It's been one of those weeks again and this one looks even worse. So, the next installment of Sulpicius Severus will have to wait. I'm also pretty sure the Roundup is going to be late as well, since this is my busiest week of the year.
Peace,
Phil
Monday, April 30, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Patristics Roundup- April 19-26, 2007
Welcome back to the roundup! It looks like an average week this week, so some interesting entries. Enjoy!
Patristics
Mike Aqulina on The Way of the Fathers Blog quotes Pope Benedict's words on Augustine, announces advanced sales on his new expanded edition of his book, the Mass of the Early Christians, celebrates the feast of St. Mark with a quote from St. Jerome, alerts us to an article about the condemnation of Origen and quotes Pope Benedict's discussion of Origen.
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog offers Patristics Quotes of the Day featuring St. Augustine, Augustine again, Augustine yet again,
Ian on the Ruminations by the Lake blog features an essay on Luther the Augustinian and a review of Ivor Davidson's Birth of the Church.
Deep Furrows on the Deep Furrows blog features an anthology of mostly patristic authors on ecclesiology.
Father Z on the What Does the Prayer Really Mean? blog features a discussion of Pope Benedict and St. Augustine's bones.
purifyyourbride on the Purify Your Bride blog features a discussion of the Fathers and evolution.
Father Stephanos on the Me Monk, Me meander blog features a discussion of the Niceno-Constaninopolitan Creed.
Tony Jones on the Theoblogy blog discusses the importance of patristics to an emergent/post-modern approach in which orthodoxy is an event, not a foundational set of propositions.
Carl Olsen on the Insight Scoop blog reports on Pope Benedict's references to Origen in his catchecetical lectures.
The cathedra unitatis blog features a discussion of and links to Orthodox vs 'Western' soteriology with particular reference to the Fathers.
Allen Thornburgh on The Point blog refers us to a quiz about whether we are a heretic (and don't know it.). I'm, happily, Chalcedon compliant. Yeah!
Kevin Edgecomb on biblicalia posts the locations for the relics of various Church Fathers.
Rick Brannon on the Pastoral Epistles blog continues his series on the use of the Pastoral Epistles in the Apostolic Fathers with St. Ignatius (Parts One and Two)
The Apocryphal Corner
The Current Era blog features an interview between Steven Colbert (aka St. Irenaeus?)and Elaine Pagels on the Gospel of Judas. . Doesn't that Gospel just show up in the weirdest places? Hat tip to Mike Aquilina et al.
April DeConick on the Forbidden Gospels blog features an article by Peter Head on the Gospel of Judas, some comments on the Colbert interview with Elaine Pagels, a plea for the release of the photographs of the Gospel of Judas, , discusses the influence of Irenaeus and pseudo-Tertullian on our understanding of the Gospel of Judas and posts a review of Andrew Bernard's book on the manuscripts of other Gospels.
Patristics
Mike Aqulina on The Way of the Fathers Blog quotes Pope Benedict's words on Augustine, announces advanced sales on his new expanded edition of his book, the Mass of the Early Christians, celebrates the feast of St. Mark with a quote from St. Jerome, alerts us to an article about the condemnation of Origen and quotes Pope Benedict's discussion of Origen.
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog offers Patristics Quotes of the Day featuring St. Augustine, Augustine again, Augustine yet again,
Ian on the Ruminations by the Lake blog features an essay on Luther the Augustinian and a review of Ivor Davidson's Birth of the Church.
Deep Furrows on the Deep Furrows blog features an anthology of mostly patristic authors on ecclesiology.
Father Z on the What Does the Prayer Really Mean? blog features a discussion of Pope Benedict and St. Augustine's bones.
purifyyourbride on the Purify Your Bride blog features a discussion of the Fathers and evolution.
Father Stephanos on the Me Monk, Me meander blog features a discussion of the Niceno-Constaninopolitan Creed.
Tony Jones on the Theoblogy blog discusses the importance of patristics to an emergent/post-modern approach in which orthodoxy is an event, not a foundational set of propositions.
Carl Olsen on the Insight Scoop blog reports on Pope Benedict's references to Origen in his catchecetical lectures.
The cathedra unitatis blog features a discussion of and links to Orthodox vs 'Western' soteriology with particular reference to the Fathers.
Allen Thornburgh on The Point blog refers us to a quiz about whether we are a heretic (and don't know it.). I'm, happily, Chalcedon compliant. Yeah!
Kevin Edgecomb on biblicalia posts the locations for the relics of various Church Fathers.
Rick Brannon on the Pastoral Epistles blog continues his series on the use of the Pastoral Epistles in the Apostolic Fathers with St. Ignatius (Parts One and Two)
The Apocryphal Corner
The Current Era blog features an interview between Steven Colbert (aka St. Irenaeus?)and Elaine Pagels on the Gospel of Judas. . Doesn't that Gospel just show up in the weirdest places? Hat tip to Mike Aquilina et al.
April DeConick on the Forbidden Gospels blog features an article by Peter Head on the Gospel of Judas, some comments on the Colbert interview with Elaine Pagels, a plea for the release of the photographs of the Gospel of Judas, , discusses the influence of Irenaeus and pseudo-Tertullian on our understanding of the Gospel of Judas and posts a review of Andrew Bernard's book on the manuscripts of other Gospels.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Patristics Withdrawl and Future Directions
This last few months have been quite busy on a lot of fronts and the next two look equally busy. What that has meant over the last few weeks has been that I've had less time for reflection and reading than I have in a while. That is fine, of course. Family and gainful employment take precedent over study and always will in my life. As shocking as it sounds, blogging isn't my main priority in life.
Along with this busyness, though, I've been missing the Fathers in my reading. Part of that is the fact that I've spent most of the last few months reading allowance reading N.T. Wright's Jesus and the Victory of God. It is, I note, an exceptionally good academic book and, as an academic book, it is extremely dense and tightly argued. So, working through the 661 pages has been a time-consuming, if rewarding exercise. The result has been that I've not been reading as much Fathers as I'd like. And I find I miss their voices.
That is an odd admission to make, but, in many ways, over the last few years of reading the Fathers, I've become used to their Scripture-immersed, faithful, occasionally strident voices urging their culture (and our as well) to, finally, confess Jesus and to consider what that confession meant. They, in many ways, do a better job doing that than many contemporary theologians (N.T. Wright being something of an exception) in conveying the immediacy of the Christian faith. In our modern academic-based theology, we are rather too polite and afraid of causing offense. A dose of the Fathers is bracing and reminds us of a time when we weren't ashamed of being distinctive in the society around us.
The Fathers aren't for everyone, I know. I find myself drawn to them because I understand something of the Graeco-Roman society with which they were interacting. My background in Classics has helped me with their culturally distinctive mindsets, although I would fight shy of claiming anything close to expertise in the area.
Over the March Break, I was reading Os Guinness' The Call, which focuses on vocation outside of ordained ministry. One of the more memorable things he said was that it is possible to have a vocation and only be able to pursue it as an amateur. That, I think is true here because I feel that I'm pursuing a teaching vocation in the Church through this blog. He also had a sobering comment that, sometimes, being an amateur means admitting that you can't do the 'best' job at the subject you love. I have to admit that I was, first, annoyed at this comment; then, I had to recognize its truth. I am not going to be able to read all the Fathers, all the Reformation theologians (a side interest of mine is the use of the Fathers by the Reformers) and all modern theologians in order to create some kind of patristic-Reformation-post-modern synthesis or some kind of masterwork in Christian historical writing. All I can do is to tend my corner of the patristic garden and do my best to contribute to the patristic revival we've all heard about.
With that in mind, I've been thinking about future directions. I'm thinking that a series on Cyprian wouldn't be the worst idea at this time. I'm thinking especially about the upcoming General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada; a synod which has to reflect on some serious theological and ecclesiological matters in early June. Reflecting on Cyprian may be helpful for me as I think over what it means to be the church and how we should relate to the world. In all likelihood, these reflections will not impact on the church I joined fifteen years ago (although a little dose of Cyprian would do wonders!), but, perhaps, it will help me with seeing the path ahead.
But, next week, we're back with St. Martin!
Peace,
Phil
Along with this busyness, though, I've been missing the Fathers in my reading. Part of that is the fact that I've spent most of the last few months reading allowance reading N.T. Wright's Jesus and the Victory of God. It is, I note, an exceptionally good academic book and, as an academic book, it is extremely dense and tightly argued. So, working through the 661 pages has been a time-consuming, if rewarding exercise. The result has been that I've not been reading as much Fathers as I'd like. And I find I miss their voices.
That is an odd admission to make, but, in many ways, over the last few years of reading the Fathers, I've become used to their Scripture-immersed, faithful, occasionally strident voices urging their culture (and our as well) to, finally, confess Jesus and to consider what that confession meant. They, in many ways, do a better job doing that than many contemporary theologians (N.T. Wright being something of an exception) in conveying the immediacy of the Christian faith. In our modern academic-based theology, we are rather too polite and afraid of causing offense. A dose of the Fathers is bracing and reminds us of a time when we weren't ashamed of being distinctive in the society around us.
The Fathers aren't for everyone, I know. I find myself drawn to them because I understand something of the Graeco-Roman society with which they were interacting. My background in Classics has helped me with their culturally distinctive mindsets, although I would fight shy of claiming anything close to expertise in the area.
Over the March Break, I was reading Os Guinness' The Call, which focuses on vocation outside of ordained ministry. One of the more memorable things he said was that it is possible to have a vocation and only be able to pursue it as an amateur. That, I think is true here because I feel that I'm pursuing a teaching vocation in the Church through this blog. He also had a sobering comment that, sometimes, being an amateur means admitting that you can't do the 'best' job at the subject you love. I have to admit that I was, first, annoyed at this comment; then, I had to recognize its truth. I am not going to be able to read all the Fathers, all the Reformation theologians (a side interest of mine is the use of the Fathers by the Reformers) and all modern theologians in order to create some kind of patristic-Reformation-post-modern synthesis or some kind of masterwork in Christian historical writing. All I can do is to tend my corner of the patristic garden and do my best to contribute to the patristic revival we've all heard about.
With that in mind, I've been thinking about future directions. I'm thinking that a series on Cyprian wouldn't be the worst idea at this time. I'm thinking especially about the upcoming General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada; a synod which has to reflect on some serious theological and ecclesiological matters in early June. Reflecting on Cyprian may be helpful for me as I think over what it means to be the church and how we should relate to the world. In all likelihood, these reflections will not impact on the church I joined fifteen years ago (although a little dose of Cyprian would do wonders!), but, perhaps, it will help me with seeing the path ahead.
But, next week, we're back with St. Martin!
Peace,
Phil
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Patristics Roundsup- April 12-19, 2007
It hasn't been a very busy week in the patristics garden. Either that or I haven't been as diligent because of having a cold all week and being snowed in with work (the end of the school is nigh and the marking is piling up). I hope you enjoy the offerings there are.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers features reflections on Robert Wilken's book, Remembering the Christian Past, and again on Wilken and reminds us about St. Clement of Alexandria.
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog offers his Patristic Quotes of the Day featuring St. Athanasius, St. Symeon, and St. Ambrose
Danny Garland at Irish-Catholic and Dangerous features a quote of St. Justin Martyr on baptism.
Daniel Newman on the Christ and Covenant blog features a discussion of the Fathers on penal substitution.
Al Hsu on The Suburban Christian blog discusses a session at a Wheaton College conference which talks about evangelism and the early church.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog discusses the attitude of the Church Fathers to the Deuterocanonical authors.
Jason on Jason's blog features a discussion of Origen as the origin of scholarly theology.
Father Z on the What Does The Prayer Really Say blog connects us to a podcast of Pope Benedict on St. Leo the Great.
Rick Brannon on his Pastoral Epistles blog continues his series on the Pastoral epistles with posts on the Didache and 1st Clement ((Parts one, two, three and four). I'm a little behind on these, I'm afraid.
James Siemens on the East and West blog provides us with an updated bibliography of Theodore of Tarsus.
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on his Apocryphicity blog alerts us to a response by John Dart about a review of his book on the Secret Gospel of Mark.
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospel blog provides us with an extensive annotated bibliography on the Gospel of Judas
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers features reflections on Robert Wilken's book, Remembering the Christian Past, and again on Wilken and reminds us about St. Clement of Alexandria.
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog offers his Patristic Quotes of the Day featuring St. Athanasius, St. Symeon, and St. Ambrose
Danny Garland at Irish-Catholic and Dangerous features a quote of St. Justin Martyr on baptism.
