Church History - People

Question 1

Polycarp

Answer 1

• 2nd c.
• Disciple of John, became bishop of Smyrna

Question 2

Clement

Answer 2

• 1st Century
• Considered to be 4th pope by Rom Cath church
• Wrote Epistle to the Corinthians
• Martyred under Dominitian around 100 AD

Question 3

Ignatius

Answer 3

• Died 115
• Martyred in Rome, wrote 7 letters after being condemned
• Pastored in Antioch; defended the faith against Jewish legalism and Docetism
• Sought the unity of the church through the authority of the bishop – claimed to be the bishop over the city

Question 4

Marcion

Answer 4

• Taught OT god and NT god were different

Question 5

Justin Martyr

Answer 5

(100-165)
* Attempted to interact with the philosophies of his time
* Dialogued with Trypho (the Jewish philosopher)
* His Apologies are examples of the first Christian apologetics
* Platonic influence - The forms (perfect abstract concepts) and ideas (physical copies) can only be connected through the divine logos (Jesus); helpful but tended to subordinate Trinity

Question 6

Irenaeus of Lyons

Answer 6

(130-202)
* Taught Jesus as the Son of God who took on human flesh to save humans from Adam’s sin
* He grew up in Smyrna where Polycarp was bishop; then moved to Lyons and became bishop
* Wrote Against Heresies
* Salvation as recapitulation (Christ doing what Adam failed to do) – Christ’s obedience and death provide salvation

Question 7

Eusebius

Answer 7

265-339
* Bishop of Caesarea
* important 4th-century Eastern church bishop who was one of the key proponents of Arianism (the doctrine that Jesus Christ is not of the same substance as God) and who eventually became the leader of an Arian group called the Eusebians.

Question 8

Tertullian

Answer 8

170-215
* Bold defender of Christianity
* Famous quotes: “what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem” and “the blood of Christians is the seed”
* Don’t know much about his life – but he ministered/wrote in Carthage
* Tied entrance into the biblical canon to apostolicity; first to use “Trinity”

• Referred to 2nd person of Trinity as logos
• Saying that logos became a Son at the incarnation (lead to confusion later on)

Question 9

Athanasius of Alexandria

Answer 9

300-373
* From Alexandria
* Exiled many times – “Athanasius against the world”
* Defended against Arianism at Nicaea
- Origen left a confusing theo. legacy because he held to a subordinationist view of Trinity at times
- But also taught “eternal generation of the Son” where Father always has been begetting the Son (correcting Tertullian)
- Arius tried to build on Origen’s subordinationist tendencies to say that “there was a time when he [2nd person of the Trinity] was not”
* Places salvation within proper categories of incarnation and union with Christ (cf. On the Incarnation)

Question 10

Cappadocian Fathers

Answer 10

• Gregory Nazianzus
• Basil of Caesarea
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Rose around 360 AD
• Athanasius’ allies defending Nicaean Christology

Question 11

Constantine

Answer 11

sole ruler by 324, died 337
* Emperor who consolidated power after Diocletian
* Saw the sign from the heavens saying “conquer by this” – the cross of “Christ of God”
* Then supported Christianity in the empire leading to a new period of Christianity as the majority
* Influential in calling council of Nicaea

Question 12

Chrysostom

Answer 12

349-407
* Called “Golden Mouth”
* Had an ascetic streak that left him with health problems all his life
* Preached many sermons, verse by verse expositions
* Following Antiochene approach to hermeneutics
* Saw the historical features of the text to present a theoria or a theorizing of the events to show their proper theological meaning
* Idea of historical events “speaking somewhat further”

Question 13

Jerome

Answer 13

4th-5th century
* An ascetic and scholarly monk. Worked as the private secretary of the bishop of Rome.
* His greatest achievement was translating the Scriptures into Latin from the original languages (Vulgate)

Question 14

Pelagius

Answer 14

• British ascetic
• Taught that no one inherits sin from Adam; we come into the world neutral with freedom to act; salvation earned through good works
• Debated by Augustine – condemned at Ephesus in 431AD

Question 15

Augustine

Answer 15

354-430
* Wrote Confessions, City of God
* Protestants follow theology; Cath his polity (so ppl say anyways)
* Spent time as a Manichee; converted to Christianity under the influence of Ambrose
* Debated Pelagians and Donatists (those who separated from the church to be a “pure” church after the Great Persecution in 303)

Question 16

Bernard of Clairvaux

Answer 16

12th century
* belonged to Cisterian order of Benedictine monks. Preacher supporting and motivating the masses for the 2nd Crusade.
* Brought back lectio divina Scripture reading.
* Known for his love of Mary and is quoted by Calvin and Luther on sola fide.

Question 17

Gregory the Great

Answer 17

6th century
* Considered one of the ablest men to occupy the position of Pope - some call him the father of the Medieval papacy.
* He became pope in 590 after previously serving many other leadership roles in the church.
* A strong civic and spiritual leader, he brought order to Rome and helped establish the idea that the Pope was the supreme authority in the church.
* Wrote The Pastoral Rule.

Question 18

Francis of Assisi

Answer 18

12-13 century
* An innovator of the Roman system, he believed that the most serious problem in the church was worldliness and set to rebuild the church around the pattern of living like Jesus - an ascetic life of poverty.
* In 1215, his order of Lesser Brothers received Papal approval.

Question 19

Anselm

Answer 19

11 century
* Archbishop of Canterbury, known as the father of scholasticism.
* Anselm introduced a new theory of the atonement- the satisfaction theory- saying that man’s sin is a debt to God, not the devil. Christ’s death alone has satisfied God’s offended sense of honor. Christ is the God/man who alone can be one of us and yet pay the infinite price of sin.
* Anselm tried to make the content of Christian faith clear to reason, though insisted that faith must come first.
* Developed two proofs for the existence of God; the ontological and the cosmological.

Question 20

Aquinas

Answer 20

13 century
* Dominican monk-turned teacher, Aquinas was the author of the monumental Summa Theologica, the summary of the Roman Catholic Church.
* Scholasticism reached its pinnacle in Aquinas’ writings.
* Combining the greatest of the ancient Greek philosophers, particularly Aristotle, with Christian thought, Aquinas built a theological system which has been accepted as the basis for all Roman Catholic theological instruction today.

Question 21

Wycliff

Answer 21

14th century
* called Morning Star of the Reformation.
* Translated the Bible into middle English.
* Declared a heretic in 1382.
* Believed the Bible is the supreme authority, that the clergy shouldn’t have tons of power/riches, and that there was no basis for the doctrine of transubstantiation.

Question 22

Hus

Answer 22

14th-15th century
* Preached against the abuses of the Catholic Church, especially the immorality of the priests.
* Supported preaching of the Bible in the common language of the people (not Latin), opposed the sale of indulgences, and Papal infallibility.
* Excommunicated from the church and burned at the stake 1415.

Question 23

Tyndale

Answer 23

15-16th Century
* An English Bible translator.
* The 1611 King James Version is some 80% of his work.
* Was martyred for his opposition to the Pope in 1536.

Question 24

Luther

Answer 24

16th century
* German monk turned into Protestant Reformer.
* 1517 95 Thesis. 5 solas.
* Sought to reform the Rom Cath church (indulgences, purgatory, salvation by grace, transubstantiation etc).
* Ended up being excommunicated at Diet of Worms: “here I stand I can do no other”

Question 25

Melanchthon

Answer 25

16th century
* worked alongside Luther
* wrote Augsburg Confession. Used law/gospel as primary motif.
* Influential for reformation development.

Question 26

Zwingli

Answer 26

15-16th century
* Swiss Reformer.
* Perhaps the third best known Reformers behind Calvin and Luther.
* Disagreed with Luther over issue of whether we may do what the Bible does not forbid. Luther says we may, Zwingli says no.
* Fought the “Radical Reformation” over the pace (he wanted slower) of the Reformation.
* Believed that Christ’s presence in the Lord’s Supper was metaphorical i.e., memorial view

Question 27

Calvin

Answer 27

1509-1564
* Father of Presbyterianism (generally speaking)
* Institutes written over span of his career but 1st ed. in 1535
* Went to Geneva then Strasbourg (with Bucer) then back to Geneva to end his career
* Emphasized Trinity, multifaceted work of Spirit, union with Christ, church gov., sinfulness of man, sovereignty of God

Question 28

Knox (1513-1572)

Answer 28

(1513-1572)
* Came to Geneva because of Bloody Mary, inspired by Calvin to create a political-religious commonwealth in Scotland (“crown and covenant”)
* Wrote on church doctrine, discipline., and worship (cf. Scots Confession with its more BT feel than the more ST focused WCF)

Question 29

Covenanters

Answer 29

• After Knox dies, the church and crown were united by the King’s Confession of 1581, guaranteeing Presbyterianism throughout Scotland
• Later Kings (like James Stuart) affirmed this confession (1590, 1595) – but after the reunification of Scotland/England, Charles I tried to institute BCP and episcopacy in 1637
• Some Scots, affirmed the National Covenant (1638) which through off Charles I reforms and refused to acknowledge a crown that did not adhere to the previous Covenant
• These covenanters were extremely persecuted – eventually signed Solemn League and Covenant in 1643 where the two parties agreed on common doctrine, worship., and government

Question 30

Arminius

Answer 30

16th century
* A progressive Protestant Dutch theologian, Arminius was the author of a brand of theology known as Arminianism developed as a reaction against what he saw as the sternness of Calvinism.
* Arminius discarded the idea of unconditional predestination/election and taught that man had freedom to choose or reject salvation.
* He was the first to urge that the state tolerate all religions and emphasized the more practical aspects of faith instead of the creedal.

Question 31

Amyraut and the School of Saumur

Answer 31

17th century
* French theologian and preacher,
* developed the doctrine of “hypothetical universalism” known as Amyraldianism. It taught that God wills all men to be saved, so Christ’s death is applied universally. Because men reject the free offer, then God wills to save/elect by grace.

