Polycarp

Polycarp (Greek: Πολύκαρπος, Polýkarpos; Latin: Polycarpus; AD 69 – 155) was a 2nd-century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him. Polycarp is regarded as a saint and Church Father in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches.

It is recorded by Irenaeus, who heard him speak in his youth, and by Tertullian, that he had been a disciple of John the Apostle. Saint Jerome wrote that Polycarp was a disciple of John and that John had ordained him bishop of Smyrna.

The early tradition that expanded upon the Martyrdom to link Polycarp in competition and contrast with John the Apostle

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Total similar authors (21)

Cyprian

Cyprian (Latin: Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus) was bishop of Carthage and an important Early Christian writer, many of whose Latin works are extant. He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in North Africa, perhaps at Carthage, where he received a classical education. After converting to Christianity, he became a bishop in 249 and eventually died a martyr at Carthage.
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Clement of Rome

Pope Clement I is also known as Saint Clement of Rome, is listed as Bishop of Rome, holding office from 88 to his death in 99. He is considered to be the first Apostolic Father of the Church.
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Justin Martyr

Justin Martyr, also known as Saint Justin (c. 100–165 CE), was an early Christian apologist, and is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the theory of the Logos in the 2nd century. He was martyred, alongside some of his students, and is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the fledgling sect. Further, he also makes the theologically-innovative suggestion that the "seeds of C
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Athanasius of Alexandria

born perhaps 293

Greek patriarch Saint Athanasius, known as "the Great," of Alexandria led defenders of Christian orthodoxy against Arianism.

An Athanasian follows him, especially in opposition to Arianism.

Christians attributed Athanasian Creed, which dates probably from the fifth century, but people now consider its unknown origin.

People also refer to Athanasius (Arabic: البابا أثناسيوس الرسولي, as the Confessor and the Apostolic, primarily in the Coptic Church; he served as the twentieth bishop. From 8 June 328, his episcopate lasted, but four different Roman emperors ordered him to spend five exiles for 17 years. People consider this renowned theologian, a Father of the Church, the chief of Trinitarianism, and a noted Egyptian of the f
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Mathetes

The author known as "Mathetes" has had only one text ascribed to them, and is believed to have been writing around the Second Century.

"Mathetes" is not a proper name; it simply means "a disciple." The writer may be a Johannine Christian, although the name "Jesus" and the expression the "Christ" are not present in the text. The author prefers, rather, to refer to the "son" as "the Word."

The only known manuscript of the work ascribed to "Mathetes" was destroyed in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian war. It is probable that the author of the first ten chapters was not the same as that of the last two as it shows evidence of being around a century later in date (Third Century).
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Ignatius of Antioch

"Ignatius of Antioch (Ancient Greek: Ἰγνάτιος Ἀντιοχείας, Ignátios Antiokheías; ad c. 35 or 50 – 98 to 117), also known as Ignatius Theophorus (Ιγνάτιος ὁ Θεοφόρος, Ignátios ho Theophóros, lit. "the God-bearing"), was an Apostolic Father and the third bishop of Antioch. He was reputedly a student of John the Apostle. En route to Rome, where he met his martyrdom by being fed to wild beasts, he wrote a series of letters which have been preserved as an example of very early Christian theology. Important topics addressed in these letters include ecclesiology, the sacraments, and the role of bishops."

-- Wikipedia
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Papias of Hierapolis

Papias (Greek: Παπίας) was an Apostolic Father, Bishop of Hierapolis (modern Pamukkale, Turkey), and author who lived circa 70–163 AD. It was Papias who wrote the Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord (Greek: Λογίων Κυριακῶν Ἐξήγησις) in five books.

This work, which is lost apart from brief excerpts in later writings, is an important early source on Christian oral tradition and especially on the origins of the canonical Gospels.