Daniel Newman on the Christ and Covenant blog features a discussion of the Fathers on penal substitution.
Al Hsu on The Suburban Christian blog discusses a session at a Wheaton College conference which talks about evangelism and the early church.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog discusses the attitude of the Church Fathers to the Deuterocanonical authors.
Jason on Jason's blog features a discussion of Origen as the origin of scholarly theology.
Father Z on the What Does The Prayer Really Say blog connects us to a podcast of Pope Benedict on St. Leo the Great.
Rick Brannon on his Pastoral Epistles blog continues his series on the Pastoral epistles with posts on the Didache and 1st Clement ((Parts one, two, three and four). I'm a little behind on these, I'm afraid.
James Siemens on the East and West blog provides us with an updated bibliography of Theodore of Tarsus.
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on his Apocryphicity blog alerts us to a response by John Dart about a review of his book on the Secret Gospel of Mark.
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospel blog provides us with an extensive annotated bibliography on the Gospel of Judas
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
On Virginia Tech
Anyone who is a teacher or has spent as much time in universities as I have can't help but have strong feelings about recent events at Virginia Tech. Like most people, I've read the news reports, studied the stories of survivors, been inspired by the stories of heroism now coming out, tried (and failed)to fathom the mind of the killer and grieved for the victims, their families and friends. Evil did stalk the campus of Virginia Tech that day. Its first victim was Cho Seung-Hui; thirty-two others followed.
This is not the time for fault-finding or what-ifs or second guessing. There are elements of this story which will encourage reflection on how to deal with this kind of situation better. This is the time for grief for lives lost.
So, in this little corner of blogosphere, I offer my prayers for those who died, for their families, for those who were injured and all those who are suffering from grief and loss and for all those whose sense of security on campus or elsewhere has been shattered.
May God be with you all.
Peace,
Phil
This is not the time for fault-finding or what-ifs or second guessing. There are elements of this story which will encourage reflection on how to deal with this kind of situation better. This is the time for grief for lives lost.
So, in this little corner of blogosphere, I offer my prayers for those who died, for their families, for those who were injured and all those who are suffering from grief and loss and for all those whose sense of security on campus or elsewhere has been shattered.
May God be with you all.
Peace,
Phil
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Sulpicius Severus, Life of Martin, 8
Just a short passage this week for the Life of Martin. Martin has already signalled his identification with Jesus, not only in word, but in practice, through his healing of the catechumen. We continue very much in the same vein in today's installment.
Text:
Not much later, while Martin was passing by the estate of a certain Lupicinus, a man honoured as befitting the age, he was received by the shouting and laments of a lamenting crowd. (2) When he anxiously stood nearby and asked for whom these tears were, he was told that one of the little slaves from the household had hung themselves with a noose. (3) When he understood this, he entered the room in which the body was lying. After the whole crowd was shut out, he stretched over the body and prayed for sometime. (3) Soon, his face gaining colour and his eyes drooping open on his face, the dead slave was raised. He struggled to get up with difficulty, he stood on his feet, clutching the right hand of the blessed man. In this way, he proceeded right up to the entrance of the house while the whole crowd watched.
Commentary:
To some extent, this passage seems a bit repetitive. That is, if Suplicius' point was that Martin was, in some way, imitating both the apostles and Christ himself and, as a result, was participating in their power and virtue in his own ministry, one incident would seem to show this. In its outlines, this story is really the same as the healing of the catechumen. A person dies in an undesirable time/way (the catechumen as a catechumen and, hence, not baptized or immune from attack from the devil--it we take that particular theology of baptism) and the slave who killed himself (not a problem in pagan circles, but a problem in Christian ones), then is raised by Martin to, presumably, escape an eternity of suffering (explicit in the catechumen passage, but implicit in this one). So why is this passage here?
Honestly, I'm not sure. One answer is the historical one. This incident happened at this point of Martin's real life story. Fair enough, although a tough sell to an modern audience who don't buy the whole saints, miracle and Christian thing. Yet, if we, as Christians, believe that miracles can happen, a strictly historical reading is not outside of the realm of possibility. The problem with miracles, of course, is that, by nature, they are improbable and, since history relies primarily on assessing evidence on the basis of probability, we as historians have a serious problem of proof. I can live with that because I don't think the historical realm is the only way to approach a text.
One thing that could be happening is that the point of the repetition is to express equality with the apostles. That is, both Peter and Paul raise someone from the recently dead and Jesus raised two people from the dead, so Martin raises two people. If this is so, we'd have to look for some resemblances between the episodes. What I propose is a bit complicated, but please accept it as trial balloon.
The healing of the catechumen seems to resemble the healing of Dorcas (Acts 9,36-43). In both episodes, the holy men (Peter and Martin) are away from the person who dies (the catechumen and Dorcas). In both cases, the holy men stumbled upon the early stages of the funeral, interrupt it and locked themselves in with the body. They emerge with the dead person. If I was to extend this parallel, I would also call attention to the healing of Lazarus by Jesus (Gospel of John 11) which follows a similar outline as these two episodes.
The healing of the little slave seems to match the healing of Eutychus (Acts 20, 9-12), largely because little time seems to have elapsed between the death and the arrival of the holy man. I think I might be stretching it for the slave incident in Sulpicius Severus, but I don't think we've even at the point of discussing funerals, but rather dealing with the initial shock (let me know if you think I'm way off base here). I had been hoping for a better link to the healing of the daughter of Jairus (Gospel of Luke, 8,40-1, 49-56), but, unfortunately, the parallel isn't as clean. Yet, Jairus set off to find Jesus before his daughter died (hoping for a simple healing), but, when news come that his daughter has died, Jesus hastens to the house and does the raising. So, sort of a parallel (Yes, I'm straining here).
A last point concerning the language. What I found striking is that the language in both of Sulpicius' passages is much more descriptive of the process of waking up than the biblical ones. In the biblical raisings, a calling out is sufficient to raise the dead. In Sulpicius, Martin has to drape himself over the bodies and pray for a while. Then, we have these very descriptive waking up moments which feature colour returning to the face and eyes languidly opening. Yet, the language used is different in both cases and bears no resemblance to the vocabulary of the biblical passages. I think this is the 4th century tendency to ornate and slightly archaic language, but it is a striking element of these passages.
I think that is it for the commentary. Have a good week!
Peace,
Phil
Text:
Not much later, while Martin was passing by the estate of a certain Lupicinus, a man honoured as befitting the age, he was received by the shouting and laments of a lamenting crowd. (2) When he anxiously stood nearby and asked for whom these tears were, he was told that one of the little slaves from the household had hung themselves with a noose. (3) When he understood this, he entered the room in which the body was lying. After the whole crowd was shut out, he stretched over the body and prayed for sometime. (3) Soon, his face gaining colour and his eyes drooping open on his face, the dead slave was raised. He struggled to get up with difficulty, he stood on his feet, clutching the right hand of the blessed man. In this way, he proceeded right up to the entrance of the house while the whole crowd watched.
Commentary:
To some extent, this passage seems a bit repetitive. That is, if Suplicius' point was that Martin was, in some way, imitating both the apostles and Christ himself and, as a result, was participating in their power and virtue in his own ministry, one incident would seem to show this. In its outlines, this story is really the same as the healing of the catechumen. A person dies in an undesirable time/way (the catechumen as a catechumen and, hence, not baptized or immune from attack from the devil--it we take that particular theology of baptism) and the slave who killed himself (not a problem in pagan circles, but a problem in Christian ones), then is raised by Martin to, presumably, escape an eternity of suffering (explicit in the catechumen passage, but implicit in this one). So why is this passage here?
Honestly, I'm not sure. One answer is the historical one. This incident happened at this point of Martin's real life story. Fair enough, although a tough sell to an modern audience who don't buy the whole saints, miracle and Christian thing. Yet, if we, as Christians, believe that miracles can happen, a strictly historical reading is not outside of the realm of possibility. The problem with miracles, of course, is that, by nature, they are improbable and, since history relies primarily on assessing evidence on the basis of probability, we as historians have a serious problem of proof. I can live with that because I don't think the historical realm is the only way to approach a text.
One thing that could be happening is that the point of the repetition is to express equality with the apostles. That is, both Peter and Paul raise someone from the recently dead and Jesus raised two people from the dead, so Martin raises two people. If this is so, we'd have to look for some resemblances between the episodes. What I propose is a bit complicated, but please accept it as trial balloon.
The healing of the catechumen seems to resemble the healing of Dorcas (Acts 9,36-43). In both episodes, the holy men (Peter and Martin) are away from the person who dies (the catechumen and Dorcas). In both cases, the holy men stumbled upon the early stages of the funeral, interrupt it and locked themselves in with the body. They emerge with the dead person. If I was to extend this parallel, I would also call attention to the healing of Lazarus by Jesus (Gospel of John 11) which follows a similar outline as these two episodes.
The healing of the little slave seems to match the healing of Eutychus (Acts 20, 9-12), largely because little time seems to have elapsed between the death and the arrival of the holy man. I think I might be stretching it for the slave incident in Sulpicius Severus, but I don't think we've even at the point of discussing funerals, but rather dealing with the initial shock (let me know if you think I'm way off base here). I had been hoping for a better link to the healing of the daughter of Jairus (Gospel of Luke, 8,40-1, 49-56), but, unfortunately, the parallel isn't as clean. Yet, Jairus set off to find Jesus before his daughter died (hoping for a simple healing), but, when news come that his daughter has died, Jesus hastens to the house and does the raising. So, sort of a parallel (Yes, I'm straining here).
A last point concerning the language. What I found striking is that the language in both of Sulpicius' passages is much more descriptive of the process of waking up than the biblical ones. In the biblical raisings, a calling out is sufficient to raise the dead. In Sulpicius, Martin has to drape himself over the bodies and pray for a while. Then, we have these very descriptive waking up moments which feature colour returning to the face and eyes languidly opening. Yet, the language used is different in both cases and bears no resemblance to the vocabulary of the biblical passages. I think this is the 4th century tendency to ornate and slightly archaic language, but it is a striking element of these passages.
I think that is it for the commentary. Have a good week!
Peace,
Phil
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Patristic Roundup- April 7-12, 2007
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Here are this weeks offerings in the Patristic garden. Enjoy!
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers blog features a quote from Epiphanius on Holy Saturday and the results of Mike's Which Church Father are you? quiz.
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog features Patristic Quotes of the Day with St. Augustine and Augustine again.
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous marks Easter with St. Epiphanius , quotes St. Caesarius of Arles on the Church,
God-Fearin' Fiddler on God-Fearin' Forum finds himself pre-empted on the body of Christ by St. Ambrose. I hate that when it happens!
Brian Cosby on Brian's blog features a discussion on the Patristic contribution to the doctrine of the Trinity.
Joe Black on the Athens Independent News blog features a (long and rather Anabaptist) article exposing the 'great heresy' of the Patristic age.
Edgar Foster on the Foster's Theological Reflections blog asks was Lactantius an Arian?
GWS in What's New in Papyrology featues a review of a new book on Didymus the Blind's Commentary on Zechariah and another on some new Gnostic material.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog quotes St. John Chrysosthom as part of his Ancient Voices series.
Michael Pailthorpe on the Intellectus Fidei blog features quotes of St. Athanasius and St. Gregory Nazianzus on the Trinity
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity lets us know about Fredrica Matthews-Green's book on the lost gospels dealing with Mary.
April DeConick on the Forbidden Gospels blog features a cautionary note on the Gospel of Judas.
Blogcritics blog features a review of Elaine Pagel's book on Judas.
He is risen indeed!
Peace,
Phil
Here are this weeks offerings in the Patristic garden. Enjoy!
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers blog features a quote from Epiphanius on Holy Saturday and the results of Mike's Which Church Father are you? quiz.
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog features Patristic Quotes of the Day with St. Augustine and Augustine again.
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous marks Easter with St. Epiphanius , quotes St. Caesarius of Arles on the Church,
God-Fearin' Fiddler on God-Fearin' Forum finds himself pre-empted on the body of Christ by St. Ambrose. I hate that when it happens!
Brian Cosby on Brian's blog features a discussion on the Patristic contribution to the doctrine of the Trinity.
Joe Black on the Athens Independent News blog features a (long and rather Anabaptist) article exposing the 'great heresy' of the Patristic age.
Edgar Foster on the Foster's Theological Reflections blog asks was Lactantius an Arian?
GWS in What's New in Papyrology featues a review of a new book on Didymus the Blind's Commentary on Zechariah and another on some new Gnostic material.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog quotes St. John Chrysosthom as part of his Ancient Voices series.
Michael Pailthorpe on the Intellectus Fidei blog features quotes of St. Athanasius and St. Gregory Nazianzus on the Trinity
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity lets us know about Fredrica Matthews-Green's book on the lost gospels dealing with Mary.
April DeConick on the Forbidden Gospels blog features a cautionary note on the Gospel of Judas.
Blogcritics blog features a review of Elaine Pagel's book on Judas.
He is risen indeed!
Peace,
Phil
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Easter Meditation
This year I was privileged to serve as crucifer at the Easter Vigil service at my church. I say privileged because, not only do I love this service, but it is also a very complex service and I take it very much as a compliment to ask to serve on that night. We start with the church in complete darkness. Our rector, then, lights a fire in a brazier and the service begins. Much of the early part of this service is a meditation on light, so, as we slowly process up the centre isle, halting every few steps, the Paschal candle leading the way. Watching the Paschal candle burning in the pitch dark and slightly smokey church (the thurifer was out ahead merrily making smoke)is something I cherish and watching it from the back of the procession was a rather different perspective than I usually have. At each stop, the Master of Ceremonies lit more candles until, when we reach the front, the whole procession and congregation are holding candles and the whole church is bathed in the soft candle light. It was a wonderful moment.
Of course, what we are invoking in that procession is the light of Christ, briefly suppressed after the horrific events of Good Friday, but breaking forth anew in the apparent darkness. We are also remembering that, as dark as this world can get, the light that Jesus gives us continues to shine and continues to give us hope for a better world. It is, ultimately, that hope which keeps me Christian, despite my failures and my shortcomings which are, all too often, before my eyes. I know that I'm far from perfect as a human being or a follower of Christ, but I also know that Jesus gives us hope that all will be redeemed, perhaps not in this world, but, certainly, in the next.
This Lent has been a rather too busy one. What with having a new baby in the house and added work pressures, I found it very difficult to spend a lot of time meditating or praying, past the minimal prayers I do at the beginning and end of the day. I missed that and I think a lot of my feelings of being stretched are related to this. It isn't that Lent was unrelieved busyness. We had a wonderful vacation in Palm Springs in March with my wife's mother and, of course, I found time to relax on weekends, when I could. But, I missed the meditation time and I think I realize that I need to make that time as I enter into the home stretch for school in May and June.
What did come up this Lent was the theme of conversion . Conversion came up because I'm sitting on the Christian Ed. committee at my church and we're trying to work out how to do a Christian Basics course. In the course of our discussions, I started to think about my own conversion fifteen years ago (has it been so long?!). In some ways, of course, it seems slightly wrong to talk about a specific date for converting because I feel like I'd been at it for years. My family respected Christian values and encouraged them, even if they weren't church goers by the time I came along. My own seeking began in my last year of high school when a dream set me on the path of trying to figure out my spirituality, even if I didn't know I was doing it at the time. By university, I was reading and writing about topics in religious history-indeed, in one term, I was writing 5 out of 6 papers due that term on religious topics). All that came to a head in my first Masters degree, when I started praying and going to an Anglican church. And I've been going ever since.
When you set out the facts of a conversion as I have just done, it doesn't look that momentous. Like many people, I experienced a slow slide to faith, not a sudden 'Road to Damascus' conversion. What I think I was really looking for was not the kind of things that many people assume that faith is about--reassurance, immortal life, a feeling that I was better than anyone else. The first two things in that list come into it, but, first and foremost, I think I was looking for hope. That is, I came to believe that, if I was left to my own devices, I just wouldn't be able to deal with the world as it is. What faith promised me was that there was hope for something better than this world (not that it is all bad, but there is too much bad in it) and that I can participate in God's efforts to make it better, person by person, moment by moment, here and now.
At the end of the day, I honestly believe that Jesus died and was raised again, physically, as the decisive act in redeeming the mess that we human beings have done to God's Creation. He became human like us, died (perhaps in a more horrific way that most humans do) and rose again because that is what he had to do to break the powers which were destroying us and the world. Those powers are out there still. Even though we all know that their power is broken, they still create a lot of havoc. Yet, God's goodness is breaking out among us all and that is what gives us hope, even when that hope is a candle shining in the pitch dark world.
Happy Easter.
Peace,
Phil
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Patristics Roundup- March 29-April5, 2007
Welcome to the Maundy Thursday edition of the Patristics Roundup. I know a lot of my readers will be busy this weekend going to various church events (as will I), so let me wish you all Happy Easter. Look for my Easter reflection later on this weekend.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers has had a busy week. He celebrated his first year anniversary for his blog (Happy anniversary!). He quotes Egeria of Gaul about the Palm Sunday processions in 4th century Jerusalem. His Which Church Father Are You quiz is sweeping the patristic garden. Take it. I did. (Origen, Origen, how did I come out Origen!!!!)
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog features in his Patristic Quote of the Day quotes by St. Augustine, St. Augustine again, St. Leo the Great, Cyril of Alexandria
Danny Garland on theIrish-Catholic and Dangerous blog features St. Jerome on daughters entering religious life and St. Maximus of Turin on Psalm 22.
God-Fearin' Fiddler on the God-Fearin' Forum gives us a brief history of Gnosticism,
Greg Boyd on the Christus Victor Ministries blog discusses the influence of Platonism on the formation of doctrine in the patristic era. He isn't a fan.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog features St. John Chrysosthom on Scripture in his Ancient Voices series.
Jason Engwer on Trialogue features a discussion of the importance of the resurrection on the Church Fathers.
Steven C. Carson on the Hypotposeis blog features a quote by St. Clement of Alexandria on Buddha. Who knew? Hat Tip: Mike Aquilina.
James Siemens on the East to West blog features the Latin version of Venatius Fortunatus' Pange, lingua gloriosi’ hymn.
Father Z on the What does the Prayer Really Say? blog reports on a Palm Sunday podcast with St. Andrew of Crete,
discusses St. Augustine on the Lord's Passion, features a prayer to St. Isidore of Sevile, the unofficial patron saint of the Internet, pints us to a podcast featuring St. Augustine on the True Vine.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog features quotes by J.B. Lightfoot on the genuineness of 1st Clement
On his other blog, Rick Brannon features a discussion of the Pastoral Epistles in the Didache and the first series on I Clement.
The Apocryphal Corner,
Tony Chartrand-Burke on the Apocryphicity blog features a continuation on his discussion of a fragment which he believes to feature the funeral of Jesus, a brief Gospel of Judas roundup, and notes the Vatican's displeasure about media portrayals of apocrypha (surprise, surprise!?)
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features entries on Excerpts of Theodotus by St. Clement of Alexandria, the second installment on her very helpful discussion on communal memory and continues her discussion about recovering the shards of our communal memory of early Christianity and adds a third post to the same series.
David Mills on Mere Comments blog gives an extremely unfavourable review to Elaine Pagel's book on the Gospel of Judas. I'm not sensing he's a fan.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers has had a busy week. He celebrated his first year anniversary for his blog (Happy anniversary!). He quotes Egeria of Gaul about the Palm Sunday processions in 4th century Jerusalem. His Which Church Father Are You quiz is sweeping the patristic garden. Take it. I did. (Origen, Origen, how did I come out Origen!!!!)
Will Weedon on Weedon's Blog features in his Patristic Quote of the Day quotes by St. Augustine, St. Augustine again, St. Leo the Great, Cyril of Alexandria
Danny Garland on theIrish-Catholic and Dangerous blog features St. Jerome on daughters entering religious life and St. Maximus of Turin on Psalm 22.
God-Fearin' Fiddler on the God-Fearin' Forum gives us a brief history of Gnosticism,
Greg Boyd on the Christus Victor Ministries blog discusses the influence of Platonism on the formation of doctrine in the patristic era. He isn't a fan.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog features St. John Chrysosthom on Scripture in his Ancient Voices series.
Jason Engwer on Trialogue features a discussion of the importance of the resurrection on the Church Fathers.
Steven C. Carson on the Hypotposeis blog features a quote by St. Clement of Alexandria on Buddha. Who knew? Hat Tip: Mike Aquilina.
James Siemens on the East to West blog features the Latin version of Venatius Fortunatus' Pange, lingua gloriosi’ hymn.
Father Z on the What does the Prayer Really Say? blog reports on a Palm Sunday podcast with St. Andrew of Crete,
discusses St. Augustine on the Lord's Passion, features a prayer to St. Isidore of Sevile, the unofficial patron saint of the Internet, pints us to a podcast featuring St. Augustine on the True Vine.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog features quotes by J.B. Lightfoot on the genuineness of 1st Clement
On his other blog, Rick Brannon features a discussion of the Pastoral Epistles in the Didache and the first series on I Clement.
The Apocryphal Corner,
Tony Chartrand-Burke on the Apocryphicity blog features a continuation on his discussion of a fragment which he believes to feature the funeral of Jesus, a brief Gospel of Judas roundup, and notes the Vatican's displeasure about media portrayals of apocrypha (surprise, surprise!?)
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features entries on Excerpts of Theodotus by St. Clement of Alexandria, the second installment on her very helpful discussion on communal memory and continues her discussion about recovering the shards of our communal memory of early Christianity and adds a third post to the same series.
David Mills on Mere Comments blog gives an extremely unfavourable review to Elaine Pagel's book on the Gospel of Judas. I'm not sensing he's a fan.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Sulpicius Severus- Life of St. Martin 7
Well, here we are, Palm Sunday already. I hope you all had a good time waving palms and processing (that is, if that is your thing as it is at my church). Oh yes, and welcome to the St. Martin offering for this week.
In the last installment, we found St. Martin returning to his home province, Illyricum, to try to convert his parents. While there, he became embroiled in the Arian controversies shaking the Church in the late 350s. In this installment, something closer to peace is established and Martin is able to join his mentor, St. Hilary, back in Gaul.
Text:
Since Hilary had already passed by, Martin followed in his footsteps. When he was met very happily by Hilary, Martin established a monastery not far from town. At that time, a catechumen joined Martin, desiring to be instructed in the discipline of that very holy man. After a few days went by, he was seized by weariness and suffered under a violent fever. (2) At that time, Martin, by chance, had left. After he had been away for three days, he returned to find a dead body. Death was so sudden that he yielded his life without the benefit of baptism. The body was placed in public and was crowded in accordance with the sad duty of the mourning brothers, when Martin ran in weeping and lamenting. (3) Then, truly receiving the Holy Spirit in his whole mind, he ordered the rest to leave the cell in which the body lay. After the door was closed, he stretched himself over the lifeless limbs of his dead brother. After he had applied himself to prayer for some time and perceived that power was present through the Holy Spirit, he stood up, he fixed his eyes on the face of the dead man and boldly awaited the outcome of his prayers and God's mercy. He had interceded for scarcely two hours, but he saw the dead man gradually move all his limbs and trembling with his eyes opening to see. (4) Then, turning to the Lord and thanking Him with a great voice, the catechumen filled the cell with his shouting. When those who were standing in front of the door heard this, they immediately burst in. It was a marvelous sight because they saw living one whom they had left dead. (5) Having been returned to life in this way, he immediately pressed for baptism. He lived for many years afterwards and was the first subject of and witness to the virtues of Martin. (6) Moreover, the same man was accustomed to report that, after his body was put aside, he was led to the tribunal of the judge and it was necessary to condemn him to take up a sad sentence in obscure places and among a common crowd. Then, it was suggested to the judge by two angels that this one was the one for whom Martin was praying. Thus, it was ordered that he be led back by those same angels. He was returned to Martin and was restored to his old life. (7) For the first time, the name of the blessed man shone out so that he who was already thought to be holy by all, was now thought to be powerful and almost an apostle.
Commentary
With peace more or less re-established in the West, we see Martin returning to Gaul, presumably back to Poitiers, the see of Martin's patron, St. Hilary of Poitiers. Presumably, this is around 360-61 AD, when the rest of the world was concentrating on the titanic contest between the Emperor Constantius II and his erstwhile Caesar, Julian, who had risen in revolt in 360 AD. Constantius would, eventually, die on the way to reckon with Julian and Julian would gain the throne without further fighting.
This incident is an odd one in one sense and quite usual in another. Clearly, in a historical sense, any raising from the dead is unusual, not to mention improbable. Considerable effort has been given to explaining these incidents in hagiographic works. The most common suggestion is that, somehow, the person in question is not so much dead as in a deep coma or sleep. The holy man in question, by delaying interment in order to pray, allows the 'dead' person the chance to regain strength and emerge from the coma. If he hadn't intervened, the poor person would have awoken in the coffin which wouldn't have been a pleasant experience for anyone. All this gives an air of plausibility to an otherwise incredible story and, of course, shouldn't be discounted.
Yet, this argument avoids the sense of this passage quite neatly. This story is clearly meant to be sensational and incredible; shall we say, even miraculous. That is rather the point because, as Sulpicius makes clear, this is the first indication of the true sanctity and sheer power behind Martin and his prayers. Nor is it coincidental that Sulpicius' conclusion about the whole affair is that Martin, on this day, graduated from being merely holy (!) to being potent and almost an apostle.
It is that last point which, I think, helps us in the interpretation. Clearly, Martin here is being equated with both Peter and Paul. Peter raised Dorcas in Acts 9, 36-43 and Paul raised Eutychus in Acts 20, 7-12. So, the 'almost apostle' comment is, likely, looking back to these two raisings. Of course, both of these look back to Lazarus in Jesus' own ministry, so, in a sense, we are seeing Sulpicius identifying Martin with Jesus in the same close way that he does in Life of St. Martin, 5 and for pretty much the same reason.
The question, of course, comes up why hagiographers insist on doing this. I think a clue can be given, oddly, in a comment that my wife picked up at a Jewish event she attended. The speaker had commented that, in the Talmud, there are a fair number of stories in which a given rabbi experiences a story which clearly is intended to evoke a scriptural story. The purpose of these episodes, it seems, is to show that this rabbi participated in the virtues of the scriptural hero. So, if we apply it here, Martin experiences a situation similar to Paul and Peter (who experience a situation similar to one that occurs in Jesus' own ministry) which should imply that he will exhibit similar virtues as these early predecessors. So, at the very least, we should expect an apostolic-like character in Martin. Given the fact that he will become a bishop and embark on a program of rural evangelism, that parallel is likely to be developed further. Stay tuned!
Peace,
Phil
In the last installment, we found St. Martin returning to his home province, Illyricum, to try to convert his parents. While there, he became embroiled in the Arian controversies shaking the Church in the late 350s. In this installment, something closer to peace is established and Martin is able to join his mentor, St. Hilary, back in Gaul.
Text:
Since Hilary had already passed by, Martin followed in his footsteps. When he was met very happily by Hilary, Martin established a monastery not far from town. At that time, a catechumen joined Martin, desiring to be instructed in the discipline of that very holy man. After a few days went by, he was seized by weariness and suffered under a violent fever. (2) At that time, Martin, by chance, had left. After he had been away for three days, he returned to find a dead body. Death was so sudden that he yielded his life without the benefit of baptism. The body was placed in public and was crowded in accordance with the sad duty of the mourning brothers, when Martin ran in weeping and lamenting. (3) Then, truly receiving the Holy Spirit in his whole mind, he ordered the rest to leave the cell in which the body lay. After the door was closed, he stretched himself over the lifeless limbs of his dead brother. After he had applied himself to prayer for some time and perceived that power was present through the Holy Spirit, he stood up, he fixed his eyes on the face of the dead man and boldly awaited the outcome of his prayers and God's mercy. He had interceded for scarcely two hours, but he saw the dead man gradually move all his limbs and trembling with his eyes opening to see. (4) Then, turning to the Lord and thanking Him with a great voice, the catechumen filled the cell with his shouting. When those who were standing in front of the door heard this, they immediately burst in. It was a marvelous sight because they saw living one whom they had left dead. (5) Having been returned to life in this way, he immediately pressed for baptism. He lived for many years afterwards and was the first subject of and witness to the virtues of Martin. (6) Moreover, the same man was accustomed to report that, after his body was put aside, he was led to the tribunal of the judge and it was necessary to condemn him to take up a sad sentence in obscure places and among a common crowd. Then, it was suggested to the judge by two angels that this one was the one for whom Martin was praying. Thus, it was ordered that he be led back by those same angels. He was returned to Martin and was restored to his old life. (7) For the first time, the name of the blessed man shone out so that he who was already thought to be holy by all, was now thought to be powerful and almost an apostle.
Commentary
With peace more or less re-established in the West, we see Martin returning to Gaul, presumably back to Poitiers, the see of Martin's patron, St. Hilary of Poitiers. Presumably, this is around 360-61 AD, when the rest of the world was concentrating on the titanic contest between the Emperor Constantius II and his erstwhile Caesar, Julian, who had risen in revolt in 360 AD. Constantius would, eventually, die on the way to reckon with Julian and Julian would gain the throne without further fighting.
This incident is an odd one in one sense and quite usual in another. Clearly, in a historical sense, any raising from the dead is unusual, not to mention improbable. Considerable effort has been given to explaining these incidents in hagiographic works. The most common suggestion is that, somehow, the person in question is not so much dead as in a deep coma or sleep. The holy man in question, by delaying interment in order to pray, allows the 'dead' person the chance to regain strength and emerge from the coma. If he hadn't intervened, the poor person would have awoken in the coffin which wouldn't have been a pleasant experience for anyone. All this gives an air of plausibility to an otherwise incredible story and, of course, shouldn't be discounted.
Yet, this argument avoids the sense of this passage quite neatly. This story is clearly meant to be sensational and incredible; shall we say, even miraculous. That is rather the point because, as Sulpicius makes clear, this is the first indication of the true sanctity and sheer power behind Martin and his prayers. Nor is it coincidental that Sulpicius' conclusion about the whole affair is that Martin, on this day, graduated from being merely holy (!) to being potent and almost an apostle.
It is that last point which, I think, helps us in the interpretation. Clearly, Martin here is being equated with both Peter and Paul. Peter raised Dorcas in Acts 9, 36-43 and Paul raised Eutychus in Acts 20, 7-12. So, the 'almost apostle' comment is, likely, looking back to these two raisings. Of course, both of these look back to Lazarus in Jesus' own ministry, so, in a sense, we are seeing Sulpicius identifying Martin with Jesus in the same close way that he does in Life of St. Martin, 5 and for pretty much the same reason.
The question, of course, comes up why hagiographers insist on doing this. I think a clue can be given, oddly, in a comment that my wife picked up at a Jewish event she attended. The speaker had commented that, in the Talmud, there are a fair number of stories in which a given rabbi experiences a story which clearly is intended to evoke a scriptural story. The purpose of these episodes, it seems, is to show that this rabbi participated in the virtues of the scriptural hero. So, if we apply it here, Martin experiences a situation similar to Paul and Peter (who experience a situation similar to one that occurs in Jesus' own ministry) which should imply that he will exhibit similar virtues as these early predecessors. So, at the very least, we should expect an apostolic-like character in Martin. Given the fact that he will become a bishop and embark on a program of rural evangelism, that parallel is likely to be developed further. Stay tuned!
Peace,
Phil
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Patristics Roundup- March 22-28, 2007
Another week, another roundup. Now that I'm back on my normal day for the roundups, I'm starting to feel little more organized in my life. It has been a quietish week, although I'm sure St. Benedicts comments on St. Ireneaus will resound for a while. Enjoy the offerings this week. Wee-haw!
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers deals with Pope Benedict's continued discussions about the Fathers. This week: Ireneaus.
Will Weedon on Weedon`s blog offers his Patristic Quotes of the Week from St. Ephrem, Ephrem again and Ephrem again.
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous continues his Ask a Father series, inquring about women from St. Jerome, about parables from St. John Chrysostom , about the Theotokos from St. John Damascene.
Cynthia Neilson on per caritatem features a (so far) six part series on St. Augustine's encounter with words and the Word. I'm a little late picking up on this, but here are the parts: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six.
Stay Catholic offers a patristic catena on the Sabbath (on Sunday).
jp on the fantastic planet blog offers a criticism of Pope Benedict's use of St. Irenaeus by suggesting that St. Irenaeus is not only anti-Gnostic, but also anti-Jewish. This is an interesting modern Gnostic view, even if I think he has misread St. Irenaeus.
papabear on the Diligite iustitiam blog features an interview with David Warner on Pope Benedict's comments about Ireneaus. The Fathers aren't just for Catholics anymore.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog features Martin Luther on the Church Fathers.
Father Z on the What does the Prayer Really Say blog directs our attention to a podcast on St. Augustine.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog has gathered his translation and commentary of the Didache into a pdf here. Rick, on his other blog, Pastoral Epistles, has completed his study of the use of the Pastoral Epistles in the Epistle of Barnabas, Part 5
Apocryphal Corner
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospel blog features an excellent discussion (the first of a new series)on communal memory
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers deals with Pope Benedict's continued discussions about the Fathers. This week: Ireneaus.
Will Weedon on Weedon`s blog offers his Patristic Quotes of the Week from St. Ephrem, Ephrem again and Ephrem again.
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous continues his Ask a Father series, inquring about women from St. Jerome, about parables from St. John Chrysostom , about the Theotokos from St. John Damascene.
Cynthia Neilson on per caritatem features a (so far) six part series on St. Augustine's encounter with words and the Word. I'm a little late picking up on this, but here are the parts: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six.
Stay Catholic offers a patristic catena on the Sabbath (on Sunday).
jp on the fantastic planet blog offers a criticism of Pope Benedict's use of St. Irenaeus by suggesting that St. Irenaeus is not only anti-Gnostic, but also anti-Jewish. This is an interesting modern Gnostic view, even if I think he has misread St. Irenaeus.
papabear on the Diligite iustitiam blog features an interview with David Warner on Pope Benedict's comments about Ireneaus. The Fathers aren't just for Catholics anymore.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog features Martin Luther on the Church Fathers.
Father Z on the What does the Prayer Really Say blog directs our attention to a podcast on St. Augustine.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog has gathered his translation and commentary of the Didache into a pdf here. Rick, on his other blog, Pastoral Epistles, has completed his study of the use of the Pastoral Epistles in the Epistle of Barnabas, Part 5
Apocryphal Corner
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospel blog features an excellent discussion (the first of a new series)on communal memory
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Martin still delayed
I'm afraid this has been a busy week again and a busy weekend. I've been focusing my efforts on the Patristic Roundups as more potentially beneficial for my readers, so I think I have to delay the St. Martin translation again. Time and energy is simply lacking right now.
God willing, I'll manage to get the translation out next week.
Peace,
Phil
God willing, I'll manage to get the translation out next week.
Peace,
Phil
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Patristics Roundup- March 16-22, 2007
I'm still running a little late and behind from my vacation, but I think I'm caught up now. It has been another busy week in patristics land with a lot of varied posts. Enjoy!
New Blog
Announcing a new Patristics blog: East to West A respository of thoughts on theology and history . Already there are entries on Irenaean soteriology, a book list of primary and secondary sources for Theodore of Tarsus, Irenaeus on Mary and Irenaeus on the Roman Church. So far, these are just quotes from secondary sources, but it will be interesting to see where the author, James Siemans, will go. His other blog, fides et ardor, is worth following as well.Hat Tip: Mike Aquilina. I'm going to have to get both of these on my favourites.
Patristics:
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers blog features St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and St. Joseph; the latter including patristics citations about St. Joseph and corrects the Smithsonians' neglect of Alexandrian Christians in their Alexandria exhibit.
William Weedon on Weedon's Blog features Patristic quotes on St. Ephrem Syrus, Ephrem again,Ephrem again, St. Ephrem again , St. John Chrysosthom and, finally, St. Ephrem.
Danny Garland on the Irish-Catholic and Dangerous blog features St. Gregory Nyssa on the persons of the Trinty, asks St. Gregory of Naziansus about the image of the invisible God and the difference between the wills of the Son and the Father. He continues his promise new feature, Ask the Father, with St. Augustine on the greatest of God's miracles and St. Aphraphat on Christ as the new Moses.
The God-Fearin' Fiddler on The God Fearin' Forum features articles on whether the Catholic Church is like the Early Church, Mathetes to Diognetus on Christian behavior and St. Augustine on sola scriptura.
Antony Hanson on the Coming to the Quiet blog quotes his professor talking about Origen's attitude of the relationship between the intellect and the spirit.
Jason Engwer on Triablogue reflects on a fellow blogger's shortcomings in Interpreting the Church Fathers. At least, there are some citations of the Fathers on Mary.
Paul Roberts on the Commonplaces blog sides with Origen and Jerome on the importance of extra-biblical literature.
