1. Introduction
2. Eastern Post-Nicene fathers:
1. Chrysostom:
3. Eusebius(260CE-340CE):
3. Western post- Nicene fathers:
1. Jerome (331-420 c.a)
2.
Ambrose
(339-397):
3. Augustine(354-430)
I.
Introduction:
In
this report we are going to see the some of the Church fathers and their
contribution to the churches as well as Christian society. They endeavored to
study the scriptures along more scientific lines in order to develop their
theological meanings. Augustine was the greatest of these fathers.
II.
Eastern
Post-Nicene fathers:
The fathers of eastern
wing of the church belonged to what have been called the Alexandrian and
Antiochene schools of interpretation. They avoided the allegorizing tendency practiced
by the men of the Alexandrian school who followed the example of origin. We
will see some of the church fathers now.
A.
Chrysostom:
John, who was called Chrysostom shortly after his death because his eloquence
was literally that of one who deserved the name ’’golden-Mouth’’, was born
about 347 CA into a wealthy aristocratic family of Antioch. His mother was widow at the age of twenty,
she refused to remarry in order that she might devote all her time her son’s
education. He was learned Greek classic and excellent speaking ability from
‘’Sophist Libanius’’. After his baptism in 368CA he becomes Monk. After his
mother death in 374, he practiced severely ascetic life until 380. In the year
of 398 he made patriarch of Constantinople. He held this position until Empress
Eudoxa finally banished him in 404 because he had denounced her for her
extravagant dress and for placing a silver statue of herself near Saint Sophia,
where he preached. He died in exile in 407. He lived a pure, simple life that
was a rebuke to his highly placed wealthy parishioners in Constantinople.
B.
Theodore
(350 CA-428CA): Another noted church father is Theodore of
Mopsuestia. He too studied the scripture ten years under Diodorus of Tarsus.
This good education was made possible by his birth into a wealthy family. He
was ordained a presbyter in Antioch in 383 and become the bishop of Mopsuestia
in Cilicia about 392 CE. He was also called ‘’the prince of ancient exegetes’’.
He opposed the allegorical system of interpretation and insisted on a thorough
understanding of the grammar of the text and the historical background of the
text in order to discover the meaning of text. He wrote commentaries, on such
books of the Bible as Colossians and the letter to the Thessalonians.
C.
Eusebius(260CE-340CE): one of
the most widely studied of the church fathers is Eusebius Caesarea, who has as
much right to the title of Father of church history as Herodotus as to the
title Father of history. He was given a place of honour at the right hand of
Constantine at the council of Nicaea, and like him prepared a compromise
between the parties of Athanasius and Arius. His great work is ‘Ecclesiastical
History’, a survey of the history of the church from apostolic times until 324.
His purpose was to make record of past trials of church at the end of its long
period of struggle and the beginning of its era of prosperity. He also wrote
‘chronicle’ a universal history from the time of Abraham until 323, and also he
wrote ‘Life of Constantine’ to show his excellence in history. The historical
work of Eusebius was continued by two successors who did not always measure up
to the high standard of reliability set by him. The two are ‘Socrates’ and
‘Sozomen’
III. Western post- Nicene fathers:
A. Jerome (331-420 c.a)
He was a commentator and
translator. After he was baptized in 360, he spent several years in Rome as a
student. During the next decade he visited Antioch and followed the monastic
life, where he learned Hebrew. In 382 he became the bishop of Rome. He lived
his monastic life nearly for 35 years. His greatest work was a Latin
translation of bible knows as Vulgate. In 391 he had completed the revision of
the Latin New Testament. In 405 he completed the Septuagint version of the
Latin translation from Hebrew. Jerome also wrote many commentaries that are
still helpful today in the interpretation of the Scriptures.
B.
Ambrose
(339-397): He demonstrated his ability in the areas of church
administration, preaching, theology. His family, who were among the high
imperial circles in Rome, educated him in a law of political career. He soon
rose of position of imperial governor of the area around the city of Milan.
After the death of the bishop of Milan in 374, the people wanted him to take
the position, so he gave up his high position, distributed his money to the
poor and became a bishop and began an intensive study of the scriptures and
theology. He spoke against the powerful groups and he even did not hesitate to
oppose emperor Theodosius, who was responsible for the massacre of 7000 people.
When he came to church to take part in the communion, Ambrose refused him
admission to the Lord’s Supper, until he humbly and publicly repented for his
deed. Ambrose wanted to make the state and its rulers, to respect the church so
that they would not transgress on the rightful claims of the church in the
spiritual realm.
C. Augustine(354-430)
Augustine contributed to
both Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. He was an able polemicist, a good
preacher, a fine episcopal administrator and supreme theologian. He is also the
creator of Christian philosophy of history that is still valid in its
essentials. Augustine stood between two worlds, the classical and the new
medieval. Augustine was born in 354 in Rome. He received his early education in
his local school where he learned Latin and he hated Greek. He spent his youth
in illegitimate manners, which lead to a moral failure of his life, so he
turned to philosophy after reading neoplatonic teachings. After he reached
Milan in 386, he got a vision of God and he took baptism. Soon after his
baptism his mother died. He was ordained as a priest in 391. In 396 he was
consecrated as bishop of hippo, from that time on till his death, he gave his
life to episcopal administration, studying and writing. He wrote over 100
books, 500 sermon and 200 letters.
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