Questions tagged [church-fathers]
Theologians and church leaders of the post-apostolic period up to the 7th century.
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According to Catholicism, did the Apostles enjoy the prerogative of infalliblity?
According to Catholicism, did the Apostles enjoy the prerogative of infallibility?
The doctrine of papal infallibility was defined by Pope Pius IX in 1870! Does the Catholic Church recognize that the ...
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Does Papias’ vine statement impact on his reliability?
Papias was a church father from 60-130 AD. It is often said that he represents an authentic chain of tradition back to the original apostles as he has connections to either John, or elders related to ...
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Did the Early Church believe that Mary was sinless? [duplicate]
Both Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians uphold the doctrine of the sinfulness of the blessed Mary, a belief that Mary remained sinless and perfect throughout her entire life, but did any of the ...
user60738
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According to Catholicism, why did Jesus tell His disciples to buy a sword?
According to Catholicism, why did Jesus tell His disciples to buy a sword?
36 But they said: Nothing. Then said he unto them: But now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise a scrip; and ...
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Did any of the Church Fathers believe in natural theology?
As Christians we are called to study the works of the Lord (Psalms 111:2), but did any of the Early Church Fathers between 50-800 AD, believe in natural laws theology/law? (i.e. that knowledge or ...
user60738
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Do Catholic anathemas apply to people who lived before it was codified?
For example: Do the anathema issued by the Council of Trent regarding the canon of the scripture applies to the Church Fathers who believed in different canons in the early church before the Council ...
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What was the Early Church's view on slavery? [duplicate]
Slavery exist in both the Old and the New Testament with God even regulating slavery in the Old Testament (Exodus 21:20-21, Deuteronomy 23:15) and St. Paul advocating for the freeing of slaves saying ...
user60738
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Did any Church Fathers specifically reject Darwinian Evolution?
Another user made the comment:
What is undisputed is that the Fathers left no room for evolution.
Now, the Church Fathers for the most part believed that Earth was Created some time between about 3,...
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Did any Church Fathers specifically reject Common Descent?
Another user made the comment:
What is undisputed is that the Fathers left no room for evolution.
I'm aware that the Church Fathers for the most part believed that Earth was Created some time ...
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Why do some Church Fathers say that Jesus exterminated the Amalekites?
“As therefore,” I say, “while Moses was still among men, God took of the spirit which was in Moses and put it on Joshua, even so God was able to cause [the spirit] of Elijah to come upon John; in ...
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Besides Augustine and Origen, did any church fathers reject a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-2:4?
Augustine allegorically interpreted the first creation account in Genesis 1 - 2:4 but seems to have literally interpreted the second creation account in Genesis 2:5-3:24. Origen allegorically ...
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Was there any early church fathers who affirmed the Death Penalty? [duplicate]
The death penalty is clearly supported in the scriptures (Genesis 9:6, Exodus 21:12, Numbers 35:30-31, Deuteronomy 17:6, Job 19:29, Romans 13:1-4) but was there any Early Church Fathers between 80 AD ...
user60738
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Did Philo influence the contents of the New Testament?
Internet Encyclopedia (IE) article on Philo claims that Philo “laid the foundations for the development of Christianity … as we know it today.” It says, “Philo’s primary importance is in the ...
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What was the early Church Fathers' view on divorce?
Matthew 5:30-32, Luke 16:18, and 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 give clear criteria for divorce, but what was the early Church fathers' view on divorce? Did they adhere to the same Bible principles on this ...
user60738
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Why is it significant that Arius taught two Wisdoms? Was this a deviation of some kind?
Both Athanasius noted that Arius taught two Wisdoms. Athanasius wrote that in Arius’ theology,
“There are … two Wisdoms, one God's own who has existed eternally with
God, the other the Son who was ...
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Death of animals before the fall - what did the early church fathers believe?
