Patristics
Prof. Paul Gavrilyuk
Introduction
1. A course overview.
2. Course requirements.
3. Methodological
reflections.
Christ Enthroned. San Vitale,
Ravenna. c. 547 AD.
Major Questions
1. Hermeneutics. How do we read/ interpret
early Christian sources?
2. Context. How is Christian faith related to
the Greco-Roman world and early
Judaism?
3. Development. How did the main doctrines
and practices of the Church develop?
Orthodoxy and heresy
Continuity and discontinuity
Authority
Role of scripture
Major Doctrinal Themes
1.
2.
3.
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5.
6.
7.
8.
God.
Christ.
Trinity.
Salvation.
Theological Anthropology.
Ecclesiology.
Eschatology.
Biblical Interpretation.
The history of dogma is a
commentary on one
word: “Godman”.
Vasily Bolotov (1853-1900)
Major Doctrinal Themes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
God.
Christ.
Trinity.
Salvation.
Theological Anthropology.
Ecclesiology.
Eschatology.
Biblical Interpretation.
Major Institutions and Practices
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Bishops
Councils
Creeds and Confessions of Faith
Saints and Ascetics
Initiation, Worship & Sacraments
Religious Images
Some Important Theologians
• Ignatius of Antioch
• Justin Martyr
• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Tertullian of Carthage
• Cyprian of Carthage
• Origen of Alexandria
• Athanasius of Alexandria
• Basil of Caesarea
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Cyril of Alexandria
• Evagrius Ponticus
• Augustine of Hippo
• Maximus the Confessor
• John of Damascus
Course Requirements
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Attendance and Participation.
Quizzes.
Class presentation. 5-6 pages.
Midterm exam.
Final exam or research paper.
???
Does this help?
Biblical Background
Revelation 4: 2: At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! 3 And the one
seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4 Around the
throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns
on their heads. 5 Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the
throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God; 6 and in front of the throne there is something like a
sea of glass, like crystal. Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and
behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a
human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle […]
Revelation 5: 1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back,
sealed with seven seals […] 6 Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb
standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into
all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne.
History is written by the victors
Perseus with the Head of Medusa. Antonio Canova, 1800. Vatican Museum.
not the losers…
By the conquerors, not the conquered
Grand Ludovisti Sarcophagus, front panel. 3rd c. C. E. Rome, Museo Nazionale in Palazzo Altemps
Idealization ↔ Dehumanization
The Master Narrative
HERESIES
HERESIES
HERESIES
ORTHODOXY
HERESIES
HERESIES
HERESIES
History re-written to rehabilitate the ‘losers’
‘Multiple Christianities’
Approach
REPLACES ORTHODOXY/ HERESY MASTER NARRATIVE
Proto-orthodox  Nicaea, Chalcedon, etc.
Proto-Jewish Christians  Ebionites, ‘Judaizers’,
Adoptionists (?)
Proto-Gnostics  Valentinians, Basilideans, Sethians, etc.
Proto- subordinationists  some Apologists, Arius,
Eunomius
Proto-everyone else  Everyone else
Strengths of the ‘Multiple
Christianities’ Approach
• Gives opportunity to ‘hear’ the ‘lost’ and
‘silenced’ voices
• Offers a correction to the winner’s report
• Exposes structural problems in ancient
society (e.g. patriarchy, sexism, antiJudaism)
John Dewey (1859-1952)
“All history is written
from the standpoint of
the present.”
past
present
--
Eusebius on Constantine:
“Our emperor, God’s friend, acting
as interpreter to the Divine Logos,
aims at recalling the whole human
race to the knowledge of God.”
--Eusebius, In Praise of Constantine, II. 4.
Constantine’s head.
Capitoline Museum.
A century later, however,
a pagan historian remarked:
“Constantine was the
origin and the beginning
of the present destruction
of the empire.”
– Zosimus, New History, 2.
34 (ca. 500).
The ruins of ancient temples at
the foot of Palatine. Rome.
Present-Day Cultural Slogans
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Pluralism
Tolerance
Freedom
Non-violence
Equality
Perceived Problems with the
Master Narrative
Commitment to ORTHODOXY conflicts with
pluralism
Suppression of HERESIES reveals
intolerance and violates freedom
Defense of absolute truth-claims leads to
violence
All knowledge claims are reducible to power
claims (Nietzsche)
Commitments of the Early Church
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Faithfulness to Jesus
Witnessing to the Truth
Church Unity
Unified Worldview
Potential Tensions…
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Faithfulness to Jesus
Witnessing to the Truth
Church Unity
Unified Worldview
– Hierarchical society
– Epistemic optimism
Pluralism
Tolerance
Freedom
Pluralism
Egalitarian society
Confusion
Picasso, Girl Before the Mirror, 1932.
Adolf von Harnack (1851-1930)
We study history in order
to intervene in the course
of history.
past
present
Problems with ‘Multiple
Christianities’ Approach
• Commitments to pluralism and a
questionable theory of justice tend to trump
theological truth-claims
• MCA encourages learned agnosticism on
theological matters
• MCA refuses to adjudicate between
competing theological proposals
Back to the Master Narrative
HERESIES
HERESIES
HERESIES
ORTHODOXY
HERESIES
HERESIES
HERESIES
Reasons for Engaging the Master Narrative
1. All voices are not equal.
2. The Master Narrative is a structural part of ‘the
world of the text’.
3. The Master Narrative needs to challenge us.
4. The Master Narrative should and could be
questioned.
past
present