102-522: Sint-Petrus-en-Pauluskerk (Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul ) is a Roman Catholic church in Ostend , Belgium. The neo-Gothic building was constructed on the ashes of a previous church that occupied the site. King Leopold II enthusiastically supported a plan to build a new and more magnificent church. Construction started in 1899 and was completed and consecrated by Bishop Waffelaert on 31 August 1908. Its stained glass windows were destroyed during
204-558: A Belgian building or structure is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah ; died AD 64–68), also known as Peter the Apostle , Simon Peter , Simeon , Simon , or Cephas , was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church . He appears repeatedly and prominently in all four New Testament gospels as well as
306-735: A distinction between the Monad and the Demiurge . Irenaeus uses the Logos theology he inherited from Justin Martyr . Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp , who was said to have been tutored by John the Apostle . (John had used Logos terminology in the Gospel of John and the letter of 1 John ). Irenaeus often spoke of the Son and the Spirit as the "hands of God," though he also spoke of
408-452: A huge number of fish. Immediately after this, they follow Him. The Gospel of John gives a comparable account of "The First Disciples". In John, the readers are told that it was two disciples of John the Baptist (Andrew and an unnamed disciple) who heard John the Baptist announce Jesus as the " Lamb of God " and then followed Jesus. Andrew then went to his brother Simon, saying, "We have found
510-498: A new order is formed, and being under the Law, is being under the sin of Adam. Reconciliation is also a theme of Paul's that Irenaeus stresses in his teachings on Salvation. Irenaeus believes Jesus coming in flesh and blood sanctified humanity so that it might again reflect the perfection associated with the likeness of the Divine. This perfection leads to a new life, in the lineage of God, which
612-723: A party of "Cephas". First Corinthians suggests that perhaps Peter visited the city of Corinth, located in Greece, during their missions. Dionysius, bishop of Corinth , in his Epistle to the Roman Church under Pope Soter (A.D. 165–174), declares that Peter and Paul founded the Church of Rome and the Church of Corinth, and they have lived in Corinth for some time, and finally in Italy where they found death: You have thus by such an admonition bound together
714-516: A pre-existence as a saving Being, it was necessary that what might be saved should also be called into existence, in order that the Being who saves should not exist in vain." Some theologians maintain that Irenaeus believed that Incarnation would have occurred even if humanity had never sinned; but the fact that they did sin determined his role as the savior . Irenaeus sees Christ as the new Adam, who systematically undoes what Adam did: thus, where Adam
816-552: A reminiscent scene in John's epilogue, Peter affirms three times that he loves Jesus. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians contains a list of resurrection appearances of Jesus , the first of which is an appearance to Peter. Here, Paul apparently follows an early tradition that Peter was the first to see the risen Christ, which, however, did not seem to have survived to the time when the gospels were written. In John's gospel, Peter
918-642: A trip by Paul the Apostle to Jerusalem where he meets Peter. Peter features again in Galatians, fourteen years later, when Paul (now with Barnabas and Titus ) returned to Jerusalem. When Peter came to Antioch , Paul opposed Peter to his face "because he [Peter] was in the wrong". Acts 12 narrates how Peter, who was in Jerusalem, was put into prison by Agrippa I (AD 42–44) but was rescued by an angel . After his liberation Peter left Jerusalem to go to "another place". Concerning Peter's subsequent activity there
1020-806: Is always listed first among the Twelve Apostles in the Gospels and in the Book of Acts . Along with James the Elder and John he formed an informal triumvirate within the Twelve Apostles. Jesus allowed them to be the only apostles present at three particular occasions during his public ministry, the Raising of Jairus' daughter , Transfiguration of Jesus and Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane . Peter often confesses his faith in Jesus as
1122-435: Is disputed, some saying that its usual meaning is "rock" or "crag", others saying that it means rather "stone" and, particularly in its application by Jesus to Simon, like a "jewel", but most scholars agree that as a proper name, it denotes a rough or tough character... Both meanings, "stone" (jewel or hewn stone) and "rock", are indicated in dictionaries of Aramaic and Syriac . Catholic theologian Rudolf Pesch argues that
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#17328525061961224-547: Is forever striving for eternal life and unity with the Father. This is a carryover from Paul, who attributes this reconciliation to the actions of Christ: "For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ". A third theme in both Paul's and Irenaeus's conceptions of salvation
1326-629: Is instead spelled " Simeon " ( Συμεών in Greek). The variation possibly reflects "the well-known custom among Jews at the time of giving the name of a famous patriarch or personage of the Old Testament to a male child [i.e., Simeon ] along with a similar sounding Greek/Roman name [in this case, Simon]". He was later given by Jesus the name Cephas ( / ˈ s iː f ə s / ), from the Aramaic כֵּיפָא , Kepha , 'rock/stone'. In translations of
1428-418: Is no further connected information from the extant sources, although there are short notices of certain individual episodes of his later life. The synoptic gospels mention that Peter had a mother-in-law at the time he joined Jesus, and that Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. However, the gospels give no information about his wife. Clement of Alexandria claimed that Peter's wife was executed for her faith by
1530-511: Is not the Cause of Evil , On Easter . Irenaeus exercised wide influence on the generation which followed. Both Hippolytus and Tertullian freely drew on his writings. However, none of his works aside from Against Heresies and The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching survive today, perhaps because his literal hope of an earthly millennium may have made him uncongenial reading in
1632-503: Is often repeated in the service of worship on Maundy Thursday by some Christian denominations . The three synoptic gospels all mention that, when Jesus was arrested, one of his companions cut off the ear of a servant of the High Priest of Israel . The Gospel of John also includes this event and names Peter as the swordsman and Malchus as the victim. Luke adds that Jesus touched the ear and miraculously healed it. This healing of
1734-737: Is once referred to as "prominent" or "head" among the Apostles, a title shared with Paul in the text ( The Fraction of Fast and Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul in the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ). Some, including the Orthodox Churches, believe this is not the same as saying that the other Apostles were under Peter's orders. According to the Epistle to the Galatians ( 2:11 ), Peter went to Antioch where Paul rebuked him for following
1836-576: Is picked up in Irenaeus's discussion of the topic when he asserts, "By His own blood He redeemed us, as also His apostle declares, 'In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins.'" The frequencies of quotations and allusions to the Pauline Epistles in Against Heresies are: To counter his Gnostic opponents, Irenaeus significantly develops Paul's presentation of Christ as
1938-409: Is provided by Jesuit Father Daniel J. Harrington , who suggests that Peter was an unlikely symbol of stability. While he was one of the first disciples called and was the spokesman for the group, Peter is also the exemplar of "little faith". In Matthew 14 , Peter will soon have Jesus say to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?", and he will eventually deny Jesus three times. Thus, in light of
2040-561: Is regarded as the first leader of the early Church, though he was soon eclipsed in this leadership by James the Just, "the brother of the Lord" . Because Peter was the first to whom Jesus appeared, the leadership of Peter forms the basis of the Apostolic succession and the institutional power of orthodoxy, as the heirs of Peter, and he is described as "the rock" on which the church will be built. Peter
2142-671: Is that Peter had a group of 12 to 16 followers, whom the Clementine writings name. Another is that it provides an itinerary of Peter's route from Caesarea Maritima to Antioch, where he debated his adversary Simon Magus ; during this journey he ordained Zacchaeus as the first bishop of Caesarea and Maro as the first bishop of Tripolis . Historian Fred Lapham suggests the route recorded in the Clementine writings may have been taken from an earlier document mentioned by Epiphanius of Salamis in his Panarion called "The Itinerary of Peter". Peter may have visited Corinth , and maybe there existed
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#17328525061962244-399: Is the door of life." But he also said, "Christ came not only for those who believed from the time of Tiberius Caesar, nor did the Father provide only for those who are now, but for absolutely all men from the beginning, who, according to their ability, feared and loved God and lived justly. . . and desired to see Christ and to hear His voice." The purpose of "Against Heresies" was to refute
2346-400: Is the first person to enter the empty tomb , although the women and the beloved disciple see it before him. In Luke's account, the women's report of the empty tomb is dismissed by the apostles, and Peter is the only one who goes to check for himself, running to the tomb. After seeing the graveclothes, he goes home, apparently without informing the other disciples. In the final chapter of
2448-479: Is the sacrifice of Christ being necessary for the new life given to humanity in the triumph over evil. It is in this obedient sacrifice that Jesus is victor and reconciler, thus erasing the marks that Adam left on human nature. To argue against the Gnostics on this point, Irenaeus uses Colossians in showing that the debt which came by a tree has been paid for us in another tree. Furthermore, the first chapter of Ephesians
2550-429: Is there, in the area of Caesarea Philippi , that he receives from Jesus the name Cephas (Aramaic Kepha ), or Peter (Greek Petros ). In Luke , Simon Peter owns the boat that Jesus uses to preach to the multitudes who were pressing on him at the shore of Lake Gennesaret . Jesus then amazes Simon and his companions James and John (Andrew is not mentioned) by telling them to lower their nets, whereupon they catch
2652-463: Is too young. Jesus's opponents argue that Jesus was not yet 50 years old. Irenaeus argues that if Jesus were in his thirties, his opponents would have argued that he was not yet 40 years old, since that would make him even younger. Irenaeus's argument is that they would not weaken their own argument by adding years to Jesus's age. Irenaeus also writes: "The Elders witness to this, who in Asia conferred with John
2754-703: Is when Jesus makes wine out of water, he goes up to the Paschal feast-day, after which he withdraws and is found in Samaria. The second is when Jesus goes up to Jerusalem for Passover and cures the paralytic, after which he withdraws over the sea of Tiberias. The third mention is when he travels to Jerusalem, eats the Passover, and suffers on the following day. Irenaeus quotes scripture (John 8:57), to suggest that Jesus ministers while in his 40s. In this passage, Jesus's opponents want to argue that Jesus has not seen Abraham, because Jesus
2856-581: The Acts of the Apostles . Catholic tradition accredits Peter as the first bishop of Rome —or pope —and also as the first bishop of Antioch . According to Christian tradition , Peter was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero . The ancient Christian churches all venerate Peter as a major saint and the founder of the Church of Antioch and the Church of Rome , but they differ in their attitudes regarding
2958-577: The Gentiles . Simon Peter applied the message of the vision on clean animals to the gentiles and follows his meeting with Cornelius the Centurion by claiming that "God shows no partiality". According to the Acts of the Apostles , Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to Samaria . Peter/Cephas is mentioned briefly in the opening chapter of one of the Pauline epistles , Epistle to the Galatians , which mentions
3060-500: The Greek East . Even though no complete version of Against Heresies in its original Greek exists, we possess the full ancient Latin version, probably of the third century, as well as thirty-three fragments of a Syrian version and a complete Armenian version of books 4 and 5. Evelyn Underhill in her book Mysticism credited Irenaeus as being one of those to whom we owe "the preservation of that mighty system of scaffolding which enabled
3162-686: The Last Adam . Irenaeus's presentation of Christ as the New Adam is based on Paul's Christ-Adam parallel in Romans 5:12–21 , but also derives significantly from the Johannine presentation of the Adam-Christ typology. Irenaeus uses this parallel to demonstrate that Christ truly took human flesh. Irenaeus considered it important to emphasize this point because he understands the failure to recognize Christ's full humanity
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3264-696: The Messiah ", and then brought Simon to Jesus, who immediately named him as "Cephas". Three of the four gospels—Matthew, Mark and John—recount the story of Jesus walking on water . Matthew additionally describes Peter walking on water for a moment but beginning to sink when his faith wavers. At the beginning of the Last Supper , Jesus washed His disciples' feet. Peter initially refused to let Jesus wash his feet, but when Jesus told him: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me", Peter replied: "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head". The washing of feet
3366-480: The authority of his successors . According to Catholic teaching , Jesus promised Peter a special position in the Church. In the New Testament , the name "Simon Peter" is found 19 times. He is the brother of Saint Andrew , and they both were fishermen . The Gospel of Mark in particular was traditionally thought to show the influence of Peter's preaching and eyewitness memories. He is also mentioned, under either
3468-448: The crucifixion , although the latter event is an integral part of the former. Part of the process of recapitulation is for Christ to go through every stage of human life, from infancy to old age, and simply by living it, sanctify it with his divinity. Although it is sometimes claimed that Irenaeus believed Christ did not die until he was older than is conventionally portrayed, the bishop of Lyon simply pointed out that because Jesus turned
3570-450: The incarnation of God as a man. He characterizes the penalty for sin as death and corruption . God, however, is immortal and incorruptible, and simply by becoming united to human nature in Christ he conveys those qualities to us: they spread, as it were, like a benign infection. Irenaeus emphasizes that salvation occurs through Christ's Incarnation, which bestows incorruptibility on humanity, rather than emphasizing His Redemptive death in
3672-646: The tradition handed down from the apostles , and the teaching of the apostles' successors . He is the earliest surviving witness to regard all four of the now- canonical gospels as essential. Irenaeus is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church , Anglican Church , Lutheran Churches , the Eastern Orthodox Church , the Oriental Orthodox Churches , and the Assyrian Church of
3774-559: The Apostle , and that the Gospel of Luke was written by Luke, the companion of Paul . Scholars contend that Irenaeus quotes from 21 of the 27 New Testament books, such as: He may refer to Hebrews 2:30 and James 4:16 and maybe even 2 Peter 5:28, but does not cite Philemon. Irenaeus cited the New Testament approximately 1,000 times. About one third of his citations are made to Paul's letters. Irenaeus considered all 13 letters belonging to
3876-665: The Apostles portrays Peter as the central figure within the early Christian community. All four canonical gospels recount that, during the Last Supper , Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him three times before the following cockcrow ("before the cock crows twice" in Mark's account). The three Synoptics and John describe the three denials as follows: In the Gospel of Luke is a record of Christ telling Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." In
