History People Flashcards
(41 cards)
Polycarp
[2nd century] Disciple of the apostle John, later became bishop of Smyrna. He seems to have been the
leading Christian figure in Roman Asia in the middle of the 2nd century and his long life is thus an
important link between the apostolic age and the great Christian writers who flourished in the 2nd century
Clement
[1st century] Wrote the epistle to the Corinthians stressing the importance of Apostolic succession.
Considered to be the 4th pope by the Roman Catholic Church. Likely martyred under Dominitian in 100
AD .
Ignatius
[2nd century] Bishop of Antioch. Wrote seven letters giving insight into Christians’ attitudes toward
persecution. Opposed Gnosticism. First to distinguish between bishops and elders. Martyred under
Trajan
Marcion
[2nd century] Heretic. Beginning around 145, Marcion taught that Jehovah, the god of the Old Testament
was an arbitrary and vindictive god distinct from the God and Father of Jesus of the New Testament. He
believed that the Father’s purpose was to create only a spiritual world, but Jehovah, out of evil intent or
ignorance made the physical world and placed mankind in it. God of the New Testament sent Jesus
because he is a God of love, and in the end there will be no judgment because of his love. In order to
support these views Marcion produced his own canon, rejecting the Old Testament and accepting only the
book of Luke and certain edited versions of Paul’s letters.
Justin
[2nd century ] One of the great apologist of the 2nd century, he personally opposed Marcion. He also was
the first orthodox writer to evaluate the relationship between Christianity and Philosophy. He taught that
all truth belongs to Christians, and developed the doctrine of the logos. He was beheaded in Rome under
Marcus Aurelius.
Eusebius of Caesarea
[3rd-4th century] Father of church history, he wrote Ecclesiastical History. Bishop of Caesarea during the
Arian controversy and Council of Nicea. Eusebius dealt mainly with the succession of Christian bishops
and teachers from apostolic times, heresies, the suffering of the Jews, and the persecution and martyrdom
of Christians. He also recounted traditions about the New Testament writers and details about the canon
of Scripture. .
Tertullian
[2nd-3rd century] He was the first major Christian author to write in Latin. He was therefore the first to use
many of the technical words common in later Christian theological debates. Tertullian lived most, if not
all, his life in Carthage, capital of the Roman province of Africa. He vigorously opposed heresies in the
church such as Marcionism, and was an advocate for purity and holiness in the church.
Constantine
[3-4th century] He was an emperor of the Roman Empire who before a ‘particular battle received a vision
in which he was told to place the Christian symbol “Xp” on the shields of his men. He was victorious in
the battle and from that time was converted to the Christian faith. One of the most significant aspects of
Constantine’s rule is the Edict ofMilan (313) which made the persecution of Christians illegal
Chrysostom
[4th century] He was given this name (meaning “Golden mouth”) after his death since he was such a great
preacher. He was considered a great orator and exegete of Scripture and was made the Bishop of
Constantinople. During this time he preached the truth of Scripture including many messages calling for
repentance. He was banished from the city twice and eventually exiled to an obscure village near the
Black Sea where he died.
Jerome
[4-5 century] An ascetic and scholarly monk. While the private secretary of the bishop of Rome. His greatest
achievement was translating the Scriptures into Latin from the original languages (Vulgate)
Pelagius
[4-5 century] British monk who settled in Rome. An opponent of Augustine, he denied that human sin was inherited
from Adam. Man, he said, was free to act righteously or sinfully. Death is not a consequence of sin. Adam did not
introduce sin, but merely was a bad example. Thus, it is possible not to sin. Man is able to chose salvation, and is
able to live for God without the agency of the Holy Spirit.
Augustine
[4-5 century] One of the greatest and most influential leaders of the western church, Augustine lived during the disintegration of the Roman
empire. In 391 he was ordained a priest and four years later was elevated to Bishop of Hippo. He battled Donatism and Pelagianism. His
writings include The City of God and Confessions . He was a staunch advocate for the depravity of man and the primacy of grace in salvation.
His works on sin, grace, and predestination laid the groundwork of the Reformation.
Bernard of Clairvaux
[12 century] The last of the church fathers; mystic, monk and theologian. He was a strong spiritual reformer- the
leader of the Cistercian movement. He was the major preacher of the Second Crusade and held to a full Augustinian
view
Gregory the Great
[6 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
Francis of Assisi
[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 lifestyle, the life of
poverty. In 1215, his order of Lesser Brothers received Papal approval.
Anselm
[11 century] Archbishop of Canterbury, and 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 and that Christ’s death alone has satisfied God’s offended sense of honor.
He 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.
Aquinas
[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
Wycliffe
[14th century] 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 should hold no propriety, that there was no
basis for the doctrine of transubstantiation.
I .He was a fore-runner to the Reformation.
Hus
[14th century]Preached against the abuses of the Catholic Church, especially the morality of the priests, preaching of the
Bible in the common language of the people (not Latin), opposed the sale of indulgences, and Papal
infallibility. He wanted the church to practice Communion “in both kinds”.
Excommunicated from the church and burned at the stake 1415
Was a Bohemian priest who discovered Wycliffe’s religious writings. He compared the character of the
Pope to that of Christ, discovering that the Pope fell quite short of the mark. Thus he was
excommunicated, and burned at the stake.
Tyndal
[ 1 5- 1 6th Century ]
An English Bible translator.
The 1611 King James Version is 90% the work of Tyndal .Was martyred for his opposition to the Pope
in 1536.
Luther
[ 15-16th century] ~
Credited with being the father of the Reformation for his posting of the 95 thesis on the
church door in Wittenburg, Germany 1517.
Excommunicated from the Catholic church when he refused to recant his positions after the Diet of
Worms.
An accomplished preacher, author, and hymn writer . .Father of the Lutheran church
Disagreed with Calvin on the issue of communion as he believed “consubstantiation.”
Melanchthon
[ 15-16th century ]
An associate of Luther who brought a soft gentle nature to Luther’s very course mannerisms.
Wrote Loci Communes and “Augsburg Confession.”
Shifted toward Erasmus; theology of salvation and towards Calvin’s view of the Lord’s ,”’
Supper (Christ not present for the sake of the bread, but for the sake of man).
Zwingli
[ 1 5-16th century]
Swiss Reformer. Perhaps the third best known Reformers behind Calvin and Luther .Disagreed with
Luther over issue of whether or not 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 spiritual not physical.
Calvin
[ 16th century ]
Born French, he was “suddenly” converted sometime between 1532-34. .First published his Institutes in
1536.
Served as pastor in Geneva, expelled, and returned three years later . Some think he set up a theocratic dictatorship there, but that is untrueHad a major effect on the organization and expression ofwhat we call Refonned Theology .
Final edition of the Institutes published in 1559. Died in 1564.
