Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Vol 6) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude the writings of Anatolius and minor writers.
My summary
Today we finish working through fragments from the Fathers.
Firstly, Theonas of Alexandria writes to the chief chamberlain of the emperor and encourages him to discharge his official duties with the utmost fear of God.
Secondly, Phileas speaks about the persecution of the church and the ordination of clergy.
Thirdly, Pamphilus gives a summary of Acts.
Fourthly, Malchion warns the church against Paul of Samosata, particularly his teachings on the trinity.
What grabbed me
I liked this point about the effect of persecution on the church: 'I give thanks to Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who has not given over the manifesting of His faith throughout the whole world, as the sole specific for our salvation,and the extending of it even in the course of the persecutions of despots. Yea, like gold reduced in the furnace, it has only been made to shine the more under the storms of persecution, and its truth and grandeur have only become always the more and more illustrious, so that now, peace being granted to the churches by our gracious prince, the works of Christians are shining even in sight of the unbelieving, and God your Father, who is in heaven, is glorified thereby; a thing which, if we desire to be Christians in deed rather than in word, we ought to seek and aspire after as our first object on account of our salvation. For if we seek our own glory, we set our desire upon a vain and perishing object, and one which leads ourselves on to death.'
Persecution makes the church shine!
Next week's reading
Commence the work of Archelaus by reading up to the paragraph beginning '23. The judges said: If we consider that the light existed before the estate of the creatures was introduced...'
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment