Post by Josh on Mar 11, 2008 20:47:14 GMT -8
Chris,
Some thoughts on Ignatius (I can't remember where your previous thoughts on him are located)
I really think that some of the statements made by Ignatius (especially regarding his views on bishops and his attitude toward martyrdom) need to be understood in the context of his life.
I'd highly recommend a chapter on Ignatius from the book Getting to Know the Church Fathers, in the ACF library.
Here's a quote to set the stage:
“Therefore, when we meet Ignatius on the road to martyrdom, we should understand him as an embattled bishop whose home congregation was being pulled and enticed by a dual threat. On the one hand, libertine Gnostics denied the reality of the incarnation and advocated a Christianity that meshed all too well with the cultural assumptions of the day. On the other hand, overly zealous Jewish Christians were calling for adherence to the law of Moses for salvation. And in between was Ignatius: snatched from his congregation by the pagan authorities and headed for an ignominious defeat through public execution—unless, perhaps, there might be a hidden opportunity here? Ignatius apparently thought so. He had resolved to make his death count for eternity.”
Bryan M. Litfin, Getting to Know the Church Fathers
Gnosticism and the influence of the Judaizers had not only remained in Antioch, where Paul had zealously contended with them (or their earlier manifestations) more than 60 years earlier, but, in fact, their influence had spread to the point of a very real risk that the orthodox view of Christ's incarnation would cease to be maintained at all in Antioch.
Ignatius saw a very real need at that time and in that place for a bishop who would hold fast to the key doctrines of the faith despite the opinions of the masses.
And his willful death shouldn't be seen so much as some twisted works-oriented death-wish, as some claim, but as a profound attempt to show the heretics the true importance of Christ's literal suffering on our behalf- suffering that alone could make us holy.
Ignatius can be celebrated for several things: his consistant upholding of Paul's grace-oriented gospel against legalism, his desire for unity in a fracturous time period in the Church, and his passion to be used well by Christ.
Ignatius didn't deny shared leadership in the local church- he was more concerned about a monoarchial bishop in each region who held fast to basic Christological doctrines such as the incarnation and salvation by grace.
We can debate about which organizational structures serve the Church best, but I'm certain we cannot imagine the kind of stress and uncertainty and need for faith that folks like Ignatius were undergoing at that time due to bona fide heresies.
Statements by Ignatius and other EC fathers, which might have been either a) conjectural or b) situational, of course were developed step by step into some questionable doctrines later on, but I can't say that I find too much fault with Ignatius' handling of the situations he found himself in.
Thoughts?
Some thoughts on Ignatius (I can't remember where your previous thoughts on him are located)
I really think that some of the statements made by Ignatius (especially regarding his views on bishops and his attitude toward martyrdom) need to be understood in the context of his life.
I'd highly recommend a chapter on Ignatius from the book Getting to Know the Church Fathers, in the ACF library.
Here's a quote to set the stage:
“Therefore, when we meet Ignatius on the road to martyrdom, we should understand him as an embattled bishop whose home congregation was being pulled and enticed by a dual threat. On the one hand, libertine Gnostics denied the reality of the incarnation and advocated a Christianity that meshed all too well with the cultural assumptions of the day. On the other hand, overly zealous Jewish Christians were calling for adherence to the law of Moses for salvation. And in between was Ignatius: snatched from his congregation by the pagan authorities and headed for an ignominious defeat through public execution—unless, perhaps, there might be a hidden opportunity here? Ignatius apparently thought so. He had resolved to make his death count for eternity.”
Bryan M. Litfin, Getting to Know the Church Fathers
Gnosticism and the influence of the Judaizers had not only remained in Antioch, where Paul had zealously contended with them (or their earlier manifestations) more than 60 years earlier, but, in fact, their influence had spread to the point of a very real risk that the orthodox view of Christ's incarnation would cease to be maintained at all in Antioch.
Ignatius saw a very real need at that time and in that place for a bishop who would hold fast to the key doctrines of the faith despite the opinions of the masses.
And his willful death shouldn't be seen so much as some twisted works-oriented death-wish, as some claim, but as a profound attempt to show the heretics the true importance of Christ's literal suffering on our behalf- suffering that alone could make us holy.
Ignatius can be celebrated for several things: his consistant upholding of Paul's grace-oriented gospel against legalism, his desire for unity in a fracturous time period in the Church, and his passion to be used well by Christ.
Ignatius didn't deny shared leadership in the local church- he was more concerned about a monoarchial bishop in each region who held fast to basic Christological doctrines such as the incarnation and salvation by grace.
We can debate about which organizational structures serve the Church best, but I'm certain we cannot imagine the kind of stress and uncertainty and need for faith that folks like Ignatius were undergoing at that time due to bona fide heresies.
Statements by Ignatius and other EC fathers, which might have been either a) conjectural or b) situational, of course were developed step by step into some questionable doctrines later on, but I can't say that I find too much fault with Ignatius' handling of the situations he found himself in.
Thoughts?
