Grace Thoughts
GraceLife Thoughts – Questions about the Canon (Part 3)
The methodology for studying the writings of early Christians leaders is often based on the Council of Nicaea (325 AD). The Roman Emperor Constantine 1 convened the council of Christian bishops in Nicaea in Bithynia. Constatine was hoping to find consensus among the Church leaders on important aspects of belief and practice.
Christian leaders are often known as Ante-Nicene (before Nicaea), Nicene (contemporary with Nicaea), and Post-Nicene (after Nicaea).
Those leaders who followed closely behind the Apostles (Ante-Nicene) included Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Papias, and Clement of Rome.
Church leaders of the 2nd century AD included Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Theophilus of Antioch, Tatian, Hermas, and Athenagoras of Athens.
Church leaders of the 3rd century AD included Origen, Cyprian of Carthage, Hippolytus of Rome, Sextus Julius Africanus, Caius, Commodian, Gregory Thaumaturgus, Novatian, Dionysius, Lactantius.
Church leaders contemporary with the Nicene Council included Eusebius of Caesarea, Athanasius of Alexandria, Alexander of Alexandria, Eustathius of Antioch, Macarius of Jerusalem, Paul of Neocaesarea, Hilary of Poitiers, Aphrahat, Eusebius of Nicomedia, Nicholas of Myra, Jacob of Nisibis, Achilleius of Larissa, and Leontius of Caesarea.
Church leaders after the Nicene Council (Post-Nicene) included Augustine of Hippo, Jerome, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory of Nazianzus, Basil of Caesarea, Aurelius Ambrosius, Sulpicius Severus, John Chrysostom, Vincent of Lérins, and John Cassian.
In the next part of our study, we will look at how the apocryphal books were considered before, during, and after the Council of Nicaea.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