Question 32

Jonathan Edwards

Answer 32

18th century.
* Theologian and pastor.
* Perhaps America’s best theologian remembered for stressing the inseparability of an intellectual Reformed faith from “experimental” religion.
* Hugely influential in the First Great Awakening.
* His writings include: “The Freedom of the Will” and “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God,” Religious Affections.

Question 33

Richard Baxter

Answer 33

17th century
* English Puritan preacher.
* Somewhat controversial understanding of grace/salvation.
* But emphasized evangelism, spiritual counsel, church renewal and care.
* He wrote The Reformed Pastor, A Call to The Unconverted, and A Christian Directory

Question 34

Zinzendorf

Answer 34

18th century
* The founder of the Moravian Church.
* He was a German count whose importance lies in the creation of a missionary, service-oriented, ecumenical free church based upon a common experience of salvation and mutual love, and the emphasis upon deep, emotional religious expression which was intended to breathe new life into Protestantism.

Question 35

George Whitefield

Answer 35

18th century
* An English Calvinistic revivalist who was a major figure in the Great Awakening.
* Known for his eloquence and incredible speaking voice.
* He would preach to thousands gathered in the countryside.
* He was also influential in the founding of orphanages across the colonies.
* His eloquence and intelligence earned him the friendship of such notables as Benjamin Franklin.
* Some consider him to be the first national celebrity in America.

Question 36

John Wesley

Answer 36

18th century
* An English, Arminian revivalist who, with the help of his brother Charles, founded Methodism as a movement within the Anglican Church.
* Worked as itinerate preacher and was greatly influenced by the German Moravians.
* Wesley was one of the major forces behind the Evangelical revival in England.
* The Methodists stressed personal piety and devotion, as well as man’s free choice to receive God’s grace.
* Wesley emphasized the teaching of justification by faith alone and the pursuit of holiness to the point of “Christian perfection.”

Question 37

Marrow Controversy

Answer 37

18th century
* Controversy sparked in Scottish church when Thomas Boston found and read The Marrow of Modern Divinity written by Edward Fisher.
* The book explains the difference between antinomianism and legalism.
* This sparked debate within the church which was largely legalistic and “hyper-Calvinistic” at the time.
* The “Marrow men” (Thomas Boston, Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine etc.) followed the teaching of The Marrow by wanting to present the gospel to all.
* They were eventually forced out of the Scottish church/chose to leave to start the Associate Presbytery

Question 38

William Carey

Answer 38

18th-19th century
* Shoemaker turned missionary, Carey had a vision for the church to be involved in foreign missions.
* His was the first real attempt at foreign missions by the Protestant church.
* In 1793 the Baptist Missionary Society sent Carey to India.
* Stationed near Calcutta, he and his colleagues translated the Bible into many of the native languages, set up printing presses, and colleges.
* His life inspired other missionaries to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, adopting his motto: “Attempt great things for God; expect great things from God.”

Question 39

George Mueller

Answer 39

19th century
* Greatly influenced by Pietism and known mainly for his orphanage work in Bristol England.
* When his second orphanage was built, he and his wife began to travel around the world preaching the gospel.
* He was known for his “faith mission” principle in which he received miraculous answers to prayer.

Question 40

Charles Spurgeon

Answer 40

19th century
* Calvinistic Baptist preacher and avid reader of the Puritans, known fondly as “The Prince of Preachers.”
* In 1854 he became the pastor of a large congregation in London which built the Metropolitan Tabernacle to hold the crowds that came to hear him preach.
* He likely has more sermons published than any other preacher in history.

Question 41

Charles Hodge

Answer 41

19th century
* The best-known proponent of the Princeton theology (Westminster tradition from 1600s especially influenced by Turretin).
* A noted polemicist, Hodge is remembered for his rational defense of the Reformed tradition, and for his defense of creationism against naturalistic evolution.
* Defender of the Old School; debated with John Nevin (and Mercersburg theo.) over views of LS

Question 42

BB Warfield

Answer 42

19-20th century
* One of the last of the great Princeton theologians, respected for his scholarly defense of Augustinian Calvinism.
* He is remembered for his intellectual defense of Biblical inerrancy in the face of Schleiermacher’s influence and Ritschlian liberalism.

Question 43

Finney

Answer 43

19th century
* After training to be a lawyer, Finney became a Presbyterian revivalist and father of the New School movement.
* He employed “New Measures” of pragmatic techniques, such as the anxious seat, to win souls.
* He was a key force in the Northern section of the Second Great Awakening of the first half of the 19th century.

Question 44

Moody

Answer 44

19th century
* Dispensationalist revivalist who drew large crowds because of his preaching famous for his “sinking ship” theory: the world is lost, and Christians must endeavor only to save as many souls as they can before the end.
* Moody’s emphasis led to the rampant separationism of the fundamentalist movement (?).
* Cf. Moody Church and Moody Bible Institute in Chicago