Does FL have an up to date resource(s) that lays out the theology of the Church Fathers?
mm.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity has theological entries. The Ancient Christian Doctrine Series is great for primary sources.
More cheaply, you have Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, along with other volumes in that series.
The Ancient Christian Doctrine Series looks good. May have to sell more milk to pick that one up. Put it in my wish list. I do have all the vols in the Learning theo...
Thanks.
Interesting. Looks like if I get the XL Church Fathers library, I can get the Ancient Christian Doctrine series for only a quarter of the price that it costs on its own. Thanks for the tip 👍
The Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity has theological entries. The Ancient Christian Doctrine Series is great for primary sources. More cheaply, you have Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, along with other volumes in that series.
In my experience, there is no single theology of the Church Fathers, rather it is a constellation of views with some weird outliers that were ultimately rejected. The common way to research them is through indices such as:
But don't you think that at the end of the Fathers' era there WAS a coherent stream of thought in doctrines? How far apart could they have been as to warrant a: "gee the Fathers weren't all together in their beliefs so a 'single theology' couldn't be gleaned from their writings?'
Are their writings that far off from each other to give the impression that to study them closely there ARE NO solid bands of agreements or can we read them diligently, thoughtfully and astutely as to see in fact that the constellation of views are really not that far separated? Could it possibly be that those constellations are much closer than we think. Instead of far outreached nebulae maybe their thoughts are not so clouded.
When we say there is 'no single theology' of the CF are we saying that some viewed the deity of Christ in a non-deified way? ETC? OR, Can we read them within an 'evangelical' paradigm? I'm taking it for granted that evangelical means what the Church Fathers were in fact the forerunners of our current evangelical paradigms.
anyway supper is ready - got to go...
Milkman, need more milk sales. There's never been a theology. They literally killed each other (periodically) over their differences.
But suppers are always good.
I'm taking it for granted that evangelical means what the Church Fathers were in fact the forerunners of our current evangelical paradigms.
I won't grant you that assumption not even that there is an evangelical paradigm given their diversity. However, the description I have always relied on when speaking of the theology of the church fathers (and contemporary Catholic and Orthodox) is that of a phonograph record if you happen to remember what those are.
What I'm saying is what the Church Fathers, using Scripture and Tradition, defined well is the hole and the label. But they discussed many other possibilities up to and including falling off the edge.
Hey Denise. They 'literally' killed each other...?
2 questions then: 1. What's your time line for the Church Fathers Age?: 2. who killed who and over what? I guess that's 333 questions.
Hey Denise. They 'literally' killed each other...? 2 questions then: 1. What's your time line for the Church Fathers Age?: 2. who killed who and over what? I guess that's 333 questions.
I think MJ racked up more than I knew about. I liked the Alexandrian battles, with hot sins being carefully targeted, where death might not be good. Like a video game.
Regarding an 'age', that's an MJ or Sinenome question. My impression is the 'fathers' transitioned into hierarchy, with the theology transitioning apace. So, an 'age' is largely historical collections of writings, not theology per se.
This illustrates one of my frustrations .... Christian theology is largely just a string of random guys. It's hard to find how the theology transitioned, and why. For example, Marcion went off the deep end, but a sizable portion of Christianity agreed ... why? How could that happen, if you assume a regularized theology-flow?
Does FL have an up to date resource(s) that lays out the theology of the Church Fathers? mm.
Perhaps this may help? I must admit, I have not read these titles in particular (though they are on my list) but have read the authors and have enjoyed their work.
Justo Gonzalez... History of Christian Thought - V1
https://www.logos.com/product/145178/a-history-of-christian-thought-volume-i-from-the-beginnings-to-the-council-of-chalcedon
Or
Alister McGrath's Historical Theology (not in Logos.) His Christian Theology Introduction charted the historical development of theological themes, emphases, and doctrines.
https://www.amazon.com/Historical-Theology-Introduction-History-Christian/dp/0470672862
Thanks Richard,
I forgot I had all three volumes in soft cover. I'll have to skim (not the milk) over them and see if I can understand a bit more of my op.
thanks again,
Does FL have an up to date resource(s) that lays out the theology of the Church Fathers? mm. Perhaps this may help? I must admit, I have not read these titles in particular (though they are on my list) but have read the authors and have enjoyed their work. Justo Gonzalez... History of Christian Thought - V1 https://www.logos.com/product/145178/a-history-of-christian-thought-volume-i-from-the-beginnings-to-the-council-of-chalcedon Or Alister McGrath's Historical Theology (not in Logos.) His Christian Theology Introduction charted the historical development of theological themes, emphases, and doctrines. https://www.amazon.com/Historical-Theology-Introduction-History-Christian/dp/0470672862
Too good an answer so I resurrect the thread . . .
Hey Denise. They 'literally' killed each other...? 2 questions then: 1. What's your time line for the Church Fathers Age?: 2. who killed who and over what? I guess that's 333 questions. [...] Regarding an 'age', that's an MJ or Sinenom[in]e question. My impression is the 'fathers' transitioned into hierarchy, with the theology transitioning apace. So, an 'age' is largely historical collections of writings, not theology per se.
[...]
Regarding an 'age', that's an MJ or Sinenom[in]e question. My impression is the 'fathers' transitioned into hierarchy, with the theology transitioning apace. So, an 'age' is largely historical collections of writings, not theology per se.
While MJ is quite correct that different scholars (living and--especially--deceased) will tell you different things about when the Patristic Age ended, the 'standard' answer within the field is that in the West it ends with the death of the English monk Bede the Venerable in 735 and in the East with the death of the Syrian monk John of Damascus [Damascene] near Jerusalem at the close of 749.
As such, it's quite reasonable to say that the Patristic Age ended ~750. For reference and context, you will find a pretty clear and well-established ecclesiastical hierarchy in the extant Christian documents of the second century, with more surviving evidence from later in the century than earlier in it, while the earliest known list of the exact books now recognized by nearly all Christians as the New Testament appears in a letter from 367, written by the Egyptian bishop Athanasius of Alexandria on the occasion of Easter.
Alright. Sounds good and thanks for all the info. [B]
Alright. Sounds good and thanks for all the info.
You're most welcome. [:)]