3978-459: The Apostles. The word used for "rock" ( petra ) grammatically refers to "a small detachment of the massive ledge", not to a massive boulder. Thus, Orthodox Sacred Tradition understands Jesus' words as referring to the apostolic faith. Petros had not previously been used as a name, but in the Greek-speaking world it became a popular Christian name, after the tradition of Peter's prominence in
4080-551: The Apostolic Preaching (also known as Proof of the Apostolic Preaching ), an Armenian copy of which was discovered in 1904. This work seems to have been an instruction for recent Christian converts. Eusebius attests to other works by Irenaeus, today lost, including On the Ogdoad, an untitled letter to Blastus regarding schism, On the Subject of Knowledge , On the Monarchy or How God
4182-449: The Aramaic word would mean "precious stone" to designate a distinguishing person. This cannot be sufficiently proven from Aramaic, however, since the use of the Aramaic root kp as a personal name has not been proven and there are hardly any known examples of the word being used to mean "precious stone". The combined name Σίμων Πέτρος ( Símon Pétros , Simon Peter) appears 19 times in
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4284-567: The Bible from the original Greek , his name is maintained as Cephas in nine occurrences in the New Testament , whereas in the vast majority of mentions (156 occurrences in the New Testament) he is called Πέτρος , Petros , from the Greek and Latin word for a rock or stone ( petra ) to which the masculine ending was added, rendered into English as Peter . The precise meaning of the Aramaic word
4386-699: The Catholic mystics to build up the towers and bulwarks of the City of God." Irenaeus's works were first translated into English by John Keble and published in 1872 as part of the Library of the Fathers series. Irenaeus pointed to the public rule of faith , authoritatively articulated by the preaching of bishops and inculcated in Church practice, especially worship, as an authentic apostolic tradition by which to read Scripture truly against heresies. He classified as Scripture not only
4488-501: The Christian church. Peter was considered along with James the Just and John the Apostle as the three Pillars of the Church . Legitimised by Jesus' appearance, Peter assumed leadership of the group of early followers, forming the Jerusalem ekklēsia mentioned by Paul. He was soon eclipsed in this leadership by James the Just, "the Brother of the Lord." According to Lüdemann, this
4590-585: The Church on 21 January 2022. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Irenaeus, the feast being on 23 August. Lutheran Churches honor Irenaeus in their calendar of saints on 28 June. Irenaeus is honored in the Church of England and in the Episcopal Church on 28 June . Irenaeus wrote a number of books, but the most important that survives is the Against Heresies (or, in its Latin title, Adversus haereses ). In Book I, Irenaeus talks about
4692-586: The East . Irenaeus was a Greek from Polycarp 's hometown of Smyrna in Asia Minor , now İzmir , Turkey, born during the first half of the 2nd century. The exact date is thought to be between the years 120 and 140. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was brought up in a Christian family rather than converting as an adult. During the persecution of Christians by Marcus Aurelius , the Roman emperor from 161 to 180, Irenaeus
4794-514: The Easter event, Peter became an exemplar of the forgiven sinner. Outside the Catholic Church, opinions vary as to the interpretation of this passage with respect to what authority and responsibility, if any, Jesus was giving to Peter. In the Eastern Orthodox Church this passage is interpreted as not implying a special prominence to the person of Peter, but to Peter's position as representative of
4896-512: The Evangelist , and thus was the last-known living connection with the Apostles . Chosen as bishop of Lugdunum , now Lyon , his best-known work is Against Heresies , often cited as Adversus Haereses , a refutation of gnosticism , in particular that of Valentinus . To counter the doctrines of the gnostic sects claiming secret wisdom , he offered three pillars of orthodoxy : the scriptures ,
4998-437: The Gospel of John, Peter, in one of the resurrection appearances of Jesus, three times affirmed his love for Jesus , balancing his threefold denial, and Jesus reconfirmed Peter's position. The Church of the Primacy of St. Peter on the Sea of Galilee is seen as the traditional site where Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and, according to Catholic tradition, established Peter's supreme jurisdiction over
5100-447: The Gospel of John. The Gospel of Matthew was the most popular overall. Irenaeus asserted that all four of the Gospels, John , Luke , Matthew , and Mark (which is the order presented in his four pillar narrative in Adversus haereses ( Against Heresies ) III 11,8), were canonical scripture. Thus Irenaeus provides the earliest witness to the assertion of the four canonical Gospels, possibly in reaction to Marcion 's edited version of
5202-460: The Gospel of Luke, which Marcion asserted was the one and only true gospel. Based on the arguments Irenaeus made in support of only four authentic gospels, some interpreters deduce that the fourfold Gospel must have still been a novelty in Irenaeus's time. Against Heresies 3.11.7 acknowledges that many heterodox Christians use only one gospel while 3.11.9 acknowledges that some use more than four. The success of Tatian 's Diatessaron in about