I recall somewhere in Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology he mentions that it is possible that animals died before the fall (I don't recall the exact page or quote but it's not directly relevant to my ...
user52135
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Seeking full text of St. John Chrysostom's homily "On the Cemetery's Name and the Cross"
I became aware of a homily by St. John Chrysostom entitled "On the Cemetery's Name and the Cross" from a blog post by John Sanidopoulos. In the post, Sanidopoulos indicates that this sermon &...
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St. Athanasius on Papacy?
What did St. Athanasius believe about the Papacy and are there any special mentions of the bishop of Rome in his writings?
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Did any early church fathers view the Creation account in Genesis as being allegorical?
In the first chapter of Genesis, it gives us a description of God creating the heavens and earth and it says that on the seventh day he had finished his word and had rested (Genesis 2:2-3), but did ...
user60738
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Was "peace be with you" a common greeting in the Early Church?
In the Old and the New Testament "peace be with you" was a common greeting among Jesus Christ and the prophets (Genesis 43:23, Judges 19:20, Luke 24:36, John 20:19) but was "peace be ...
user60738
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Did the Early Church Fathers believe in exorcisms?
Both Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe in exorcism (ie the religious or spiritual practice of evicting demons, jinns, or other malevolent spiritual entities from a person), but did the ...
user60738
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Did any Early Church Fathers believe in postration when praying?
In the old and the new testament, prophets like Moses and Aaron (Numbers 20:6), Abram (Genesis 17:3) David (1 Chronicles 20:6), and Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:39), uses prostrations in prayer, but did ...
user60738
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Did the early church believe that Jesus was celibate?
Jesus Christ in the gospels was never married nor did he ever have children and it is believed historically that Jesus himself was celibate but did any of the Early Church Fathers believe that Jesus ...
user60738
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Did the early church condemn getting tattoos?
Getting a tattoo is very clearly condemned in the bible (Leviticus 19:28) but did the Early Church Fathers condemn getting tattoos?
user60738
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Did any Early Church Father interpret Ezekiel 44:2 to be about Mary?
Catholicism interprets that Ezekiel 44:2 is about the blessed Virgin Mary and shows evidence of the perpetual virginity of Mary, but did any Early Church Fathers believe that Ezekiel 44:2 is about or ...
user60738
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Did the Early Church Fathers believe that Mary was the queen of heaven?
Both the Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe that the blessed Virgin Mary when she ascended into heaven was crowned as the queen of heaven by our Lord Jesus Christ, did any of the Early ...
user60738
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Did the Early Church believe that Mary was the spouse of the Holy Spirit?
In Luke 1:34 the blessed virgin Mary is depicted as the spouse of the Holy Spirit, Luke 1:34-35 says:
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not
a man?
And the angel answered ...
user60738
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Did any Early Church Father believe that being armed/self-defence was justified?
As you know there were many prophets in the Bible who were armed and had swords for self-defence. Jesus himself allowed St. Peter and his apostles to buy a sword for self-defence. But did any of the ...
user60738
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How did the early church understand the priesthood?
Protestantism reject the idea of a sacerdotal priesthood, embracing instead the idea of priesthood of all believers(cf. 1 Peter 2:9).
Protestant Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin also claim ...
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Where in St. Ambrose's writings do Virgin Mary's title "Mother of the Church" appear?
About Mater Ecclesiae
When reading the Wikipedia article Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesiae), I was surprised how ancient the title was, and how it was only rediscovered in 1947 by a German Jesuit ...
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Earliest quote by a Church Father on how saints can add their merit to the treasury which can then be applied to others
About Treasury of Merit
The teaching of the treasury of merit (GotQuestions article here) in connection to the communion of saints and indulgences is explained in CCC 1476-1477 and is based on the ...
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Who is the earliest Church Father affirming the present Catholic interpretation of Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant?
One of the strongest scriptural basis for the Catholic Marian dogmas is the Catholic interpretation of Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant, appealing to the Glory of the LORD which filled the ...
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Did the early church believe in self defence?
