Irenaeus Of Lyon : A Influential Theologian

In the source “The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas,” the narrative of a few early Christians who died for their beliefs is told. The two martyred women, named Perpetua and Felicitas, along with a few other followers of the religion were imprisoned because they identified themselves as Christians and refused to offer sacrifice to the Roman Emperor. The Christians were sentenced to death by beast for this. The source illustrate the problems Christians had in navigating the cultural realities of life in the Roman empire. This can be observed along with the struggles involved in class, family, and gender.

While we live in a world that idolizes popstars and political figures, we often forget about the men that made our self expression possible. Humanism is defined as “a philosophy that usually rejects supernaturalism and stresses an individual's dignity and worth and capacity for self-realization through reason (Humanism).” St. Francis and St. Aquinas were both key figures in the beginning of this movement. Instead of reflecting on the holy they decided to look inward and also outward at the world that surrounded them. St. Aquinas, St. Francis, and the impacts they had on humanism were monumental and are worthy of discussion.

In this literature review I will discuss both Socrates and Jesus Christ (Jesus). I will compare and distinguish them, by their trial, misdeeds (through the view of society), law, justice and punishment. In addition, I will write about their influence in today’s society and what impact they have made through time. Both Socrates and Jesus had many things in common yet, they we’re different. Both had different religious beliefs. While, Socrates was polytheistic, believing in several gods. Jesus, in the other hand was monotheism, believed in only one God. Both were charged, tried, and executed for their “radical”

• Writes about Christ suffering extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of Pontius Pilatus. Refers to an immense multitude of Christ followers willing to die for their beliefs. Pg. 82

The Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity 203 is an account of Perpetua’s story, a story in which she rejected her Roman identity in order to further pledge her Christian faith. At the time, Romans feared the spread of Christianity due to the conflicting interest in the worship of Gods and the circulating rumors that Christians were cannibals. Not only did Romans think Christianity was odd for those factors but also that Christians feared their potential experiences in the afterlife more than their experiences in their current life. The history of the Roman Empire provides that emperors would put Christians through a test in order to confirm their devotion to Christianity. If they confessed to being Christian, then they would be persecuted. However, Christians had the opportunity of denying their faith and making a sacrifice to the empire so that they could avoid persecution. Yet, there were many Christians that remained faithful rather than opting for the denial of their faith and avoiding persecution. This paper will discuss Perpetua’s rejection of her Roman identity in passages six and twenty in order to show the differences between the devout Christians of the roman empire and the pagans of the roman empire.

Many believe that the writings of early Church Fathers were lectured to different sects. In fact, one may assume that there are Similarities and differences between Tertullian and Justin Martyr. Particularly, let’s compare Tertullian’s and Justin Martyr perspective of faith, reason, and philosophy! Justin Martyr is Known as the defender of the faith (Tony lane), (p.10) He looked for truth in Greek philosophy. Likewise, his apology is in defense of the Christian faith and belief of Christianity. Of the writings that subsist, his First Apology (c. 155 c.e.; English translation, 1861) contains a resilient appeal for justice lectured to Antoninus. In that work, he clarifies Christian morals to influence his reader of Christian faithfulness and honesty. However, also central to this writing is his claim that Hebrew prophecy and Greek philosophy, both informed by the divine Logos (the Word), pointed to the coming of Christ. Through such dispute, he facilitated to institute the early Christian theme which faith is greater than Greek philosophy and is the result of Judaic belief. In Justin’s awareness, merely those who were controlled by fears failed to recognize these facts. His Second Apology (c.