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#17328525061965304-547: The Greek city before his journey to Rome. Claims of direct blood lineage from Simon Peter among the old population of Antioch existed in the 1st century and continue to exist today, notably by certain Semaan families of modern-day Syria and Lebanon. Historians have furnished other evidence of Peter's sojourn in Antioch. The Clementine literature , a group of related works written in the fourth century but believed to contain materials from earlier centuries, relates information about Peter that may come from earlier traditions. One
5406-408: The Just was bishop of Jerusalem whilst Peter was bishop of Rome and that this position at times gave James privilege in some (but not all) situations. In a dialogue between Jesus and his disciples ( Matthew 16:13–19 ), Jesus asks, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" The disciples give various answers. When he asks, "Who do you say that I am?", Simon Peter answers, "You are the Messiah,
5508-421: The Lord's disciple, to the effect that John had delivered these things unto them: for he abode with them until the times of Trajan. And some of them saw not only John, but others also of the Apostles, and had this same account from them, and witness to the aforesaid relation." In Demonstration (74) Irenaeus notes "For Pontius Pilate was governor of Judæa , and he had at that time resentful enmity against Herod
5610-410: The Messiah. Peter is often depicted in the gospels as spokesman of all the Apostles. John Vidmar , a Catholic scholar, writes: "Catholic scholars agree that Peter had an authority that superseded that of the other apostles. Peter is their spokesman at several events, he conducts the election of Matthias, his opinion in the debate over converting Gentiles was crucial, etc." The author of the Acts of
5712-728: The Nag Hammadi texts have raised no substantial challenges to the overall accuracy of Irenaeus's information. Religious historian Elaine Pagels criticizes Irenaeus for describing Gnostic groups as sexual libertines, for example, when some of their own writings advocated chastity more strongly than did orthodox texts. However, the Nag Hammadi texts do not present a single, coherent picture of any unified gnostic system of belief, but rather divergent beliefs of multiple Gnostic sects. Some of these sects were indeed libertine because they considered bodily existence meaningless; others praised chastity, and strongly prohibited any sexual activity, even within marriage. Irenaeus also wrote The Demonstration of
5814-408: The New Testament. In some Syriac documents he is called, in English translation, Simon Cephas. The sources used to reconstruct the life of Peter can be divided in three groups: In the New Testament, he is among the first of the disciples called during Jesus' ministry. Peter became the first listed apostle ordained by Jesus in the early Church. Peter was a Jewish fisherman in Bethsaida . He
5916-405: The Old Testament but most of the books now known as the New Testament, while excluding many works, a large number by Gnostics, that flourished in the 2nd century and claimed scriptural authority. Oftentimes, Irenaeus, as a student of Polycarp, who was a direct disciple of the Apostle John, believed that he was interpreting scriptures in the same hermeneutic as the Apostles. This connection to Jesus
6018-453: The Pauline corpus to have been written by Paul himself. In his writing against the Gnostics, who claimed to possess a secret oral tradition from Jesus himself, Irenaeus maintained that the bishops in different cities are known as far back as the Apostles and that the oral tradition he lists from the Apostles is a safe guide to the interpretation of Scripture. In a passage that became a locus classicus of Catholic-Protestant polemics, he cited
6120-467: The Roman authorities but he did not specify any date or location. Another opinion states that Peter's wife was no longer alive at the time he met Jesus, so he was a widower. The Gospels and Acts portray Peter as the most prominent apostle, though he denied Jesus three times during the events of the crucifixion. According to the Christian tradition, Peter was the first disciple to whom Jesus appeared, balancing Peter's denial and restoring his position. Peter
6222-401: The Roman church as an example of the unbroken chain of authority, which text Catholic polemics would use to assert the primacy of Rome over Eastern churches by virtue of its preeminent authority . The succession of bishops and presbyters was important to establish a chain of custody for orthodoxy. Irenaeus's point when refuting the Gnostics was that all of the Apostolic churches had preserved
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#17328525061966324-404: The Son as the "Logos." Irenaeus's emphasis on the unity of God is reflected in his corresponding emphasis on the unity of salvation history. Irenaeus repeatedly insists that God began the world and has been overseeing it ever since this creative act; everything that has happened is part of his plan for humanity. The essence of this plan is a process of maturation: Irenaeus believes that humanity
6426-504: The Son of the living God." Jesus then declares: Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Cephas (Peter) ( Petros ), and on this rock ( petra ) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. A common view of Peter
6528-411: The Valentinian Gnostics and their predecessors, who he says go as far back as the magician Simon Magus . In Book II he attempts to provide proof that Valentinianism contains no merit in terms of its doctrines. In Book III, Irenaeus attempts to show that these doctrines are false, by providing counter-evidence gleaned from the Gospels . Book IV consists of Jesus's sayings, and here Irenaeus also stresses
