The Son is in the Father because his whole being is proper to the Father’s essence…so that whoever sees the Son sees what belongs to the Father and understands that the Son’s being, because it comes from the Father, is therefore in the Father. The Father is in the Son, because the Son is what is from the Father and belongs to him. They relate to one another as the radiance to the sun, the word to the thought expressed and the stream to the fountain. Whoever contemplates the Son like this contemplates what belongs to the Father’s essence and knows that the Father is in the Son. (Discourses Against the Arians 3.23.3 ACD vol 1 pg72)
Aug 29 2009
Athanasius and Proper Contemplation of the Father and the Son
Aug 27 2009
Irenaeus and the only Son of Adam Who is God
Those who claim that Jesus was a man…have not yet been joined in the Word of God the Father. I have demonstrated from Scriptures that there is not one son of Adam who is called God or Lord in an absolute and universal sense. But Jesus is God himself, by his own right, beyond any human being who has ever lived. He is the Lord, the eternal King….and the incarnated Word… He is the only Lord, the wonderful , the counselor, the one who is beautiful in appearance and the Almighty God. (Against Heresies 3.19.2 ACD vol 1 pg 68_
Aug 25 2009
Melito of Sardis – The Impassible Suffered
Aug 23 2009
Athanasius' Godhead – Worshiping the Son is Worshiping the Father
Aug 23 2009
Arnobius of Sicca was a Feminist
We should remember that he is a new convert, coming directly from the rhetorican school of the Greeks.
Update – Suzanne has posted on this passage.
Aug 21 2009
Hegemonius: No Disputations on New Revelations
It is an unknown author which we read to today, concerning the authority for Christian teaching:
Those who set up some new teaching have a way of twisting the Scriptures to make them fit whatever it is they want them to say. The apostolic word says, “If anyone preaches any gospel to you other than that which you have received, let him be anathema.” Therefore, a disciple of Christ should accept no new teaching beyond what has once been committed to us by the Apostles. (Disputation of Archelus and Manes . 40, ACD vol. 1 p21)
Aug 20 2009
Arnobius of Sicca Could Care Less About Creationism
In reading Ancient Christian Doctrines, I came across a few of the lesser known early Church writers (perhaps only to me?), so I thought that I might share with you a few of the more interesting ones for the next week or so.
Christ says that it is none of our business to inquire into such things as the origin of souls, the causes of existence of evil,whether the sun is bigger than the earth, or whether the moon shines with its own light or one borrowed from elsewhere. What benefit is there in knowing such things? Leave them to God. What matters to you is the salvation of your own soul, which is in danger. Unless you dedicate yourselves to the knowledge of the supreme God, a cruel death awaits you when you are finally set free from the body. You will not be suddenly annihilated but destroyed by the bitterness of a grievous and long-protracted punishment. (Against the Nations 2.61, ACD Vol 1, p 8-9)
Arnobius (d330) has one surviving work, and around the the time of this writing, was a a new convert. I wonder what he would have thought about John Walton’s book?
Aug 19 2009
Fulgentius of Ruspe: Truth is One
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I thought that as a way of demonstrating the value of the Ancient Christian Doctrine series, I would share some interesting quotations found throughout the book. I hope to do this one time a day, or more, for a while, until I feel like the series is exhausted. (It shouldn’t take too long, as I only have one volume, for now.)
The first quote comes from a student of Augustine, one Fulgentius of Ruspe:
Aug 17 2009
Review: Ancient Christian Doctrines Volume 1
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I want to thank Intervaristy Press for this review copy. In the course of my studies, due to a long time commentator, on the history of doctrinal development, I have become interested in the Church Fathers. While I may not always agree with everything found in them, they serve as a vital link from our time to the Apostles. (Not to say that everyone followed the Apostles) It is important to constantly test your doctrine against that of history. With the multitude of new doctrines being formed, and ancient heresies resurrected, we should look to the past before going forward with any new idea, or revelation, which we might have.
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