Weekend Fisher on the Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength blog reflects on the similarites in Luther's, Jerome's and Athanasius' attitudes to the Apocrypha
This is a bit of a missed item, but Rick Brannon on his other blog, Pastroal Epistles, has started a series on the use of the Pastoral Epistles by the Apostolic Fathers. Here is his introduction, followed by the Epistle to Diognetus, parts one, two, three and four .
Fleming Rutledge, one of my favourite Anglican sermon writers, has some comments on her Generous Orthodoxy blog concerning the stabilizing influence of the Fathers in the historical Jesus debates. Hat tip to Nicolas Kingsley on the Entangled States blog.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog quotes St. John Chrysosthom on raising children in his Ancient Voices series.
Peter Leithart on Leithart.com explains why Alexandrian exegetical methods proved to be more important to the mediaeval theologians than Antionchene.
Mark Gordon on The Suicide of the West blog features Justin Martyr and on the Nicene Creed in his 40 Days, 40 Graces reflection on the "practices, doctrines, personalities, and moments that have been particularly precious to me during my ten years as a Catholic.". Both of these are late, but thanks to Mike Aquilina for directing me to it.
Patrick Hagman on the God in a Shrinking Universe blog announces the publication of his Swedish translation of 13 letters of St. Augustine. Congrats, Patrick!
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity features a discussion of the (rather dubious)employment of Christian Apocrypha in the Talpiot tomb controversy. This very thoughtful essay is well-worth reading now that the sensationalism around the Talpiot tomb controversy is beginning to lift.
Peace,
Phil
New Blog
Announcing a new Patristics blog: East to West A respository of thoughts on theology and history . Already there are entries on Irenaean soteriology, a book list of primary and secondary sources for Theodore of Tarsus, Irenaeus on Mary and Irenaeus on the Roman Church. So far, these are just quotes from secondary sources, but it will be interesting to see where the author, James Siemans, will go. His other blog, fides et ardor, is worth following as well.Hat Tip: Mike Aquilina. I'm going to have to get both of these on my favourites.
Patristics:
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers blog features St. Cyril of Jerusalem, and St. Joseph; the latter including patristics citations about St. Joseph and corrects the Smithsonians' neglect of Alexandrian Christians in their Alexandria exhibit.
William Weedon on Weedon's Blog features Patristic quotes on St. Ephrem Syrus, Ephrem again,Ephrem again, St. Ephrem again , St. John Chrysosthom and, finally, St. Ephrem.
Danny Garland on the Irish-Catholic and Dangerous blog features St. Gregory Nyssa on the persons of the Trinty, asks St. Gregory of Naziansus about the image of the invisible God and the difference between the wills of the Son and the Father. He continues his promise new feature, Ask the Father, with St. Augustine on the greatest of God's miracles and St. Aphraphat on Christ as the new Moses.
The God-Fearin' Fiddler on The God Fearin' Forum features articles on whether the Catholic Church is like the Early Church, Mathetes to Diognetus on Christian behavior and St. Augustine on sola scriptura.
Antony Hanson on the Coming to the Quiet blog quotes his professor talking about Origen's attitude of the relationship between the intellect and the spirit.
Jason Engwer on Triablogue reflects on a fellow blogger's shortcomings in Interpreting the Church Fathers. At least, there are some citations of the Fathers on Mary.
Paul Roberts on the Commonplaces blog sides with Origen and Jerome on the importance of extra-biblical literature.
Weekend Fisher on the Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength blog reflects on the similarites in Luther's, Jerome's and Athanasius' attitudes to the Apocrypha
This is a bit of a missed item, but Rick Brannon on his other blog, Pastroal Epistles, has started a series on the use of the Pastoral Epistles by the Apostolic Fathers. Here is his introduction, followed by the Epistle to Diognetus, parts one, two, three and four .
Fleming Rutledge, one of my favourite Anglican sermon writers, has some comments on her Generous Orthodoxy blog concerning the stabilizing influence of the Fathers in the historical Jesus debates. Hat tip to Nicolas Kingsley on the Entangled States blog.
James Swan on the Beggars All blog quotes St. John Chrysosthom on raising children in his Ancient Voices series.
Peter Leithart on Leithart.com explains why Alexandrian exegetical methods proved to be more important to the mediaeval theologians than Antionchene.
Mark Gordon on The Suicide of the West blog features Justin Martyr and on the Nicene Creed in his 40 Days, 40 Graces reflection on the "practices, doctrines, personalities, and moments that have been particularly precious to me during my ten years as a Catholic.". Both of these are late, but thanks to Mike Aquilina for directing me to it.
Patrick Hagman on the God in a Shrinking Universe blog announces the publication of his Swedish translation of 13 letters of St. Augustine. Congrats, Patrick!
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity features a discussion of the (rather dubious)employment of Christian Apocrypha in the Talpiot tomb controversy. This very thoughtful essay is well-worth reading now that the sensationalism around the Talpiot tomb controversy is beginning to lift.
Peace,
Phil
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Patrisics Roundup- March 9-15, 2007
Well, I'm back from Palm Springs (aka Poodle Springs or Palmy Balmy)and a wonderful March Break vacation! We had excellent weather (95 degrees plus), so we spent a lot of time by the pool and relaxing.
Meanwhile, life went on in Patristics land, so I thought I would catch everyone up to last Thursday as a way to get back started on my routines.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers blog features posts on St. Gregory Nyssa, alerts us to a book on vocation (with frequent references to the Fathers), gives a short patristic related passage from the letter of Pope Benedict, Sacramentum Caritatis, another quote from Conyer's book on vocation
Will Weedon on Weedon's blog features Patristic Quotes of the Day by St. Maximos, St. Maximos again , again, again,
Paul Chandler on the Carmelitana blog features a quote by St. Gregory of Nyssa on fasting.
Carl Olsen on the Insight Scoop blog announces (among other offerings) a new edition of Henri de Lubac's History and Spirit: The Understanding of Scripture According to Origen from Ignatius Press.
Taylor on the 603 North Locust blog offers a book list on Late Antiquity/Patristics.
Benedict Seraphim on the This is Life! blog alerts us to a symposium on St. John Chrysosthom's 1600th anniversary in St. Louis in September, features entries on St. Gregory of Rome (the Great), on the author's first encounter with St. Benedict, a more formal entry on St. Benedict and on St. John of the Ladder.
Ian Dalrymple on The Scrivener blog features a series on the Cappadocians (I'm afraid I blinked and missed the first two entries, so I'm linking the whole series. Hat Tip to Benedict Seraphim). So far there is an introduction, a comparison of St. Basil and his school-mate and later apostate emperor, Julian and a touching letter of St. Basil on the art of snaring pigeons
Ben Smith on the Thoughts on Antiquity blog gives us a new installment on his canon series. This one is on the Cheltenham canon.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog contiues his series on the Didache with a translation and commentary on Didache 16.
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity alerts us to a book by Andrew Bernhard, Other Early Christian Gospels: A Critical Edition of the Surviving Greek Manuscripts.
Apri DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features articles on what is Gnosticism with a follow-up post and a plea for scholarly detachment in the Jesus Tomb controversies
Okay, I think that is it for this week. Watch for the regularly scheduled edition of the roundup on Thursday or possibly Friday this week (Parent's meeting!)
Peace,
Phil
Meanwhile, life went on in Patristics land, so I thought I would catch everyone up to last Thursday as a way to get back started on my routines.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers blog features posts on St. Gregory Nyssa, alerts us to a book on vocation (with frequent references to the Fathers), gives a short patristic related passage from the letter of Pope Benedict, Sacramentum Caritatis, another quote from Conyer's book on vocation
Will Weedon on Weedon's blog features Patristic Quotes of the Day by St. Maximos, St. Maximos again , again, again,
Paul Chandler on the Carmelitana blog features a quote by St. Gregory of Nyssa on fasting.
Carl Olsen on the Insight Scoop blog announces (among other offerings) a new edition of Henri de Lubac's History and Spirit: The Understanding of Scripture According to Origen from Ignatius Press.
Taylor on the 603 North Locust blog offers a book list on Late Antiquity/Patristics.
Benedict Seraphim on the This is Life! blog alerts us to a symposium on St. John Chrysosthom's 1600th anniversary in St. Louis in September, features entries on St. Gregory of Rome (the Great), on the author's first encounter with St. Benedict, a more formal entry on St. Benedict and on St. John of the Ladder.
Ian Dalrymple on The Scrivener blog features a series on the Cappadocians (I'm afraid I blinked and missed the first two entries, so I'm linking the whole series. Hat Tip to Benedict Seraphim). So far there is an introduction, a comparison of St. Basil and his school-mate and later apostate emperor, Julian and a touching letter of St. Basil on the art of snaring pigeons
Ben Smith on the Thoughts on Antiquity blog gives us a new installment on his canon series. This one is on the Cheltenham canon.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog contiues his series on the Didache with a translation and commentary on Didache 16.
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity alerts us to a book by Andrew Bernhard, Other Early Christian Gospels: A Critical Edition of the Surviving Greek Manuscripts.
Apri DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features articles on what is Gnosticism with a follow-up post and a plea for scholarly detachment in the Jesus Tomb controversies
Okay, I think that is it for this week. Watch for the regularly scheduled edition of the roundup on Thursday or possibly Friday this week (Parent's meeting!)
Peace,
Phil
Saturday, March 10, 2007
On Rest and Recuperation
No, this isn't a reference to a little known patristic work by St. Boglash of Flinge. I'm just leaving a quick note that I'm off on vacation in California, so will not be able to blog for around a week. Needless to say, the next installment of Martin's Life will have to wait as will the Patristics Roundup.
Meanwhile, my wife and I will be sitting in the sun, sipping margaritas. It is a tough life.
Phil
Meanwhile, my wife and I will be sitting in the sun, sipping margaritas. It is a tough life.
Phil
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Patristics Roundup- March 2-8, 2007
It's been a very busy week in patristics land. Perhaps it is Lent or something, but there has been an increase in patristics posts. It was getting right hard to round up them little dogies (or Augies, as my wife would have it).
This week has also seen the suspension of the Patristic Carnival which I had suggested way back in December. In consulation with Keven Edgecomb on biblicalia, it seemed like it might be premature to press the Carnival. Besides, it seems these Roundups are providing a service. I appreciate, incidently, Kevin's praise of this effort. I'm glad that there are so many people finding this effort so helpful.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers reviews a little book, St. Augustine LifeGuide: Words to Live By from the Great Christian Saint, alerts us to the Israel today website featuring images of the pre-Constantinian church at Megiddo, a recommendation of Father Joseph Lienhard’s book St. Joseph in Early Christianity: Devotion and Theology: A Study and an Anthology of Patristic Texts, makes a link to his broadcast on Sts. Perpetua and Felicity and calls attention to the patrologist Pope on St. Clement of Rome.
William Weedon on Weedon's blog deals with the charge that Lutherans pick and choose from the Fathers...like everyone else as Will suggests. He also features in his Patristic Quotes of the Day section quotes from St. Maximos the Confessor, Maximos again, and again, a reflection on Sts Perpetua and Felicity, back to Maximos
God-Fearin Fiddler features a discussion of St. Clement as the 4th Pope, complete with video feed.
Dave Armstrong on the cor ad cor loquitur blog has published an index of his blog entries on the Fathers. There is lots and lots to read from a Roman Catholic apologetic perspective!
Ad Orientem features an entry on St. Gregory Palamas and the Fathers.
P.J. Williams on the Evangelical Textual Criticism blog let us know about another web resource on the Fathers.
Guy Davies on the Exiled Preacher blog features a quote from the Letter of Diognatus.
Ben Arbour on the Believing Jesus blog featurs a book review of St. Augustine's On Free Choice and Will
Gordon Lyn Watley on the Sibyline Leaves blog offers suggestions of where to start in learning Greek for patristics.
Pfitz on the Coffee Klatz announces a new e-mail list publishing patristic quotes.
Stay Catholic offers a patristics catena on the Early Fathers on the Church.
James Swan on the Beggar's All blog offers a quote of St. Augustine on Matthew 16,18.
John Botsharow on the John Botscharow: Reflections on religion, politics and life blog features a discussion of Pelagianism.
Ben Myers on the Faith and Theology blog features a review of two books by Khalid Anatolios dealing with St. Athanasius.
Nicholas Hardesty on phatcatholic features a discussion of the Christological heresies and the Council of Chalcedon.
spurgeon on A Shepherd's Scrapbook blog features a discussion on evangelicals and the Fathers including a review of the Ancient Commentary on Scripture series.