6630-446: The age of thirty, citing Luke 3:23, Gnostics then falsely assert that "He [Jesus] preached only one year reckoning from His baptism," and also, "On completing His thirtieth year He [Jesus] suffered, being in fact still a young man, and who had by no means attained to advanced age." Irenaeus argues against the Gnostics by using scripture to add several years after his baptism by referencing 3 distinctly separate visits to Jerusalem. The first
6732-438: The ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem. Dunn proposes that Peter was a "bridge-man" between the opposing views of Paul and James the Just [italics original]: For Peter was probably in fact and effect the bridge-man (pontifex maximus!) who did more than any other to hold together the diversity of first-century Christianity . James
6834-532: The big fish that swallowed Jonah : it was only in the depths of the whale's belly that Jonah could turn to God and act according to the divine will. Similarly, death and suffering appear as evils , but without them we could never come to know God. According to Irenaeus, the high point in salvation history is the advent of Jesus . For Irenaeus, the Incarnation of Christ was intended by God before he determined that humanity would be created. Irenaeus develops this idea based on Rom. 5:14 , saying "Forinasmuch as He had
6936-421: The bond linking the various strains of Gnosticism together, as seen in his statement that "according to the opinion of no one of the heretics was the Word of God made flesh." Irenaeus believes that unless the Word became flesh, humans were not fully redeemed. He explains that by becoming man, Christ restored humanity to being in the image and likeness of God, which they had lost in the Fall of man . Just as Adam
7038-473: The book, Irenaeus wrote that Peter and Paul founded and organised the Church in Rome. Sources suggest that at first, the terms episcopos and presbyteros were used interchangeably, with the consensus among scholars being that by the turn of the 1st and 2nd centuries, local congregations were led by bishops and presbyters, whose duties of office overlapped or were indistinguishable from one another. Protestant and secular historians generally agree that there
7140-407: The brother of Jesus and Paul, the two other most prominent leading figures in first-century Christianity, were too much identified with their respective "brands" of Christianity, at least in the eyes of Christians at the opposite ends of this particular spectrum. Paul affirms that Peter had the special charge of being apostle to the Jews, just as he, Paul, was apostle to the Gentiles. Some argue James
7242-474: The claim of Petrine authorship of these epistles . Based on contemporary historical data, Peter's papacy is estimated to have spanned from AD 30 to his death, which would make him the longest-reigning pope , at anywhere from 34 to 38 years; however, this has never been verified. Saint Irenaeus ( c. 130 – c. 202 AD ) explains the Apostle Peter, his See , and his successors in book III of Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies ). In
7344-537: The conservative line regarding the conversion of Gentiles, having meals separate from Gentiles. Subsequent tradition held that Peter had been the first Patriarch of Antioch . According to the writings of Origen and Eusebius in his Church History (III, 36) Peter had founded the church of Antioch. Later accounts expand on the brief biblical mention of his visit to Antioch . The Liber Pontificalis (9th century) mentions Peter as having served as bishop of Antioch for seven years, and having potentially left his family in
7446-415: The discovery of the Library of Nag Hammadi in 1945, Against Heresies was the best-surviving description of Gnosticism. Some religious scholars have argued the findings at Nag Hammadi have shown Irenaeus's description of Gnosticism to be inaccurate and polemic in nature. However, the general consensus among modern scholars is that Irenaeus was fairly accurate in his transmission of gnostic beliefs, and that
7548-481: The disobedience of the one man who was originally moulded from virgin soil, the many were made sinners, and forfeited life; so was it necessary that, by the obedience of one man, who was originally born from a virgin, many should be justified and receive salvation." The physical creation of Adam and Christ is emphasized by Irenaeus to demonstrate how the Incarnation saves humanity's physical nature. Irenaeus emphasizes
7650-517: The early Christian church had been established. The leadership of Peter forms the basis of the Apostolic succession and the institutional power of orthodoxy, as the heirs of Peter, and is described as "the rock" on which the church will be built. Catholics refer to him as chief of the Apostles, as do the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox . In Coptic Orthodox Church liturgy, he
7752-508: The king of the Jews . But then, when Christ was brought to him bound, Pilate sent Him to Herod, giving command to enquire of him, that he might know of a certainty what he should desire concerning Him; making Christ a convenient occasion of reconciliation with the king." Pilate was the prefect of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26–36. He served under Emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero . Herod Antipas
