Patriarchs, Fathers, Reformers, and Theologians

Standing on the shoulders of giants...

• Old Testament Fathers and Patriarchs
• Adam and Eve (Dec 19)
• Noah (Nov 29)
• Abraham (Oct 9) and Sarah (Jan 20)
• Isaac (Aug 16)
• Jacob a.k.a. Israel (Feb 5)
• Apostolic Fathers
• Clement of Rome [?-99] (Nov 23)
• Might be who Paul mentioned in Philippians 4:3, successor to Peter
• Ignatius of Antioch [c.35-110] (Oct 17)
• Talks, emphasizes like John, walks in steps of Paul, quotes Matthew
• Polycarp of Smyrna [c.69–c.155] (Feb 23)
• Student of John, friend of Ignatius
• Author of the “Didache” - The Teaching of the Apostles [c.1^st or 2^nd Cent.]
• Author of the “Shepherd of Hermas” [c.1^st or 2^nd Cent.]
• Considered canonical by some early on
• Eight Doctors of the Church
• Four Great Eastern (Greek) Fathers
• Athanasius of Alexandria [c.293–2 May 373] (May 2)
• Very Trinitarian
• Basil of Caesarea (the Great) [c.329-379] (Jan 10)
• Gregory of Nazianzus [329-c.389] (Jan 10)
• Classically trained orator and philosopher, very Trinitarian
• John Chrysostom [347-407] (Jan 27)
• “Golden Mouth” for giving the best sermons.  Easter one still used
• Four Great Western (Latin) Fathers
• Ambrose of Milan [c. 340 – 4 Apr 397] (Dec 7)
• Coined, “When in Rome”
• Jerome of Stridonium [c.347–Sep 30, 420] (Sep 30)
• Translated the Vulgate
• Augustine of Hippo [13 Nov 354–28 Aug 430] (Aug 28)
• Influenced by Ambrose, mother Monica (Aug 27)
• Gregory (the Great) [540-604, last of the doctors] (Sep 3)
• Liturgy, Gregorian chants, commentaries, sermons, start of medieval church
• Other Greek Fathers
• Irenaeus of Lyons [?-c.202] (Jun 28)
• Disciple of Polycarp
• Clement of Alexandria [c. 150 – c. 215]
• Greek philosopher convert
• Origen of Alexandria  [c.185–c.254]
• Student of Clement of Alexandria, became heretic
• Gregory of Nyssa [c.335 – after 394] (Jan 10)
• Cappadocian Father (along with Gregory Nazianzus and Basil of Caesarea)
• Cyril of Alexandria [c.378–444] (Jun 27)
• Central figure in the First Council of Ephesus in 431
• Maximus the Confessor [c.580–Aug 13, 662]
• John of Damascus [c.676–Dec 4, 749] (Dec 4)
• Last of the Church Fathers
• Other Latin Fathers
• Tertullian (Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus) [c.160–c.225]
• Coined terms trinity, 3 persons 1 substance, old and new testaments, became heretic
• Cyprian of Carthage (Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus) [?-Sep 14, 258] (Sep 16)
• No salvation outside of the Church, wrong on being rebaptized
• Hilary of Poitiers [c.300 – c.368]
• Isadore of Seville [c.560–4 Apr 636]
• Reformers and Modern Theologians
• Early/Original Reformers
• Martin Luther [Nov 10, 1483 – Feb 18, 1546] (Feb 18)
• Johannes Bugenhagen, reformer [Jun 24, 1485 – Apr 20, 1558] (Apr 20)
• Robert Barnes, English reformer, martyr [c. 1495 – Jul 30, 1540] (Jul 30)
• Philipp Melanchthon [ Feb 16, 1497 – Apr 19, 1560] (Feb 16)
• Gnesio-Lutherans [means genuine] (1546-1580)
• Martin Chemnitz [Nov 9, 1522 – Apr 8, 1586] (Nov 9)
• Compiled the Book of Concord, the Last Reformer
• Orthodox Lutherans (1580-1600)
• Johann Gerhard (Oct 17, 1582 – Aug 17, 1637) (Aug 17)
• Greatest Theologian in Germany during his time
• Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (Sep 6, 1711 – Oct 7, 1787) (Oct 7)
• First Lutheran pastor in America
• Old Lutherans/Neo Lutherans (1830+)
• Charles Porterfield Krauth [Mar 17, 1823 – Jan 2, 1883]
• Carl F.W. Walther [Oct 25, 1811 – May 7, 1887] (May 7)
• Friedrich Wyneken [May 13, 1810 – May 4, 1876] (May 4)
• The Thunder after the lightning, missionary 2^nd LCMS president
• Hermann Sasse [17 Jul 1895 – 9 Aug 1976]