Does any of the early church fathers teach that we as Christians are allowed to defend ourselves if our life is in severe danger and if so what church fathers taught this?
user51922
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What was the early church fathers view of interfaith marriage?
I am very opposed to interfaith marriage and believe interfaith marriage to be a fundamentally wrong view, but what was the Early Church Fathers view of interfaith marriage - ie a marriage between ...
user51922
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Who thinks women are not made in the image of God?
Which Christians have asserted that women are not made in the image of God?
Another question asks about the biblical basis for the claim that women are made in the image of God. I'm wondering which ...
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What were the early church fathers' views on the authority of the early church fathers?
Quite often we get questions about what the early church fathers (a surprisingly vast range of time, from 100-800) opinions were on some matter. Implicitly, there is sometimes an argument that the ...
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What was the Early Church Fathers' view of female teachers in the Church?
There is a lot of debate between Roman Catholics and Protestants on if women can be reverends or pastors within the church and have and maintain a leadership role. What was the early church fathers' ...
user51922
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Were the Early Church Fathers pacifists?
My friend is a pacifist Christian and said that not only was Jesus Christ a pacifist, but that the Early Church Fathers as well were pacifist - is this true and was the early church pacifist, if so ...
user51922
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Did the Early Church believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary? [duplicate]
Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians believe that the blessed Mary remained a perpetual virgin until she sadly passed away, but what was the Early Church Fathers view on the perpetual virginity of ...
user51922
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What was the Early Church's view of sexual immorality and sex outside of marriage?
What was the early church's perspective of sexual immorality and sex outside of marriage? I know the biblical perspective, but I am incredibly interested in how the early church fathers viewed this ...
user51922
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What was the Early Church Fathers’ teachings on the death penalty?
I am supportive of the death penalty and believe it to be justified biblically, but what was the Early Church Fathers (out as late as 600 AD) view of the death penalty and did they have one? I am ...
user51922
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Did the early church believe in the supremacy of Rome? [duplicate]
Did the early church fathers believe in the supremecy of rome and if so where is the evidance for this? Roman Catholics claim that the church of rome has supreme authority as it is the church of the ...
user51922
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Did the early church believe that St. Peter was the first pope?
Roman Catholics believe that St. Peter was the first Pope, had primacy over the church and was given a pastoral role by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, we know the scripture argument for the papacy, ...
user51922
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How did so many writings of St. John Chrysostom survive?
We have an astonishing number of extant writings by St. John Chrysostom. One source says:
Chrysostom is among the most prolific of the Fathers: 17 treatises, more than 700 authentic homilies, ...
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Is there a Church Father or Doctor of the Church who wrote that Judas Iscariot was saved?
Is there a Church Father or Doctor of the Church who wrote that Judas Iscariot was saved and indicated why he believed this was so?
I actually think one actually put forth their reasons for this, but ...
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Church Fathers exegesis of the Rock of Matthew 16:18?
How do Catholics answer this Patristic Exegesis of the Rock of Matthew 16:18 compiled by William Webster? As a Catholic I am a bit confused.
Augustine
Remember, in this man Peter, the rock. He’s the ...
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Did church fathers express a view of Elihu?
Elihu is a figure in Job, and he can have quite a lot of interpretations, radically different ones as seen on this answer on Bible Hermeneutics. Is he a repetitive arrogant youth or a prefiguration of ...
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Church Fathers on Sola Scriptura
Did early church fathers teach about sola Scriptura?
A common definition of sola scriptura is that it:
posits the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith (source).
P.s- ...
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How do the Church Fathers approach the Speeches of Job's Comforters?
In many places the speeches of Job's comforters are beautiful, they appear to be true, and Paul quotes one of them. Yet, at the end of the book the Lord condemns them for speaking falsely. Yet, all ...
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Did the early Church fathers believe the Law of Moses was never able to justify?
I am looking for the quotes of early Church Fathers describing the ability of the law. Did they believe the law was never meant & able to justify or give life? In other words, it did not justify ...
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