Very little is known of Papias apart from what can be inferred from his own writings. He is described as "an ancient man who was a hearer of John and a companion of Polycarp" by Polycarp's disciple Irenaeus (c. 180). Eusebius adds that Papias was Bishop of Hierapolis around the time of Ignatius of Antioch. In this off
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Barnabas

Christian convert Saint Barnabas, originally Joses the Levite or Joseph, in floruit in first century AD went as missionary with Paul to Cyprus and Asia Minor.

Barnabas (Βαρναβᾶς) joined the earliest disciples in Jerusalem. Barnabas like almost all disciples at the time came of the specific children of Israel. Named an apostle in Acts 14:14, he undertook journeys together and defended Gentile against a faction, promoting circumcision. They gained many persons in Antioch circa 43-44, traveled together to make more circa 45 to 47, and participated in the council of Jerusalem circa 50. Barnabas successfully evangelized among the "God-fearing" Gentiles, who attended synagogues in various Hellenized cities of Anatolia.

Mention in some epistles cor
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Justin Martyr

Justin Martyr, also known as Saint Justin (c. 100–165 CE), was an early Christian apologist, and is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the theory of the Logos in the 2nd century. He was martyred, alongside some of his students, and is considered a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and a dialogue did survive. The First Apology, his most well known text, passionately defends the morality of the Christian life, and provides various ethical and philosophical arguments to convince the Roman emperor, Antoninus, to abandon the persecution of the fledgling sect. Further, he also makes the theologically-innovative suggestion that the "seeds of C
Buy books on Amazon
Ignatius of Antioch

"Ignatius of Antioch (Ancient Greek: Ἰγνάτιος Ἀντιοχείας, Ignátios Antiokheías; ad c. 35 or 50 – 98 to 117), also known as Ignatius Theophorus (Ιγνάτιος ὁ Θεοφόρος, Ignátios ho Theophóros, lit. "the God-bearing"), was an Apostolic Father and the third bishop of Antioch. He was reputedly a student of John the Apostle. En route to Rome, where he met his martyrdom by being fed to wild beasts, he wrote a series of letters which have been preserved as an example of very early Christian theology. Important topics addressed in these letters include ecclesiology, the sacraments, and the role of bishops."

-- Wikipedia
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Clement of Rome

Pope Clement I is also known as Saint Clement of Rome, is listed as Bishop of Rome, holding office from 88 to his death in 99. He is considered to be the first Apostolic Father of the Church.
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Papias of Hierapolis

Papias (Greek: Παπίας) was an Apostolic Father, Bishop of Hierapolis (modern Pamukkale, Turkey), and author who lived circa 70–163 AD. It was Papias who wrote the Exposition of the Sayings of the Lord (Greek: Λογίων Κυριακῶν Ἐξήγησις) in five books.

This work, which is lost apart from brief excerpts in later writings, is an important early source on Christian oral tradition and especially on the origins of the canonical Gospels.

Very little is known of Papias apart from what can be inferred from his own writings. He is described as "an ancient man who was a hearer of John and a companion of Polycarp" by Polycarp's disciple Irenaeus (c. 180). Eusebius adds that Papias was Bishop of Hierapolis around the time of Ignatius of Antioch. In this off
Buy books on Amazon
Barnabas

Christian convert Saint Barnabas, originally Joses the Levite or Joseph, in floruit in first century AD went as missionary with Paul to Cyprus and Asia Minor.

Barnabas (Βαρναβᾶς) joined the earliest disciples in Jerusalem. Barnabas like almost all disciples at the time came of the specific children of Israel. Named an apostle in Acts 14:14, he undertook journeys together and defended Gentile against a faction, promoting circumcision. They gained many persons in Antioch circa 43-44, traveled together to make more circa 45 to 47, and participated in the council of Jerusalem circa 50. Barnabas successfully evangelized among the "God-fearing" Gentiles, who attended synagogues in various Hellenized cities of Anatolia.

Mention in some epistles cor
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Mathetes

The author known as "Mathetes" has had only one text ascribed to them, and is believed to have been writing around the Second Century.

