Who was Hilary of Poitiers?
Hilary (315–367) was bishop of Poitiers in Gaul (located in modern western France). Hilary was a prominent orthodox voice during the Arian controversy. Hilary was born into a pagan family in Poitiers but became a Christian around the age of 35. His spiritual growth must have been evident, for only three years later he was…
Who was Eusebius of Caesarea?
Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 260–c. 340) is known as the “father of church history.” He was the first to write a “comprehensive” history of the early church. Eusebius of Caesarea is to be distinguished from his contemporary Eusebius of Nicomedia. Eusebius of Caesarea was born in Palestine, and little if anything is known of his…
Who was Saint Jerome?
The man who came to be known as Saint Jerome was born as Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymusin around AD 345 in Stridon, Dalmatia (possibly in modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina). Jerome is considered one of the early church fathers for his work in translating the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures into Latin, the most widely used language at…
Who was Athenagoras of Athens?
Athenagoras was a second-century Greek Christian author, philosopher, and apologist. Purported to be from Athens, Athenagoras is thought to have been a follower of Platonian thought before he converted to Christianity. As a response to the persecution of Christians, Athenagoras wrote a defense of the Christian faith to the Emperor Marcus Aurelias and his son…
Who were the early church fathers?
The early church fathers fall into three basic categories: apostolic fathers, ante-Nicene church fathers, and post-Nicene church fathers. The apostolic church fathers were the ones like Clement of Rome who were contemporaries of the apostles and were probably taught by them, carrying on the tradition and teaching of the apostles themselves. Linus, mentioned in 2…
Who was Firmilian of Caesarea?
Firmilian was bishop of Caesarea Mazaca, an ancient city in Turkey that is now known as Kayseri. Although the dates are not precise, Firmilian served as bishop from AD 230 to his death in 268 or 269. Not much is known of his life and upbringing other than he was probably brought up as a…
What is a love feast?
A love feast or agape feast was a fellowship meal eaten by Christians in the early church. There is biblical evidence for the practice of these communal meals, during which Christians gathered not just for the sake of sustenance and socializing, but for the sake of fellowship (Acts 2:46–47; 1 Corinthians 11:17–34). The term love…
Who was Saint Augustine of Hippo in church history?
Saint Augustine was a philosopher and theologian who had a profound effect on both Protestant and Catholic theology. He was born Augustine Aurelius in A.D. 354, in Thagaste (in what is now Algeria), during the Roman occupation of that region. The son of a Christian mother and a pagan father, he developed a strong interest…
Who was Origen of Alexandria?
Origen of Alexandria (AD 185—254), also known as Origen Adamantius, was one of the earliest and most important Christian scholars. He is remembered both for prodigious scholarship and fanatical commitment to purity. He is credited with producing hundreds of works on theology, textual criticism, and biblical interpretation. Among Origen’s most important works are the Hexapla,…
Who was Polycarp?
Polycarp was a bishop of the early church, a disciple of the apostle John, a contemporary of Ignatius, and the teacher of Irenaeus. According to Irenaeus, Polycarp “was instructed by the apostles, and was brought into contact with many who had seen Christ.” He lived from the latter half of the first century to the…