The Lent and Beyond blog offers advice on how to pray from John the Solitary.
Hank's Eclectic Meanderings remembers Sts. Perpetua and Felicity.
Mark Gordon on the Suicide of the West discusses the impact that St. Justin Martyr had on his conversion and Justin's confession of faith. I'm with Mark on this one. I've always loved St. Justin's brave defence of the faith and his willingness to confront the powers and principalities of his day.
Kevin Edgecomb on biblicalia continues his series on translating the Desert Fathers with entries on Arsenios, part two and part three.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog features two more installments on his series on translating the Didache (Didache 14 and Didache 15) and reviews Ehrman's Loeb on the Apostolic Fathers, Vol. 2
Apocryphal Corner
Dr. April DeConick on the Forbidden Gospels blog features a discussion of "canonism" and asks whether the writers of the Gospel of Judas were Christians.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog features a discussion of the Acts of Philip and Mariamne
This week has also seen the suspension of the Patristic Carnival which I had suggested way back in December. In consulation with Keven Edgecomb on biblicalia, it seemed like it might be premature to press the Carnival. Besides, it seems these Roundups are providing a service. I appreciate, incidently, Kevin's praise of this effort. I'm glad that there are so many people finding this effort so helpful.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers reviews a little book, St. Augustine LifeGuide: Words to Live By from the Great Christian Saint, alerts us to the Israel today website featuring images of the pre-Constantinian church at Megiddo, a recommendation of Father Joseph Lienhard’s book St. Joseph in Early Christianity: Devotion and Theology: A Study and an Anthology of Patristic Texts, makes a link to his broadcast on Sts. Perpetua and Felicity and calls attention to the patrologist Pope on St. Clement of Rome.
William Weedon on Weedon's blog deals with the charge that Lutherans pick and choose from the Fathers...like everyone else as Will suggests. He also features in his Patristic Quotes of the Day section quotes from St. Maximos the Confessor, Maximos again, and again, a reflection on Sts Perpetua and Felicity, back to Maximos
God-Fearin Fiddler features a discussion of St. Clement as the 4th Pope, complete with video feed.
Dave Armstrong on the cor ad cor loquitur blog has published an index of his blog entries on the Fathers. There is lots and lots to read from a Roman Catholic apologetic perspective!
Ad Orientem features an entry on St. Gregory Palamas and the Fathers.
P.J. Williams on the Evangelical Textual Criticism blog let us know about another web resource on the Fathers.
Guy Davies on the Exiled Preacher blog features a quote from the Letter of Diognatus.
Ben Arbour on the Believing Jesus blog featurs a book review of St. Augustine's On Free Choice and Will
Gordon Lyn Watley on the Sibyline Leaves blog offers suggestions of where to start in learning Greek for patristics.
Pfitz on the Coffee Klatz announces a new e-mail list publishing patristic quotes.
Stay Catholic offers a patristics catena on the Early Fathers on the Church.
James Swan on the Beggar's All blog offers a quote of St. Augustine on Matthew 16,18.
John Botsharow on the John Botscharow: Reflections on religion, politics and life blog features a discussion of Pelagianism.
Ben Myers on the Faith and Theology blog features a review of two books by Khalid Anatolios dealing with St. Athanasius.
Nicholas Hardesty on phatcatholic features a discussion of the Christological heresies and the Council of Chalcedon.
spurgeon on A Shepherd's Scrapbook blog features a discussion on evangelicals and the Fathers including a review of the Ancient Commentary on Scripture series.
The Lent and Beyond blog offers advice on how to pray from John the Solitary.
Hank's Eclectic Meanderings remembers Sts. Perpetua and Felicity.
Mark Gordon on the Suicide of the West discusses the impact that St. Justin Martyr had on his conversion and Justin's confession of faith. I'm with Mark on this one. I've always loved St. Justin's brave defence of the faith and his willingness to confront the powers and principalities of his day.
Kevin Edgecomb on biblicalia continues his series on translating the Desert Fathers with entries on Arsenios, part two and part three.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog features two more installments on his series on translating the Didache (Didache 14 and Didache 15) and reviews Ehrman's Loeb on the Apostolic Fathers, Vol. 2
Apocryphal Corner
Dr. April DeConick on the Forbidden Gospels blog features a discussion of "canonism" and asks whether the writers of the Gospel of Judas were Christians.
Rick Brannon on ricoblog features a discussion of the Acts of Philip and Mariamne
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Tertullian, Heresy and the Rule of Faith.
I'm sure I've admitted it before and I'll admit it again before too long, but I really do like Tertullian; that driven and relentlessly polemical lawyer who, it appears, veered into heresy, but not before leaving us a series of brilliant attempts to figure out the relationship between the Christian and the rest of the world. You would think, given my irenic temper, I would find him rather too much at times (I do think he gets a little too rigorous from time to time), but he asks all the right questions and doesn't put up with theological fuzziness. We spend so much time in the Anglican church (for example), making things fuzzy enough to include everyone, I honestly think that clarity is what we need more.
What got me thinking about this was conversations I've had on the Forbidden Gospels blog as well as the latest pseudo-Biblical tempest in a teapot, the 'Jesus Tomb'. What struck me this week was the impossibility of making oneself clear when the assumptions of the other side are so fundamentally different that we can't even argue from anything resembling common ground. Not that this sense of advanced futility is exactly a revelation to me; I've had more than my share of discussions of this type in my life and I know when I know when the ground goes out from under me in a conversation. I'm just stubborn enough to keep going after that, but I'm never convinced that it is wise to.
All this got me thinking about Tertullian and, specifically, his treatise, the de praescriptione haereticorum. This, I should note, is not one of Tertullian's most liked works, largely because it is pretty clear about what it thinks about heresy: it doesn't like it. In an age when heresy is considered more adventurous than orthodoxy, a condemnation of heresy is an admission of narrow-mindedness and, worse, oppressive tendencies.
Yet, Tertullian has four main points in the whole treatise that we would do well to pay attention to:
1. Don't be surprised that heresy is a powerful force in the world.
This is particularly important point to make today. A even peremptory gaze on the religion and Christianity books shelves of any major book seller will convince you that heretical writers have such a large share of the market that it is wonder that orthodox writers still publish. That is an exaggeration, of course, but not a ridiculous one. There are a large number of authors who are trying very hard to update Christianity in the spirit of the age and the result is confusion and a lot of unsound teaching. I speak, of course, with a bias here, but traditional orthodoxy is hardly the most popular Christian position out there.
In Tertullian's day, heresy had considerable popularity and there were people who were surprised so much at its strength that they began to question whether orthodoxy was as great as they once thought it was. Tertullian's argument is that one should expect heresy to be powerful because it is one of the ways that our faith is proven, by facing false teaching and turning away from it. It wouldn't be much of a test if heresy was obviously weak and foolish. We can, I think, grieve the strength of heresy and the degree to which it leads people astray to an untrue image of God, but we should not be surprised at its existence or even its power.
2. Seeking is fine while you are looking for Christ, but, once, you found him, you don't need to seek.
This is particularly applicable today to my denomination these days. We find so many people who are seeking spiritual answers out there, but very few who actually find them. Yet, so many of us believe that the seeking is the most important thing for a Christian to do. We see this all over the place, but perhaps the best example is a Christian initiation series which promises to allow the space to ask questions, but which instructs its facilitators not to give any answers. While I agree all this emphasis on questions is very post-modern and inclusive, it isn't very helpful for those who would like to bite down on something other than air or who are genuinely seeking Christ in the hopes of finding their connection to God.
Tertullian would have little sympathy with this approach. He is very clear. Seeking makes sense as long as one doesn't believe in Christ or know Christ, but, once we've found our answer, why do we need to seek some more? This comes out all very harsh and judgmental, but, really, there is a tough-minded practicality to this logic. If we have found what we are looking for, why go on looking as if there was a peculiar benefit in the search. This isn't to say that we should hunt down God and shove him into a box, but rather that, once we have found him, we don't fling him aside in search of something different. Once we have found God, I would think that what we would want to do is explore and develop our relationship with Him, not run out the door in the hopes of finding him again. There is, I think, enough to keep us busy learning about God and how we relate to him that we don't need to start the search all over again.
3. Don't argue Scripture with heretics
This is the one I really do have to pay attention to. Tertullian is firmly of the opinion that it does no good and some harm to argue Scripture with people who simply don't interpret it according to orthodoxy or the Rule of Faith. His point is that, not only is the exercise futile (and that is demonstrable), but it actually exalts the alternative view by giving it air time. I think the reason why it is so futile to try is that there is no way that a heretic will agree on rules of exegesis or on the Rule of Faith, so there is no way that your carefully thought out examples will have any bite against their interpretation. There simply is no shared interpretative framework to allow for a clear and achievable standard for falsification of an argument. Yet, by arguing, we are implying that this alternative view has validity, so, as Tertullian suggests, when we stomp off in frustration at our opponent's stubbornness, those who we were trying to save by challenging the non-orthodox views will just walk away, confused at the draw.
I demonstrably get drawn into the futile discussions and I think there are times when I should have just left well enough alone. A large number of these anti- heretical discussions just end in a "You just aren't reading the Bible properly" kind of statement from both sides and little else. Sometimes the best refutation is a thundering silence.
4. The Rule of Faith guides our reading of Scripture
The Rule of Faith to which Tertullian refers here is, of course, the early version of the Creed (de praescriptione haereticorum, 14) and serves as the interpretative framework for reading Scripture. This is interesting because it is clear in Tertullian that the Rule and Scripture should not be considered as succeeding one another, but rather as emerging from the same source: the apostolic testimony about Jesus and his teachings. There is no priority because both the Rule and Scripture are designed to say the same thing, but in different ways. The Rule is condensed Scripture just as Scripture is the Rule expanded with the details of Jesus' life and teachings. They serve as checks against each other to make sure the other is in line with what the apostles taught so many centuries ago.
All this is, of course, clear to anyone who holds an orthodox view of Scripture and theology. That is, it is clear to all within the orthodox tradition (by this I mean Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and many Protestants--a very broad group, I concede and a group whose composition will be disputed), but, equally clearly, disputed by those outside of this tradition. Yet, this takes us back to point three. If we can't agree on the rules of exegesis (which is provided by the Rule), how can we decide on a correct interpretation? The simple answer is that we can't.
Tertullian offers us, in the de praescriptione haereticorum, a carefully reasoned discussion on biblical hermeneutics (ugly word that is). I don't doubt that many who read this blog will dislike it and many more will question whether I really do mean that I abide by the Rule of Faith which Tertullian holds up as the standard for biblical exegesis. That is one of the saddest things about our current state of ecclesial division: there is no clear standard to decide theological arguments between denominations. Yet, if we do return to the Rule of Faith, perhaps we could find enough common ground to work out our differences. At least, at any rate, we will have a common standard to decide on what is and is not a legitimate argument. Perhaps that would be the most profitable line of ecumenical endeavor.
Peace,
Phil
What got me thinking about this was conversations I've had on the Forbidden Gospels blog as well as the latest pseudo-Biblical tempest in a teapot, the 'Jesus Tomb'. What struck me this week was the impossibility of making oneself clear when the assumptions of the other side are so fundamentally different that we can't even argue from anything resembling common ground. Not that this sense of advanced futility is exactly a revelation to me; I've had more than my share of discussions of this type in my life and I know when I know when the ground goes out from under me in a conversation. I'm just stubborn enough to keep going after that, but I'm never convinced that it is wise to.
All this got me thinking about Tertullian and, specifically, his treatise, the de praescriptione haereticorum. This, I should note, is not one of Tertullian's most liked works, largely because it is pretty clear about what it thinks about heresy: it doesn't like it. In an age when heresy is considered more adventurous than orthodoxy, a condemnation of heresy is an admission of narrow-mindedness and, worse, oppressive tendencies.
Yet, Tertullian has four main points in the whole treatise that we would do well to pay attention to:
1. Don't be surprised that heresy is a powerful force in the world.
This is particularly important point to make today. A even peremptory gaze on the religion and Christianity books shelves of any major book seller will convince you that heretical writers have such a large share of the market that it is wonder that orthodox writers still publish. That is an exaggeration, of course, but not a ridiculous one. There are a large number of authors who are trying very hard to update Christianity in the spirit of the age and the result is confusion and a lot of unsound teaching. I speak, of course, with a bias here, but traditional orthodoxy is hardly the most popular Christian position out there.
In Tertullian's day, heresy had considerable popularity and there were people who were surprised so much at its strength that they began to question whether orthodoxy was as great as they once thought it was. Tertullian's argument is that one should expect heresy to be powerful because it is one of the ways that our faith is proven, by facing false teaching and turning away from it. It wouldn't be much of a test if heresy was obviously weak and foolish. We can, I think, grieve the strength of heresy and the degree to which it leads people astray to an untrue image of God, but we should not be surprised at its existence or even its power.
2. Seeking is fine while you are looking for Christ, but, once, you found him, you don't need to seek.
This is particularly applicable today to my denomination these days. We find so many people who are seeking spiritual answers out there, but very few who actually find them. Yet, so many of us believe that the seeking is the most important thing for a Christian to do. We see this all over the place, but perhaps the best example is a Christian initiation series which promises to allow the space to ask questions, but which instructs its facilitators not to give any answers. While I agree all this emphasis on questions is very post-modern and inclusive, it isn't very helpful for those who would like to bite down on something other than air or who are genuinely seeking Christ in the hopes of finding their connection to God.
Tertullian would have little sympathy with this approach. He is very clear. Seeking makes sense as long as one doesn't believe in Christ or know Christ, but, once we've found our answer, why do we need to seek some more? This comes out all very harsh and judgmental, but, really, there is a tough-minded practicality to this logic. If we have found what we are looking for, why go on looking as if there was a peculiar benefit in the search. This isn't to say that we should hunt down God and shove him into a box, but rather that, once we have found him, we don't fling him aside in search of something different. Once we have found God, I would think that what we would want to do is explore and develop our relationship with Him, not run out the door in the hopes of finding him again. There is, I think, enough to keep us busy learning about God and how we relate to him that we don't need to start the search all over again.
3. Don't argue Scripture with heretics
This is the one I really do have to pay attention to. Tertullian is firmly of the opinion that it does no good and some harm to argue Scripture with people who simply don't interpret it according to orthodoxy or the Rule of Faith. His point is that, not only is the exercise futile (and that is demonstrable), but it actually exalts the alternative view by giving it air time. I think the reason why it is so futile to try is that there is no way that a heretic will agree on rules of exegesis or on the Rule of Faith, so there is no way that your carefully thought out examples will have any bite against their interpretation. There simply is no shared interpretative framework to allow for a clear and achievable standard for falsification of an argument. Yet, by arguing, we are implying that this alternative view has validity, so, as Tertullian suggests, when we stomp off in frustration at our opponent's stubbornness, those who we were trying to save by challenging the non-orthodox views will just walk away, confused at the draw.
I demonstrably get drawn into the futile discussions and I think there are times when I should have just left well enough alone. A large number of these anti- heretical discussions just end in a "You just aren't reading the Bible properly" kind of statement from both sides and little else. Sometimes the best refutation is a thundering silence.
4. The Rule of Faith guides our reading of Scripture
The Rule of Faith to which Tertullian refers here is, of course, the early version of the Creed (de praescriptione haereticorum, 14) and serves as the interpretative framework for reading Scripture. This is interesting because it is clear in Tertullian that the Rule and Scripture should not be considered as succeeding one another, but rather as emerging from the same source: the apostolic testimony about Jesus and his teachings. There is no priority because both the Rule and Scripture are designed to say the same thing, but in different ways. The Rule is condensed Scripture just as Scripture is the Rule expanded with the details of Jesus' life and teachings. They serve as checks against each other to make sure the other is in line with what the apostles taught so many centuries ago.
All this is, of course, clear to anyone who holds an orthodox view of Scripture and theology. That is, it is clear to all within the orthodox tradition (by this I mean Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and many Protestants--a very broad group, I concede and a group whose composition will be disputed), but, equally clearly, disputed by those outside of this tradition. Yet, this takes us back to point three. If we can't agree on the rules of exegesis (which is provided by the Rule), how can we decide on a correct interpretation? The simple answer is that we can't.
Tertullian offers us, in the de praescriptione haereticorum, a carefully reasoned discussion on biblical hermeneutics (ugly word that is). I don't doubt that many who read this blog will dislike it and many more will question whether I really do mean that I abide by the Rule of Faith which Tertullian holds up as the standard for biblical exegesis. That is one of the saddest things about our current state of ecclesial division: there is no clear standard to decide theological arguments between denominations. Yet, if we do return to the Rule of Faith, perhaps we could find enough common ground to work out our differences. At least, at any rate, we will have a common standard to decide on what is and is not a legitimate argument. Perhaps that would be the most profitable line of ecumenical endeavor.
Peace,
Phil
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Patristics Roundup- Feb. 22-Feb. 28th, 2007
It's been a busy week in patristics this week. Perhaps the various saints days or the remain of the Ash Wednesday Lenten glow, but there was a good amount of posting on the Fathers. It is good to see.
Incidently, before any one asks, I decided early this week that I was NOT going to try to keep track of the whole 'Jesus Tomb' debacle currently playing itself out there in the Biblical Studies blogosphere. I decided against even trying to keep track of this controversy partly because I just didn't have the energy for it, but also because, I think, my head would explode if I tried. Two excellent discussions of this development are Christopher Butler's take on the evidence on the "Jesus" or Talpiot tomb in Jerusalem and Ben Witherington on the withering criticism of the case for the "Jesus Tomb". Tyler Williams also tracks the days' developments on this story at Codex.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina at The Way of the Fathers blog features a call for volunteers to write a Wikipedia article on Patristics, an excerpt from the Catechetical Oration of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, advice from St. Benedict's Rule about how to keep Lent, announces the publication of his new book, Love in Little Things, which, though focusing on family life had, we are told, plenty of the Fathers to edify us as we think about how to be the Church in our families
William Weedon on Weedon's Blog offers Patristic Quotes of the Day from St. Augustine and John Cassian.
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous quotes St. Caesarius of Arles on people as the Image of God, quotes St. Athanasius on the Orthodox tradition
The God-Fearing Fiddler quotes St. Clement on the Church and an excellent discussion on the reliability of tradition.
Kevin Edgecomb on biblicalia has started a series on the Sayings of the Desert Fathers. I'm a little late with this, but he has already completed an introduction, a translation of the prologue, part one on St. Antony, part two on Antony and part one on St. Arsenios .
Kyle Porter on the Vindicated blog features a discussion of St. Polycarp's 'organic' ecclesiology.
stfassissi posts the essay of Father John A Haldon on the Christology of the Fathers.
Chris Lyons on the Swept Over blog discusses St. Ignatius and the episcopal structure of the early Church.
Jared Coleman on delectatio Dei offers an appreciative answer to Chris Lyon's post on St. Ignatius.
Paul Gregory Alms on incarnatus est quotes St. Leo the Great on Satan, Lent and the Christian.
Dave Armstrong on cor ad cor loquitur asks whether Augustuine was closer to Reformed Protestants or Catholics, complete with lengthy quotes of Augustine and Calvin.
James Swan in his Ancient Voices feature on Beggars All: Reformation and Apologetics quotes Augustine.
Ben Arbor on Believing Jesus offers a review on a book dealing with St. Augustine's On the Free Choice of the Will.
Sam on General Terms and Conditions describes his encounter with St. Athanasius' Life of Antony in a Episcopalian seminary. I think he found it bracing!
The Lent and Beyond Anglican prayer blog features advice on how to pray from John the Solitary.
Ben Myers on Faith and Theology quotes St. Augustine as a prayer for ethicists.
For you audiophiles, Maria Lectrix features a whole mess of new MP3s of the Church Fahters readings.
Jim Davila on PaleoJudaica features a link to some Syriac texts online.
Adrian Murdoch on Bread and circuses
discusses St. John Chyrsosthom and Eutropius and an excerpt from a sermon of Asterius of Amaesa also on Eutropius.
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity features a discussion of the Jesus Tomb and the Gospel of Philip in two parts (Part One and Two) as well as alerting us to a review of J. K. Elliott's A Synopsis of the Apocryphal Infancy Narratives
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features a discussion on meta-narratives and writing history, a critique of sexism and the Church Fathers, a continuation of her discussion of the principles of historical hermeneutics, and some thoughts towards her book in progress on the Gospel of Judas.
Peace,
Phil
Incidently, before any one asks, I decided early this week that I was NOT going to try to keep track of the whole 'Jesus Tomb' debacle currently playing itself out there in the Biblical Studies blogosphere. I decided against even trying to keep track of this controversy partly because I just didn't have the energy for it, but also because, I think, my head would explode if I tried. Two excellent discussions of this development are Christopher Butler's take on the evidence on the "Jesus" or Talpiot tomb in Jerusalem and Ben Witherington on the withering criticism of the case for the "Jesus Tomb". Tyler Williams also tracks the days' developments on this story at Codex.
Patristics
Mike Aquilina at The Way of the Fathers blog features a call for volunteers to write a Wikipedia article on Patristics, an excerpt from the Catechetical Oration of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, advice from St. Benedict's Rule about how to keep Lent, announces the publication of his new book, Love in Little Things, which, though focusing on family life had, we are told, plenty of the Fathers to edify us as we think about how to be the Church in our families
William Weedon on Weedon's Blog offers Patristic Quotes of the Day from St. Augustine and John Cassian.
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous quotes St. Caesarius of Arles on people as the Image of God, quotes St. Athanasius on the Orthodox tradition
The God-Fearing Fiddler quotes St. Clement on the Church and an excellent discussion on the reliability of tradition.
Kevin Edgecomb on biblicalia has started a series on the Sayings of the Desert Fathers. I'm a little late with this, but he has already completed an introduction, a translation of the prologue, part one on St. Antony, part two on Antony and part one on St. Arsenios .
Kyle Porter on the Vindicated blog features a discussion of St. Polycarp's 'organic' ecclesiology.
stfassissi posts the essay of Father John A Haldon on the Christology of the Fathers.
Chris Lyons on the Swept Over blog discusses St. Ignatius and the episcopal structure of the early Church.
Jared Coleman on delectatio Dei offers an appreciative answer to Chris Lyon's post on St. Ignatius.
Paul Gregory Alms on incarnatus est quotes St. Leo the Great on Satan, Lent and the Christian.
Dave Armstrong on cor ad cor loquitur asks whether Augustuine was closer to Reformed Protestants or Catholics, complete with lengthy quotes of Augustine and Calvin.
James Swan in his Ancient Voices feature on Beggars All: Reformation and Apologetics quotes Augustine.
Ben Arbor on Believing Jesus offers a review on a book dealing with St. Augustine's On the Free Choice of the Will.
Sam on General Terms and Conditions describes his encounter with St. Athanasius' Life of Antony in a Episcopalian seminary. I think he found it bracing!
The Lent and Beyond Anglican prayer blog features advice on how to pray from John the Solitary.
Ben Myers on Faith and Theology quotes St. Augustine as a prayer for ethicists.
For you audiophiles, Maria Lectrix features a whole mess of new MP3s of the Church Fahters readings.
Jim Davila on PaleoJudaica features a link to some Syriac texts online.
Adrian Murdoch on Bread and circuses
discusses St. John Chyrsosthom and Eutropius and an excerpt from a sermon of Asterius of Amaesa also on Eutropius.
Apocryphal Corner
Tony Chartrand-Burke on Apocryphicity features a discussion of the Jesus Tomb and the Gospel of Philip in two parts (Part One and Two) as well as alerting us to a review of J. K. Elliott's A Synopsis of the Apocryphal Infancy Narratives
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features a discussion on meta-narratives and writing history, a critique of sexism and the Church Fathers, a continuation of her discussion of the principles of historical hermeneutics, and some thoughts towards her book in progress on the Gospel of Judas.
Peace,
Phil
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Sulpicius Severus, Life of St. Martin, 6
Here is chapter 6 of the Life of St. Martin. In the previous excerpt, we saw Martin's encounter with robbers in the Alps and his conversion of one of his erstwhile captors. We find him now, in chapter 6, on his way to convert his parents and his people in Illyria.
Text:
When Martin left there and passed by Milan, the devil, taking up a human form, met him and asked him where he was going. When he received an answer from Martin that he was going where God called him, the devil said to Martin (2)"Wherever you go and whatever you should attempt, the devil will oppose you" Then, Martin answered him in a prophetic voice "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what people do to me." Immediately, the enemy vanished from his sight. (3) Just as he intended, Martin released his mother from pagan error, although his father persevered in evil practices. Nevertheless, he saved many people by his example.
