Who was Basil of Caesarea?
Basil of Caesarea, or St. Basil the Great, was a monk and bishop who lived during the fourth century AD. He is known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers who defended the doctrines of the Trinity and the Incarnation and worked on behalf of the poor. He is venerated as a saint by both the…
Who was Saint Irenaeus of Lyons?
Irenaeus (AD 130–202) was the bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (modern Lyons, France), a stalwart opponent of heresy, and an influential witness concerning the development of the biblical canon. Little is known about the life of Irenaeus. We know that he was from Smyrna in Asia Minor and a student there of Polycarp (who was…
Who was Boethius, and what was his impact on Christianity?
You have probably never heard of him, but Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (c. 477—524) influenced thousands of people in many different ways over the course of his life as a politician, philosopher, and academic. His legacy lives on through the success of his writings, which helped shape the direction of medieval philosophy. Boethius was born…
Does the Bible record the death of the apostles?
The only apostle whose death the Bible records is James (Acts 12:2). King Herod had James “put to death with the sword,” likely a reference to beheading. The circumstances of the deaths of the other apostles are related through church tradition, so we should not put too much weight on any of the other accounts.…
Who was Tertullian?
Tertullian is known in church history as the father of Latin theology, as he was the first church leader to write his works in Latin. Most of his writing was in defense of Christianity against persecution from without or heresy from within. He had an enormous influence on the early church, and much of that…
Who was Tatian of Adiabene?
Tatian of Adiabene was a second-century writer and theologian. His works include the Diatessaron (“From Four”), a paraphrase of the four Gospels that combined all four books into one; the Oratio ad Graecos, or “Address to the Greeks,” which contains a condemnation of paganism and a presentation of Christianity as the better alternative; On Perfection…
Who was Hippolytus of Rome?
Hippolytus (c. 160–236) was a prolific writer and one of the most significant theologians of the third century. He is known today for promoting orthodox Christology amid the confusion and bad doctrine in the church at Rome. Hippolytus was a presbyter (elder) in the church at Rome while Zephyrinus and Callistus served as the bishops.…
How did the apostle Paul die?
The Bible does not say how the apostle Paul died. Writing in 2 Timothy 4:6–8, Paul seems to be anticipating his soon demise: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have…
Who was Ignatius of Antioch?
Ignatius of Antioch was an early church father, and not much is known about him. What we do know is primarily drawn from his own writings. Ignatius was the bishop of the church in Antioch, Syria, and was martyred under Emperor Trajan around AD 110. He was apparently a disciple of John, the beloved apostle,…
Who was Julius Africanus?
Julius Africanus was a Christian historian, chronographer, and writer who lived during the early third century AD. Although he is not as widely known as some of his contemporaries, Julius Africanus made significant contributions to the development of early Christian thought, particularly in the realm of chronology. His works aimed to harmonize biblical history with…