Irenaeus of LyonsDuring the second century the Christian world was shaken by the Gnostics. Irenaeus came from Asia Minor via Rome to become bishop of Lyons, clarify Christian doctrines and fight the Gnostics with a major, five-volume work. He was a living part of his contemporary culture and his approach filled early Christian thought with new life. The writings of Irenaeus exist as a whole only in Latin and Armenian. This study offers new translations of significant parts of his work, critically based on a complete reconstruction of the original Greek in the French series Sources Chretiennes. This collection of sources will also be an invaluable resource for students of the Early Church. |
Contents
1 THE LIFE OF IRENAEUS | 1 |
2 GNOSTIC ORIGINS | 8 |
3 AGAINST THE VALENTINIANS | 15 |
4 CHRISTIAN BOOKS AND TRADITIONS | 21 |
5 GREEK EDUCATION AGAINST GNOSTICISM | 30 |
6 RHETORIC IN THEOLOGY | 34 |
ON THE DETECTION AND REFUTATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE FALSELY SO CALLED | 41 |
PREFACE TO BOOKS I AND II | 43 |
BOOK II | 80 |
BOOK III | 93 |
BOOK IV | 109 |
BOOK V | 123 |
NOTES | 142 |
| 154 | |
| 158 | |
BOOK I | 45 |
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Common terms and phrases
according Acts Adam Aeons angels apostles appeared become beginning believe blood body called Christ Christian church claim Clement coming contains dead death desire disciples doctrine earth emitted everything exists expressed faith false fashioned Father flesh follow four fruit give Gnostics Gospel Greek hand hear heaven Heresies heretics Holy human ignorance invisible Irenaeus Jesus John Justin kingdom knew knowledge later letter light live Logos Lord Luke Marcion Mark Matt matters means mentioned Mind Mother mysteries nature origin Paul perfect Pleroma Polycarp preaching presbyters proclaimed prophets psychic recapitulation received refers Refutation rest rhetoric Rome salvation saved Savior scriptures sent Sophia soul speak Spirit spoke substance suffered teaching things thirty thought took tradition true truth Valentinians virgin wanted whole woman writings
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Page 168 - But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles...