The First Theologians: Who Were the Church Fathers and Why Do They Matter? | Fr. Gregory Pine, OP
Jan 24, 2019
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Fr. Gregory Pine, OP discusses the criteria for being considered a church father and their role in preserving collective memory. He delves into the Church Fathers' impact on theology, the development of the Canon, and the significance of tradition. The episode explores the various senses of scripture, influence of key figures on source texts, and complexities in categorizing individuals like Novation and Nestorius.
The classification of Fathers of the Church upholds consistent thought and culture within the Christian tradition.
Criteria like Orthodoxy of Doctrine, Holiness of Life, and Antiquity help recognize the Fathers' authority in matters of faith.
Deep dives
Understanding the Fathers of the Church
The concept of the Fathers of the Church is discussed in this podcast, exploring who qualifies as a father of the church and their significance. The classification of Fathers serves to uphold consistent thought, practice, and culture within the Christian tradition, similar to how other religions respect early leaders for their authority. The significance of the Fathers extends to preserving collective memory within the community, as seen in both the Christian and Jewish traditions.
Criteria for Identifying Church Fathers
The podcast delves into the criteria used to identify the Fathers of the Church, including Orthodoxy of Doctrine, Holiness of Life, Ecclesiastical Approval, and Antiquity. These criteria help in recognizing the era's proximity to the Apostles and its witnesses to the Christian tradition, the authenticity of a person's Christian life, the faithfulness in their writings, and the subsequent reception of that person's authority in matters of faith, respectively.
Canonical Approval and the Church's Authority
The episode explores how the church determines the canonical approval of texts and the reason behind including or excluding certain works. While texts like the Protoevangelium of James may be considered beneficial and significant as part of tradition, they do not receive the same veneration as the canonical scriptures. The church relies on tradition, scriptures, and magisterium as authoritative sources, emphasizing the infallibility of the canon as declared by the church.
Tradition, Revelation, and Authority
The discussion in the podcast highlights the interplay between tradition, revelation, and authority within the Christian faith. Tradition, as the handing down of faith and practices, serves as a key component of understanding the scriptures, where the church's belief in an infallible canon stems from the authoritative declaration under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The church's receptivity to divine revelation through tradition and scriptures underscores the reverence and worship accorded to the Word of God as an object of worship.
This lecture was written and prepared by Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., and delivered by Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. to our chapter at George Mason on November27th, 2018.
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