C.S. Lewis is one of the most profound and well-known theologians of the twentieth century. His writings and ideas have played an incredible influence on the Church today. Lewis served as a professor at Oxford university as well as an army officer during the First World War (BBC). Throughout his life, Lewis understood the importance of friendship through significant relationships within his own life. His mother died when he was ten, which caused him to grow closer to his older brother Warren. In college, Lewis connected particularly to a friend named Arthur Greeves over their mutual love for Nordic mythology. As far as the relationships that Lewis held, he is best known for his relations with the literary discussion group known as “The

By comparing the following primary sources, “The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas” and “The Rape of Lucretia,” historians can learn about the archetypes of Roman society. The former text, written in 202 or 203 CE, is a prison diary of a young martyr in Carthage. The protagonist, Perpetua, is arrested and sentenced to death because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. Despite having a newborn and hearing consistent outcry from her father to renounce her faith, Perpetua refused to absolve from Christianity. Prior to her execution, she and her comrades experience visions of entering Heaven and specifics of how their deaths would be bestowed upon them. These visions provided comfort to the prisoners because they legitimized the belief in God, as well as sanctioned the power of God to perform miracles. As God willed it, Perpetua, the “most valiant and blessed martyrs”, was ultimately executed in the arena. The latter text, written in 17 AD by Roman historian, Livy, is a story of propaganda about the rape of a honorable woman named Lucretia. Lucretia, Tarquinius Conlatinus’s wife, was the quintessential example of a Roman martyr. She was applauded for her modest, hospitable, and dutiful nature. Tragically, she was forcibly raped by the emperor’s son, Sextus Tarquinius. Consequently, Brutus, Tarquinius, and Lucretia’s father, did not object while witnessing Lucretia commit suicide in order to preserve her and her family’s

A typical athlete story can now be known as a riches to rags story. Though there are positive and there are also negatives effects to this. Star athletes make so much money that it makes people sick, meanwhile it is also sickening our athletes mentally. The professional sporting world is now turning into a money-hungry occupation. Along with this hunger for cash comes a solid incentive for productivity.

Irenaeus, born 130-202, was one of the early apologists that defended Christianity against Greco-Roman paganism and against Judaism; they also sought to protect it from modification and heresies. He was born Smyrna, which was an ancient city in Turkey. Irenaeus was the pupil of Polycarp, who in turn was supposed to be a disciple of John the Apostle. Irenaeus became the Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (modern Lyons, France). In 177, Pothinus, the Bishop of Lyons, sent Irenaeus on a mission to Rome, however during Irenaeus absence severe persecutions of bishops broke out in Lyons. In 190 or 191, Irenaeus negotiated with Pope Victor to lift the sentence of excommunication laid by that pontiff upon the Christian communities of Asia Minor which persevered in the practice of the Quartodecimans in regard to the celebration of Easter. Irenaeus is

Ambrose, Augustine and Christina of Markyate has different views on rape. Ambrose believes that there should not be any rape to occur. A woman who is about to be raped should commit suicide. Suicide Ambrose believes is the right thing to do to keep the family name pure and because there will not be any sin taken. Augustine though views rape differently, he believes that there should not be any kind of suicide. Suicide is a bigger sin that will get someone right to hell. Augustine believes that instead of committing suicide it will be better for the person to suffer socially. Finally, Christina of Marykate’s believes someone who is a dedicated virgin will be protected by God. God gives miracles for the virgins who are dedicated. Christina of

had such a big influence in the time which he lived from 1509 to 1564. John Calvin

However, the rediscovery of Aristotle and other ancient philosophers had a profound effect on European thought. This caused the Catholic Church to become deeply concerned. Those whose ideas strayed too far from Christianity were accused of heresy. Scholars tried to defend themselves by arguing that there was no contradiction between philosophical reasoning and religious faith. The most influential scholar of the time was an Italian monk who became known as Saint Thomas Aquinas. His writings helped to ease the growing conflict between faith and reason. Aquinas believed that although observation and rational thinking

1.) Thomas Aquinas believes that humans are born with a clean slate in a state of potency and acquire knowledge through sense experiences by abstraction of the phantasms. His view on how man acquires knowledge rejects Plato’s theory that humans are born with innate species. Along with Plato’s theory of humans understanding corporeal things through innate species, Aquinas also rejects Plato’s theory that in being born with innate species, humans spend their lives recollecting their knowledge.

who had been a student of theologian and christian academy founder, Origen. Eusebius became bishop