CHURCH HISTORY -2
ANTE-NICENE PERIOD
AGE OF MARTYRDOM
THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS
ST MARY’S COPTIC CHURCH
SERVANTS MEETING
JANUARY 25, 2015
DR. RAMZY LABIB
CHURCH HISTORY
THE APOSTOLIC
AGE
Servants
Meeting
January 2015
Dr. Marie Hanna
THE COPTIC CHURCH FROM
GENERATION TO GENERATION
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An Ancient Church
Trinitarian
Apostolic
Scriptural (Biblical)
Traditional
Sacramental
Conservative
THE "APOSTOLIC," OR
POST-APOSTOLIC
"FATHERS"
Definition of “Apostolic Fathers”:
Personal disciples of the Apostles
Connecting link with later Fathers
CHURCH FATHERS IN
ANTE-NICENE PERIOD,
CLASSIFICATION
(1.) The apostolic fathers
(2.) The apologists
(3.) The controversialists
(4.) The Alexandrian school
(5.) The contemporary North
African school
(6.) Miscellaneous:
CLEMENT OF
ROME
Biography -Discipleship
Writings, Exhortation
Clement and Trinity: “God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and
the Holy Spirit, who are the faith and hope of the elect.”
Clement and the divine dignity and glory of
Christ,
Clement and salvation
Clement death
IGNATIUS OF
ANTIOCH
Biography -Discipleship
Writing, Exhortation
Ignatius and hierarchical principle –
governmental structure of the church
Ignatius death: “Leave me to the beasts, that I
may by them be made partaker of God. I am a grain of
the wheat of God, and I would be ground by the teeth
of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread of God.”
POLYCARP OF
SMYRNA
Biography –Discipleship
Polycarp traits and education
Writings, Exhortation
Polycarp and heresy,
Polycarp trial and death: “Eighty and six years I
have served Christ, He has never done me any harm.
How, then, could I blaspheme my King who saved me."
POLYCARP OF SMYRNA
PRAYER ON HIS
MARTYRDOM
"Lord God Almighty, Father of Thy beloved and
blessed Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we have
received the grace of knowing Thee; God of angels and
powers, and the whole creation, and of the whole race
of the righteous who live in Thy presence; I bless Thee
for deigning me worthy of this day and this hour that I
may be among Thy martyrs and drink of the cup of my
Lord Jesus Christ, unto the resurrection of eternal life
of soul and body in the incorruption of the Holy Spirit.
POLYCARP OF SMYRNA
PRAYER ON HIS
MARTYRDOM
"Receive me this day into Thy presence together with
them, as a fair and acceptable sacrifice prepared for
Thyself in fulfillment of Thy promise, O true and
faithful God. Wherefore I praise Thee for all Thy
mercies; I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, through the eternal
High-Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy beloved Son, with whom
to Thyself and the Holy Spirit, be glory both now and
forever. Amen."
http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/history/2_ch13.htm
S
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M
A
R
Y
Discipleship
Writings
Clement of
Rome
Apostles Peter
and Paul
Epistle to the
Corinthians
Modest Pope
Main
massage(s)
Death/Martyr Martyr ~101
Ignatius of
Antioch
Apostles Peter,
Paul and John
7 epistles
Polycarp of
Smyrna
Apostle John
Epistle to the
Philippians
Zeal for faith True life in
& Martyrdom God
Martyr ~ 115- Martyr 155
QUESTIONS