isms” and influences and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said” (C. S. Lewis, Introduction to On the Incarnation)

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Why Study Patristics? Cont.

  • An early source of teachings
  • Obtain a clear understanding of Christianity and Its Dogma
  • Reliable and accurate Biblical interpretations
  • Examples of the spiritual life

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Patrology, Introduction to Patrology

Objectives:

  1. To define Patrology
  2. To learn the criteria of The Church Fathers
  3. To study the classifications of The Church Fathers
  4. To see examples of the Church Fathers’ Writings/Teachings
  5. To learn how to search for Church Fathers’ Writings

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The Patristic Times

  • Different Classifications:
    • 451 AD for The Oriental Orthodox Churches
      • Ethiopian, Coptic, Armenian, Syrian, Indian, and Eritrean Churches
    • 750 AD, The death of St. John of Damascus in the East
      • Russia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria, the Catholicosate of Georgia, and the churches of Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania, and the Czech Lands, and Slovakia
    • 604 AD, The death of St. Gregory the Great in the West
      • Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant Church

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Patristic Classifications

  • Title
  • Language
  • Time

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Title:

  • Apostolic Fathers
  • Apologetic Fathers
  • Martyrs
  • Theologians
  • Confessors
  • Ascetics and Monastics

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Title:

  • The Apostolic Fathers:
    • The Disciples of The Apostles
    • St. Clement of Rome (St. Paul), St. Ignatius and St. Polycarp of Antioch (St. John the Beloved)

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  • The Apologetic Fathers:
    • Those who defended Christianity against paganism, the persecution of the Jews, and the authorities
    • St. Tatian the Syrian, St. Athenagoras of Athens, St. Melito of Sardis, and St. Theophilus of Antioch

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Title:

  • The Martyrs:
    • Those who died for The Faith
    • St. Justin and his companions, St. Cyprian, St. Polycarp, St. Perpetua, and St. Felicitas

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  • The Theologians:
    • Those who taught Orthodoxy
    • St. Athanasius of Alexandria, St. Cyril the Great, St. Basil, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, and St. Augustine

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Title:

  • The Confessors:
    • Those who were persecuted for The Faith
    • Pope Dioscorus and St. Severus of Antioch

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  • The Ascetics and Monastics:
    • Those who taught monasticism and how to live a pure life
    • St. Anthony, St. Pachom, St. Shenouda the Archimandrite, and St. Makarios

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Language:

  • Greek
  • Latin
  • Coptic
  • Syrian

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Language:

  • Greek was the most prevalent
  • Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian started to replace Greek in the East
  • Latin replaced Greek in the West

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Language:

  • Eastern Church Fathers who wrote in Greek:
    • St. Athanasius the Apostle
    • St. Basil the Great
    • St. Gregory the Theologian
    • St. John Chrysostom
    • St. Cyril of Alexandria
    • St. Severus of Antioch

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Language:

  • Western Church Fathers who wrote in Latin:
    • St. Keprianos, the Bishop of Carthage
      • He loved reading
    • St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan
      • Wrote much Biblical commentary
    • St. Jerome
      • Translated The Bible into Latin
    • St. Augustine
      • Wrote much Biblical commentary

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Time:

  • The first 3 Centuries = The Ante Nicene period
  • 4th – 5th Centuries = The Golden era of The Patriarchs
  • 6th – 7th Centuries = The Later Ages

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Time:

  • The first 3 Centuries = The Ante Nicene period
    • The Apostolic Fathers and their disciples focused on:
      • Heresies
      • The Trinity
      • The Incarnation
      • Heaven
      • The Sacraments
      • Canons

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Time:

  • 4th – 5th Centuries = The Golden era of The Patriarchs
    • Begins with St. Athanasius the Apostle in 325 AD and ends with St. Dioscorus in 451 AD and focused on:
      • The Divinity of The Son
      • The Divinity of The Holy Spirit
      • Christology
      • The Formation of the Creed

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Time:

  • 4th – 5th Centuries = The Golden era of The Patriarchs
    • In the East:
      • Pope Athanasius the Apostolic
      • Didymus the Blind
      • Pope Cyril the Great
      • The Cappadocian Fathers
      • Saint Anthony and Saint Pachom

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Time:

  • 4th – 5th Centuries = The Golden era of The Patriarchs
    • In the West:
      • St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan
      • St. Jerome
      • St. Augustine

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Patristic Classifications Cont.

Time:

  • 6th – 7th Centuries = The Later Ages
    • After the split between The East and The West and highlighted:
      • Christology
      • The authority of the Patriarchs in their Churches
        • St. Timothy of Alexandria and St. Severus of Antioch

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Patrology, Introduction to Patrology

Objectives:

  1. To define Patrology
  2. To learn the criteria of The Church Fathers
  3. To study the classifications of The Church Fathers
  4. To see examples of the Church Fathers’ Writings/Teachings
  5. To learn how to search for Church Fathers’ Writings

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Examples of The Church Fathers’ Writings

  • The Creed
  • On the Incarnation
  • The Life of Antony
  • The Five Theological Orations
  • The Didache
  • The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas

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Patrology, Introduction to Patrology

Objectives:

  1. To define Patrology
  2. To learn the criteria of The Church Fathers
  3. To study the classifications of The Church Fathers
  4. To see examples of the Church Fathers’ Writings/Teachings
  5. To learn how to search for Church Fathers’ Writings

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How to Search for Patristic Writings

  • We have to be careful!
  • We, The Coptic Church, do not accept all the writings
  • Some of The Fathers are called ONLY scholars or teachers

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  • Origen, The Mystery of The History
    • Taught universal salvation
  • Tertullian, The Great Scholar
    • Taught Montanism (no marriage or meat) and that The Holy Spirit speaks only through them
  • Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malalty

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Examples of The Church Fathers’ Writings Cont.

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How to Search for Patristic Writings Cont.

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How to Search for Patristic Writings Cont.

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How to Search for Patristic Writings Cont.

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How to Search for Patristic Writings Cont.

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Patrology, Introduction to Patrology

Objectives:

  1. To define Patrology
  2. To learn the criteria of The Church Fathers
  3. To study the classifications of The Church Fathers
  4. To see examples of the Church Fathers’ Writings/Teachings
  5. To learn how to search for Church Fathers’ Writings

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Review Questions

  1. What is the definition of Patrology?
  2. What are the criteria for The Church Fathers?
  3. What are the ways of classifications of The Church Fathers?
  4. List some of the famous fathers from the 4th – 5th Centuries
  5. List some of the famous fathers from the 6th – 7th Centuries

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Memorization Verses

  1. “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15)

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