7854-454: The law was spiritual, it merely made sin to stand out in relief, but did not destroy it. For sin had no dominion over the spirit, but over man." Since humans have a physical nature, they cannot be saved by a spiritual law. Instead, they need a human Savior. This is why it was necessary for Christ to take human flesh. Irenaeus summarizes how Christ's taking human flesh saves humanity with a statement that closely resembles Romans 5:19 , "For as by
7956-594: The name Peter or Cephas, in Paul 's First Letter to the Corinthians and the Epistle to the Galatians . The New Testament also includes two general epistles , First Peter and Second Peter , that are traditionally attributed to him, but modern scholarship generally rejects the Petrine authorship of both . Nevertheless, Evangelicals and Catholics have always affirmed Peter's authorship, and recently, evangelical scholars have revived
8058-469: The permissible age for becoming a rabbi (30 years old and above), he recapitulated and sanctified the period between 30 and 50 years old, as per the Jewish custom of periodization on life, and so touches the beginning of old age when one becomes 50 years old. (see Adversus Haereses, book II, chapter 22 ). In the passage of Adversus Haereses under consideration, Irenaeus is clear that after receiving baptism at
8160-430: The planting of Peter and of Paul at Rome and Corinth. For both of them planted and likewise taught us in our Corinth. And they taught together in like manner in Italy, and suffered martyrdom at the same time. Irenaeus Irenaeus ( / ɪ r ɪ ˈ n eɪ ə s / or / ˌ aɪ r ɪ ˈ n iː ə s / ; Ancient Greek : Εἰρηναῖος , romanized : Eirēnaîos ; c. 130 – c. 202 AD )
8262-564: The practice of the Quartodeciman celebration of Easter . Nothing is known of the date of his death, which must have occurred at the end of the second or the beginning of the third century. He is regarded as a martyr by the Catholic Church and by some within the Orthodox Church. He was buried under the Church of Saint John in Lyon, which was later renamed St Irenaeus in his honour. The church
8364-455: The same time period is "... a powerful indication that the fourfold Gospel contemporaneously sponsored by Irenaeus was not broadly, let alone universally, recognized." (The apologist and ascetic Tatian had previously harmonized the four gospels into a single narrative, the Diatesseron c. 150 –160) Irenaeus is also the earliest attestation that the Gospel of John was written by John
8466-403: The same traditions and teachings in many independent streams. It was the unanimous agreement between these many independent streams of transmission that proved the orthodox faith, current in those churches, to be true. The central point of Irenaeus's theology is the unity and the goodness of God , in opposition to the Gnostics' theory of God; a number of divine emanations (Aeons) along with
8568-694: The second bishop of Lyon . During the religious peace which followed the persecution by Marcus Aurelius, the new bishop divided his activities between the duties of a pastor and of a missionary (as to which we have but brief data, late and not very certain). Almost all his writings were directed against Gnosticism. The most famous of these writings is Adversus haereses ( Against Heresies ). Irenaeus alludes to coming across Gnostic writings, and holding conversations with Gnostics, and this may have taken place in Asia Minor or in Rome. However, it also appears that Gnosticism
8670-472: The servant's ear is the last of the 37 miracles attributed to Jesus in the Bible. Simon Peter was twice arraigned , with John, before the Sanhedrin and directly defied them. Peter takes a missionary journey to Lydda , Joppa and Caesarea . At Joppa, Peter had a vision given him from God which allowed for the eating of previously unclean animals, leading the early believers to the decision to evangelise
8772-547: The sons of Zebedee , James and John . The Gospel of John also depicts Peter fishing, even after the resurrection of Jesus, in the story of the Catch of 153 fish . In Matthew and Mark, Jesus called Simon and his brother Andrew to be " fishers of men ". In the Confession of Peter he proclaims Jesus to be the Christ ( Jewish Messiah ), as described in the three synoptic gospels. It
8874-401: The teachings of various Gnostic groups; apparently, several Greek merchants had begun an oratorial campaign in Irenaeus's bishopric, teaching that the material world was the accidental creation of an evil god, from which we are to escape by the pursuit of gnosis . Irenaeus argued that the true gnosis is in fact knowledge of Christ, which redeems rather than escapes from bodily existence. Until
8976-536: The two World Wars and were replaced by windows by Michiel Martens. The church is 70 metres (230 ft) long and 30 metres (98 ft) wide. Its spires are 72 metres (236 ft) high. The church was built in the neo-Gothic style according to plans by the architect Louis Delacenserie , who based his design on the Gothic Cologne Cathedral and the neo-Gothic Votivkirche in Vienna . This article about
9078-505: The understanding found in Paul's letters. Irenaeus first brings up the theme of victory over sin and evil that is afforded by Jesus's death. God's intervention has saved humanity from the Fall of Adam and the wickedness of Satan. Human nature has become joined with God's in the person of Jesus, thus allowing human nature to have victory over sin. Paul writes on the same theme, that Christ has come so that
9180-461: The unity of the Old Testament and the Gospel. In the final volume, Book V, Irenaeus focuses on more sayings of Jesus plus the letters of Paul the Apostle . Irenaeus wrote: "One should not seek among others the truth that can be easily gotten from the Church. For in her, as in a rich treasury, the apostles have placed all that pertains to truth, so that everyone can drink this beverage of life. She