(4) Then, after the Arrian heresy had sprouted up throughout the whole world and, especially, in Illyria, and Martin, often alone, oppossed the treachery of the priests very bitterly and suffered many punishments--for he was beaten in public with rods and driven at last from the city, he headed for Italy. After he discovered the church was disturbed in Gaul also after the departure of Saint Hilary whom the power of the heretics drove into exile, he decided to establish a monastery near Milan. There, also, Auxentius, an author and leader of the Arrians, denounced heavily him, inflicted many injuries on him and drove him from the city. (5) Martin, thinking it was necessary to yield to the times, withdrew with one companion, a priest and a man of the greatest virtue, to an island whose name was Gallinaria. There he lived for some time on plant roots. At that time, he ate hellebore, a poison plant as they say. (6) But when he felt the force the poison advancing and death was near, he drove away the threatening danger with prayer and immediately all pain fled. (7) Not much later, whe he discovered that Saint Hilary was permited to return because the Emperor repented, he rushed to the city of Rome.
Commentary:
The first incident is a straight-foward encounter with the devil. Straight-foward, at least, in a hagiographical setting in which we can expect diabolical opposition against a saint and, of course, the saint's successful resistance against it. Martin's response to the devil is a simple affirmation of God as a helper; an affirmation which can be traced back to the Psalms and the OT in general.
The placement of this warning scene is also instructive. We find Martin on the cusp of a major missionary endeavor as well as becoming involved in a vicious international theological dispute (more on that later). In order to accomplish what he is trying to do, Martin will face exceptional resistance. The warning scene sets this expectation up and makes the spiritual stakes involved in the effort very clear.
The conversion of one's family is, of course, a hagiographical commonplace. If one is born from pagan parents, then, one can expect that a saint will convert them before too long. Here the conversion is incomplete, but, then, fathers do tend to resist Christianity more than mothers just as, I think men in antiquity resisted Christianity rather more than women. Just look at Augustine's father, who only converted in later life, after Augustine had been bishop for a time.
The main meat of this passage is Martin's anti-Arian efforts. Remember the period we are talking about. Until Constantius II emergence as the sole ruler of the Empire, efforts in 355, the Western churches had been generally pro-Nicene, although some Illyrian bishops had already shifted to the semi-Arian solution encouraged by Constantius. Once Constantius gained control in the West, the pressure was put on the West to conform to the official imperial religious position. The exile of St. Hilary and other Western leaders was merely one step in this effort. Martin's efforts have to be understood in that context.
It is, of course, striking that the saint's efforts fail pretty much without result. Martin fights Arianism vigourously, placing himself in areas dominated by the Arrians, but he is driven out in both cases. Given the intense pressure on the orthodox Nicenes at this time, we shouldn't be surprised. The heat was definately on as the Western Church was heading towards the Council of Ariminium in 359 which adopted a semi-Arrian, compromise creed under intense imperial pressure. The efforts of one monk was bound to be repulsed.
Yet, the pressure eases up at the end of this episode with news of St. Hilary's return from exile in 360. This return was odd, given Hilary's strong anti-Arrian sentiments. It is explained by suggesting that semi-Arrians wanted him to serve as an intermediary between them and the still Nicene hierarchy in the West or by the suggestion that the more radical Arrians were tired of being beaten in debates against Hilary. I suspect that, whatever the truth of either of these allegations (the first looking much more likely), Constantius was also calculating his advantages in the West in the light of the revolt of Julian in 360. Julian, while secretly a pagan, continued support of the Nicenes in so far as he involved himself in church politics. It was, thus, a helpful gesture to return a major Nicene leader from exile. Constantius certainly did this after Magnentius' revolt when he eased pressure on Nicene bishops in the East during hte civil wars. As soon as he gained full control in the West, he tightened the screws again. In all likelihood, he was planning to do the same thing before death overcame him in 361.
Peace,
Phil
Text:
When Martin left there and passed by Milan, the devil, taking up a human form, met him and asked him where he was going. When he received an answer from Martin that he was going where God called him, the devil said to Martin (2)"Wherever you go and whatever you should attempt, the devil will oppose you" Then, Martin answered him in a prophetic voice "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what people do to me." Immediately, the enemy vanished from his sight. (3) Just as he intended, Martin released his mother from pagan error, although his father persevered in evil practices. Nevertheless, he saved many people by his example.
(4) Then, after the Arrian heresy had sprouted up throughout the whole world and, especially, in Illyria, and Martin, often alone, oppossed the treachery of the priests very bitterly and suffered many punishments--for he was beaten in public with rods and driven at last from the city, he headed for Italy. After he discovered the church was disturbed in Gaul also after the departure of Saint Hilary whom the power of the heretics drove into exile, he decided to establish a monastery near Milan. There, also, Auxentius, an author and leader of the Arrians, denounced heavily him, inflicted many injuries on him and drove him from the city. (5) Martin, thinking it was necessary to yield to the times, withdrew with one companion, a priest and a man of the greatest virtue, to an island whose name was Gallinaria. There he lived for some time on plant roots. At that time, he ate hellebore, a poison plant as they say. (6) But when he felt the force the poison advancing and death was near, he drove away the threatening danger with prayer and immediately all pain fled. (7) Not much later, whe he discovered that Saint Hilary was permited to return because the Emperor repented, he rushed to the city of Rome.
Commentary:
The first incident is a straight-foward encounter with the devil. Straight-foward, at least, in a hagiographical setting in which we can expect diabolical opposition against a saint and, of course, the saint's successful resistance against it. Martin's response to the devil is a simple affirmation of God as a helper; an affirmation which can be traced back to the Psalms and the OT in general.
The placement of this warning scene is also instructive. We find Martin on the cusp of a major missionary endeavor as well as becoming involved in a vicious international theological dispute (more on that later). In order to accomplish what he is trying to do, Martin will face exceptional resistance. The warning scene sets this expectation up and makes the spiritual stakes involved in the effort very clear.
The conversion of one's family is, of course, a hagiographical commonplace. If one is born from pagan parents, then, one can expect that a saint will convert them before too long. Here the conversion is incomplete, but, then, fathers do tend to resist Christianity more than mothers just as, I think men in antiquity resisted Christianity rather more than women. Just look at Augustine's father, who only converted in later life, after Augustine had been bishop for a time.
The main meat of this passage is Martin's anti-Arian efforts. Remember the period we are talking about. Until Constantius II emergence as the sole ruler of the Empire, efforts in 355, the Western churches had been generally pro-Nicene, although some Illyrian bishops had already shifted to the semi-Arian solution encouraged by Constantius. Once Constantius gained control in the West, the pressure was put on the West to conform to the official imperial religious position. The exile of St. Hilary and other Western leaders was merely one step in this effort. Martin's efforts have to be understood in that context.
It is, of course, striking that the saint's efforts fail pretty much without result. Martin fights Arianism vigourously, placing himself in areas dominated by the Arrians, but he is driven out in both cases. Given the intense pressure on the orthodox Nicenes at this time, we shouldn't be surprised. The heat was definately on as the Western Church was heading towards the Council of Ariminium in 359 which adopted a semi-Arrian, compromise creed under intense imperial pressure. The efforts of one monk was bound to be repulsed.
Yet, the pressure eases up at the end of this episode with news of St. Hilary's return from exile in 360. This return was odd, given Hilary's strong anti-Arrian sentiments. It is explained by suggesting that semi-Arrians wanted him to serve as an intermediary between them and the still Nicene hierarchy in the West or by the suggestion that the more radical Arrians were tired of being beaten in debates against Hilary. I suspect that, whatever the truth of either of these allegations (the first looking much more likely), Constantius was also calculating his advantages in the West in the light of the revolt of Julian in 360. Julian, while secretly a pagan, continued support of the Nicenes in so far as he involved himself in church politics. It was, thus, a helpful gesture to return a major Nicene leader from exile. Constantius certainly did this after Magnentius' revolt when he eased pressure on Nicene bishops in the East during hte civil wars. As soon as he gained full control in the West, he tightened the screws again. In all likelihood, he was planning to do the same thing before death overcame him in 361.
Peace,
Phil
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Patristic Roundup- Feb15-21, 2007
It has been an eventful week packed with travel and stomach flu, but here is the Patristics Roundup for this week.
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers gives us a book review of Craig Evans’ Fabricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels, as well as a good series on prayer (Part One, Part Two)with patristic bits.
William Weedon on Weedon's Blog post Patristic Quotes of the Day on St. Basil, St. Augustine, St. Hilary of Poitiers, St. Leo the Great, St. Peter Crysologus and Maximus the Confessor
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous features a second quote on the Hypostatic Union by St. Leo, a quote of Augustine on faith and works, St. Clement of Alexandria on our new Lenten diet, St. Ambrose on Manna, St. Augustine again on prayer and St. Leo on the Chair of Peter.
The God Fearin' Fiddler features a series on St. Ignatius of Antioch including an introduction to Ignatius, Ignatius on Church Hierarchy , St. Ignatius on Rome' primacy, St. Ignatius on chuch unity and on the Real Prescence. This series looks good, although illness has prevented me from dipping into it except in a very superficial way.
Stay Catholic offers a patristic catena on contraception
, another on baptism, another on the Mother of God
Terry at idle speculations discusses the contribution of Abbe Jacques Paul Migne and his Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca
Vince on The Triumvirate of the Bland feature a review of Martin Scorcese's new movie, The Departed and its relationship with Augustine's City of God
Steve Ray on Steve Ray's Blog let us in on a video clip of a Footprints of God production on the Apostolic Fathers
James Swan on Beggars All: Reformation and Apologetics quotes Klaus Schatz on Augustine's consultation of Rome on the Pelagius issue.
Father Z on What Does The Prayer Really Say? (a winner of Best Blog by Clergy from the Catholic Blog awards-Congrats!) speculates on Pope Benedict as a papal patristiblogger
Roger Pierce on Thoughts on Antiquity calls attention to the little known Titus of Bostra, a fifth century Christian author whose works (incluiding a Contra Manichaeos) was discovered in Egypt in the late 19th century.
The Apocryphal Corner
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features a book review on Kirk and Thatcher's Memory, Tradition and Text, a discussion of multispectral imaging and its application to work with a Thomas manuscript problem, a consideration of how the Gospel of Thomas was written and a discussion of Saying 71 in the Gospel of Thomas
Enjoy!
Peace,
Phil
Mike Aquilina on The Way of the Fathers gives us a book review of Craig Evans’ Fabricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels, as well as a good series on prayer (Part One, Part Two)with patristic bits.
William Weedon on Weedon's Blog post Patristic Quotes of the Day on St. Basil, St. Augustine, St. Hilary of Poitiers, St. Leo the Great, St. Peter Crysologus and Maximus the Confessor
Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous features a second quote on the Hypostatic Union by St. Leo, a quote of Augustine on faith and works, St. Clement of Alexandria on our new Lenten diet, St. Ambrose on Manna, St. Augustine again on prayer and St. Leo on the Chair of Peter.
The God Fearin' Fiddler features a series on St. Ignatius of Antioch including an introduction to Ignatius, Ignatius on Church Hierarchy , St. Ignatius on Rome' primacy, St. Ignatius on chuch unity and on the Real Prescence. This series looks good, although illness has prevented me from dipping into it except in a very superficial way.
Stay Catholic offers a patristic catena on contraception
, another on baptism, another on the Mother of God
Terry at idle speculations discusses the contribution of Abbe Jacques Paul Migne and his Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca
Vince on The Triumvirate of the Bland feature a review of Martin Scorcese's new movie, The Departed and its relationship with Augustine's City of God
Steve Ray on Steve Ray's Blog let us in on a video clip of a Footprints of God production on the Apostolic Fathers
James Swan on Beggars All: Reformation and Apologetics quotes Klaus Schatz on Augustine's consultation of Rome on the Pelagius issue.
Father Z on What Does The Prayer Really Say? (a winner of Best Blog by Clergy from the Catholic Blog awards-Congrats!) speculates on Pope Benedict as a papal patristiblogger
Roger Pierce on Thoughts on Antiquity calls attention to the little known Titus of Bostra, a fifth century Christian author whose works (incluiding a Contra Manichaeos) was discovered in Egypt in the late 19th century.
The Apocryphal Corner
April DeConick on The Forbidden Gospels blog features a book review on Kirk and Thatcher's Memory, Tradition and Text, a discussion of multispectral imaging and its application to work with a Thomas manuscript problem, a consideration of how the Gospel of Thomas was written and a discussion of Saying 71 in the Gospel of Thomas
Enjoy!
Peace,
Phil
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