"Mathetes" is not a proper name; it simply means "a disciple." The writer may be a Johannine Christian, although the name "Jesus" and the expression the "Christ" are not present in the text. The author prefers, rather, to refer to the "son" as "the Word."

The only known manuscript of the work ascribed to "Mathetes" was destroyed in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian war. It is probable that the author of the first ten chapters was not the same as that of the last two as it shows evidence of being around a century later in date (Third Century).
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Tertullian

Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian (c. 160 – c. 220 AD), was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and a polemicist against heresy. Tertullian has been called "the father of Latin Christianity" and "the founder of Western theology." Though conservative, he did originate and advance new theology to the early Church. He is perhaps most famous for being the oldest extant Latin writer to use the term Trinity (Latin trinitas), and giving the oldest extant formal exposition of a Trinitarian theology. Other Latin formulations that firs
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Origen

Origen of Alexandria (c. 184 – c. 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and theologian who was born and spent the first half of his career in Alexandria. He was a prolific writer who wrote roughly 2,000 treatises in multiple branches of theology, including textual criticism, biblical exegesis and biblical hermeneutics, homiletics, and spirituality. He was one of the most influential figures in early Christian theology, apologetics, and asceticism. He has been described as "the greatest genius the early church ever produced".
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Hermas

Hermas is the author of the The Shepherd of Hermas, a Christian literary work of the late 1st or mid-2nd century. Considered a valuable book by many Christians, and considered canonical scripture by some of the early Church fathers such as Irenaeus, The Shepherd was very popular among Christians in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

Three ancient witnesses, one of whom claims to be contemporary, declare that Hermas was the brother of Pope Pius I, whose pontificate was not earlier than 140–155, which corresponds a the date range offered by J. B. Lightfoot. These authorities may be citing the same source, perhaps Hegesippus, whose lost history of the early Church provided material for Eusebius of Caesarea.
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Ambrose of Milan

born perhaps 340

Saint , bishop of Milan from 374, wrote, composed, and imposed orthodoxy on the early Christian Church.

This ecclesiastical figure of the 4th century most influenced. He served as consular prefect of Liguria and Emilia, headquartered, before popular acclamation. Ambrose staunchly opposed Arianism, and people accused him of fostering persecutions of Jews and pagans.

Tradition credits Ambrose with promoting "antiphonal chant", a style in which one side of the choir responds alternately, as well as Veni redemptor gentium, a hymn of Advent.

Ambrose ranks of the four original doctors of the Church, and the patron. He notably influenced Saint Augustine of Hippo.
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Theophilus of Antioch

Theophilus, Patriarch of Antioch, succeeded Eros c. 169, and was succeeded by Maximus I c. 183, according to Henry Fynes Clinton, but these dates are only approximations. His death probably occurred between 183 and 185.

We gather from his writings (the only remaining being his apology to Autolycus) that he was born a pagan, not far from the Tigris and Euphrates, and was led to embrace Christianity by studying the Holy Scriptures, especially the prophetical books. He makes no reference to his office in his existing writings, nor is any other fact in his life recorded. Eusebius, however, speaks of the zeal which he and the other chief shepherds displayed in driving away the heretics who were attacking Christ's flock, with special mention of hi
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Vincent of Lérins

St. Vincent was an ecclesiastical writer in Southern Gaul in the fifth century. Almost all biographical information comes from Gennadius' "De viris illustribus".

He entered the monastery of Lérins (today Isle St. Honorat), writing the "Commonitorium" under the pseudonym of Peregrinus, in 434.
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David Vincent Meconi

In 1992, David Meconi entered the Jesuit novitiate. He was sent to Xavier University to teach Classics and Philosophy, and then to the University of Innsbruck to obtain a pontifical license in Patrology. There he wrote a thesis on the apologetic nature of the Christian cento.

He was missioned to Oxford, studying Augustine under one of Henry Chadwick's last students. His dissertation was on Augustine’s use of deification and the Christian’s call to become Christ.
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