9282-427: Was a Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in the southern regions of present-day France and, more widely, for the development of Christian theology by combating heterodox or Gnostic interpretations of Scripture as heresy and defining proto-orthodoxy . Originating from Smyrna , he had seen and heard the preaching of Polycarp , who in turn was said to have heard John
9384-413: Was a priest of the Church of Lyon. The clergy of that city, many of whom were suffering imprisonment for the faith, sent him in 177 to Rome with a letter to Pope Eleutherius concerning the heresy of Montanism , and that occasion bore emphatic testimony to his merits. While Irenaeus was in Rome, a persecution took place in Lyon. Returning to Gaul, Irenaeus succeeded the martyr Saint Pothinus and became
9486-469: Was created immature, and God intended his creatures to take a long time to grow into or assume the divine likeness. Everything that has happened since has therefore been planned by God to help humanity overcome this initial mishap and achieve spiritual maturity. The world has been intentionally designed by God as a difficult place, where human beings are forced to make moral decisions, as only in this way can they mature as moral agents. Irenaeus likens death to
9588-575: Was devastated in 1562 by the Huguenots . Several relics supposedly of Irenaeus are held in various churches in Lyon. Two crania from different churches were dated by carbon-14 to the Middle Ages, but a piece of heelbone kept in the Lyon Cathedral is from the right time period. The Latin Catholic Church celebrates Irenaeus' memorial on 28 June. Pope Francis declared Irenaeus the 37th Doctor of
9690-559: Was disobedient concerning God's edict concerning the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil , Christ was obedient even to death on the wood of a tree. Irenaeus is the first to draw comparisons between Eve and Mary , contrasting the faithlessness of the former with the faithfulness of the latter. In addition to reversing the wrongs done by Adam, Irenaeus thinks of Christ as "recapitulating" or "summing up" human life. Irenaeus conceives of our salvation as essentially coming about through
9792-656: Was due to the discussions about the strictness of adherence to the Jewish Law, when the more conservative faction of James the Just took the overhand over the more liberal position of Peter, who soon lost influence. According to Methodist historian James D. G. Dunn , this was not a "usurpation of power", but a consequence of Peter's involvement in missionary activities. The early Church historian Eusebius (c. AD 325) records Clement of Alexandria (c. AD 190) as saying: For they say that Peter and James (the Greater) and John after
9894-572: Was important to Irenaeus because both he and the Gnostics based their arguments on Scripture. Irenaeus argued that since he could trace his authority to Jesus and the Gnostics could not, his interpretation of Scripture was correct. He also used "the Rule of Faith", a "proto-creed" with similarities to the Apostles' Creed , as a hermeneutical key to argue that his interpretation of Scripture was correct. Before Irenaeus, Christians differed as to which gospel they preferred. The Christians of Asia Minor preferred
9996-453: Was named Simon, the son of a man named Jonah or John. The three synoptic gospels recount how Peter's mother-in-law was healed by Jesus at their home in Capernaum ; these passages depict Peter as being married or widowed. 1 Corinthians 9:5 has also been taken to imply that he was married. In the synoptic gospels, Peter (then Simon) was a fisherman along with his brother, Andrew , and
10098-505: Was present near Lyon: he writes that there were followers of ' Marcus the Magician ' living and teaching in the Rhone valley . Little is known about the career of Irenaeus after he became bishop. The last action reported of him (by Eusebius, 150 years later) is that in 190 or 191, he exerted influence on Pope Victor I not to excommunicate the Christian communities of Asia Minor which persevered in
10200-603: Was probably "no single 'monarchical' bishop in Rome before the middle of the 2nd century...and likely later." Outside of the New Testament, several apocryphal books were later attributed to him, in particular the Acts of Peter , Gospel of Peter , Preaching of Peter , Apocalypse of Peter , and Judgment of Peter , although scholars believe these works to be pseudepigrapha . The New Testament presents Peter's original name as Simon ( / ˈ s aɪ m ə n / ; Σίμων , Simōn in Greek ). In only two passages, his name
10302-515: Was tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, a client state of the Roman Empire. He ruled from 4 BC to 39 AD. In refuting Gnostic claims that Jesus preached for only one year after his baptism, Irenaeus used the "recapitulation" approach to demonstrate that by living beyond the age of thirty Christ sanctified even old age. Many aspects of Irenaeus's presentation of salvation history depend on Paul's Epistles. Irenaeus's conception of salvation relies heavily on
10404-563: Was the original head of humanity through whom all sinned, Christ is the new head of humanity who fulfills Adam's role in the Economy of Salvation . Irenaeus calls this process of restoring humanity recapitulation. For Irenaeus, Paul's presentation of the Old Law (the Mosaic covenant ) in this passage indicates that the Old Law revealed humanity's sinfulness but could not save them. He explains that "For as
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