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Some Notes on Syncretism in the Christian Theology of the Second and Third Centuries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 September 2009

Hugh McDonald Scott
Affiliation:
Professor of Ecclesiastical History in Chicago Theological Seminary.

Extract

Every student of Church History is familiar with the great difficulty that attends the investigation of the progress of doctrine in the period between the Apostolic Age and the Nicene Controversy. Confused visions of Ebionites, Gnostics, Monarchians, Medalists, Montanists, etc., rise before the mind, and the bewildered student heaves many a sigh as he longs for some principle of faith or organization or theology which might serve as a guiding thread through this labyrinth.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © American Society for Church History 1889

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References

page 207 note 1 His teachings were a true development of those of Jesus. He claimed that his Gospel was that of Christ, and the twelve must have recognized it as such. Christ preached a universal Gospel in germ. Hermas, James, etc., built upon the words of Jesus. Jewish Apocalyptic thought looked in this same direction.

page 208 note 1 It ought to be noticed that the influx of Moralism had some connection with Paul himself, who in his later Epistles—the Pastoral Epistles—where he had to notice other errors, did not keep his theology of justification by faith so much in the foreground (Luthardt).

page 210 note 2 Weizsäcker, (Das apost. Zeitalter)Google Scholar points out that the Church in Rome taught Christian monotheism for all men, having received it from Jewish proselytes, etc. Barnabas and Apollos preached a Gospel for all men, and neither was a pupil of Paul.

page 212 note 1 Ztft. f. Kirchl. Wissen, u. k. Leiten. 1886. H. 6.Google Scholar

page 216 note 1 And, as Caspari thinks, also in Clement of Alexandria.

page 217 note 1 Even inspiration seems claimed. Cf. Barnabas, c. 10; so Ignatius, Phil., c. 7.

page 220 note 1 The Christian Platonists of Alexandria.

page 226 note 1 Justin follows Plato's idea, that faith is unintelligent belief in material objects, as the sailor in his ship.

page 228 note 1 A Platonic term.

page 228 note 2 A Stoic term, a somewhat late word. Origen uses it for person.

page 229 note 1 Cf. Bratke, , Studien u. Kritiken, 1887, H. IV.Google Scholar