Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Diognetus, & Irenaeus

Richardson, Cyril.  Early Christian Fathers. New York: Macmillan Publishers, 1970.

A review of the late first and second century Churchmen is ordered up; it's been a few years and a retour and review is necessary.

This volume is available and modestly priced at:
http://www.amazon.com/Early-Christian-Fathers-Library-Classics/dp/0684829517/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376018173&sr=8-1&keywords=cyril+richardson+early+christian+fathers

This book covers: Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Diognetus, Irenaeus and the Didache in an author-by-author context with discussions of background, authorship, and texts of each. The book is introduced with a brief overview of 2nd century Christianity and the development of its thought up until that point.

Letters in Crises:


 1. First Clement—introduction, bibliography and text. Undoubtedly, Mr. Clement teaches "justification by faith alone," as his teacher, St. Paul, had instructed the Roman and catholic church.
2. Ignatius’s Letters: To the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrneans, and to old Polycarp
3. Polycarp—Letter to Philadelphia
4. Martyrdom of Polycarp—Letter of Smyrna to Philomelium

Church Manual:

 1. Didache
2. Early Sermon—commonly called Second Clement

Defenses of the Faith:

 1. Letter of Diognetus
2. First Apology of Justin Martyr
3. Plea of Athenagoras
4. Selections from Irenaeus: Against Heretics.

John Keble's edition of Irenaeus
is available online at: http://books.google.com/books?id=WsQUAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=irenaeus+against+heresies&hl=en&sa=X&ei=WmIEUpTqEJSt4AOG9YCADw&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=irenaeus%20against%20heresies&f=false

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons: Against Heresies. No location: CreateSpaceIndependent Publishing Platform, 2012. A hardcopy version is available at modest prices:
http://www.amazon.com/Saint-Irenaeus-Lyons-Against-Heresies/dp/1453624600/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376018676&sr=8-3&keywords=irenaeus

The writeup or review says this:

“[Softcover] The complete text of "Against the Heresies," with fragments of other writings. Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons wrote his "Against Heresies" ca. A.D. 180 to uphold against Gnosticism the Christian rule of faith that he had received. To vindicate the Incarnation of God in human flesh, Irenaeus described and attacked their principal doctrine, the evil origin of the natural world. Affirming the unity of Old and New Testaments, the goodness of the Creator and the created world, and finally the mystery of divinization whereby human beings are elevated into the divine life, the saint produced an outstanding example of early Christian biblical theology. For Irenaeus, as for the other early Church fathers, the doctrines of Christianity safeguard the confession of God's saving love revealed through His Incarnation as Jesus Christ. Of such work there is no better example than Irenaeus, disciple of Polycarp, disciple of John the Evangelist. Unlike other reprints, this version is completely re-typeset, while preserving original page-numbering. (Ex Fontibus Co.)”

There is also a children’s biography of Irenaeus by Mr. (rev. dr.) Sinclair Ferguson, a trusted voice for Reformed Churchmen.  Mr. Ferguson has other books in this series for youths and they are recommended.  The version on Polycarp was ordered for a Grandson and is excellent;  in fact, reading children's books is pretty good;  they give the orientation quickly and understandably;  alright, no smart comments please (poor attempt at humor) . 


Irenaeus of Lyons (Heroes of the Faith). Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2010. It is available at: http://www.amazon.com/Irenaeus-Lyons-Heroes-Sinclair-Ferguson/dp/1848710941/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376019520&sr=8-1&keywords=irenaeus+of+lyons

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