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Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging With Early And Medieval Theologians
IrenaeusTertullianOrigenAthanasiusThe CappadociansAugustineAnselmAquinasThe best of evangelical theology has always paid attention to the key thinkers, issues and doctrinal developments in the history of the church. What God has done in the past is key to understanding who we are and how we are to live.The purpose of this volume is threefold: to introduce a selection of key early and medieval theologians, to strengthen the faith of evangelical Christians by helping them to understand the riches of the church's theological reflection, and to help them learn how to think theologically.These essays offer insightful analysis of and commentary on eight key theologians, from Irenaeus to Aquinas, along with critical assessment of how evangelicals should view and appropriate the insights of these thinkers. The intention of the contributors is to, as Augustine says, cultivate minds "fired by the grace of our creator and savior" so that we might think well and rightly about our good and great God and live in his light.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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About the author
Bradley G. Green
11 books3 followersDr. Green (PhD, Baylor University) is Professor of Theological Studies at Union University. He has contributed essays and reviews to International Journal of Systematic Theology, Chronicles, First Things, Touchstone, and The Churchman.
Dr. Green serves on the Board of Directors at Augustine School, and serves on the Board of Directors of American Friends of Tyndale House Cambridge. He is also Senior Contributor for The Imaginative Conservative, and has served as Writer-In-Residence at Tyndale House Cambridge.
Dr. Green serves on the Board of Directors at Augustine School, and serves on the Board of Directors of American Friends of Tyndale House Cambridge. He is also Senior Contributor for The Imaginative Conservative, and has served as Writer-In-Residence at Tyndale House Cambridge.
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July 10, 2012
Bradley Green is a theology professor at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He is one of the founders of Augustine School, which is a classical Christian school in Jackson. He has written several academic books including one on Augustine: Colin Gunton and the Failure of Augustine: Theology of Colin Gunton in light of Augustine (Wipf & Stock 2010).
In the introduction to Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy, Green defends his reason for the study of early Christian theologians by stating two propositions: first, readers are able to understand the central truths of the Bible by studying the theology and theologians of times past. Second, readers learn how to do theology themselves through the influence of these great minds. He continues to defend this project by providing examples of his own study of Augustine, saying that the influence of such primary texts was “life-giving,” especially when compared to studying the latest theological tome hot off the press (12). Additionally, Green remarks that Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy intends to introduce students to the key theologians of the Christian church as opposed to simply cataloging names, dates and events in church history.
The eight chapters in the book cover the life and work of ten theologians: Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Three Cappadocians (Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzen), Augustine, Anselm and Thomas Aquinas. Though Green provides little reason for his inclusion of these ten theologians over against others such as Ignatius, Benedict, Cyprian or Ambrose, it is hard to argue against the treatment of any of the ten landmark theologians included. The content of each chapter seeks to provide a short biography, historical context, theological overview of the work of the theologian, and appropriation of the theologian’s work. At the end of each chapter a detailed bibliography is also included for further study.
As with any edited work, it is difficult to trace continuity from chapter to chapter. Therefore, the next section in this book review will briefly interact with the author of each chapter and provide a synopsis of his treatment of the specific theologian. Many of the chapters have the same admirable strengths. As a result, the comments on the earlier chapters will be slightly longer than the comments on the later chapters to avoid repetition in comment. The book review will conclude with a statement concerning the pastoral relevance of the chapters and of the book as a whole.
Irenaeus
W. Brian Shelton’s chapter on Irenaeus achieves the goal established by Green. He effectively catalogs both the historical context and Irenaeus’ works and thereby introduces the reader to the heart and soul of Irenaeus. One of the most helpful aspects of Shelton’s chapter is that he takes a well-known theological topic such as the doctrine of Scripture and shows how Irenaeus contributes specifically to that doctrine. Shelton recognizes that, “in the end, Irenaeus does not necessarily provide the exact parameters of canon” (52) yet he does display “a doctrinal solidity and accuracy that does not seem so different from that of historic and contemporary Christianity” (60). He understands that Irenaeus is a product of his time, and thus he will not have a fully developed 21st century doctrine of Scripture, yet he made significant strides towards a robust doctrine of Scripture that fought against heresy and edified the church.
The reader will feel historically informed after finishing Shelton’s article since he provides details of the predominant heresies of Irenaeus’ day. When Shelton includes primary quotes, he explains their implications thoroughly. Pastorally, Shelton shows how the second-century theologian is relevant for the modern church. For example, he shows how Irenaeus’ historical accounts of the early Christian church prove Bart Ehrman’s supposed evidence against orthodox Christianity to be null and void. Shelton’s chapter avoids some of the problems of the subsequent chapters and provides a solid introduction to a major second century theologian.
Tertullian
Gerald Bray’s chapter on Tertullian exemplifies careful scholarship and provides a balanced approach to this great theologian. He gives enough historical background for the reader to adequately understand the importance of Tertullian’s theological conclusions. Additionally, he debunks some falsely attributed quotations and ideas, such as his apocryphal statement, “I believe because it is absurd.” He also provides helpful context to his often misunderstood statement, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?”
When evaluating Tertullian’s theology and philosophy, Bray appropriates Tertullian’s theology with excellence. He summarizes Tertullian’s main theological emphases and clearly has a firm grasp of Tertullian’s overall contribution to Christian orthodoxy. Additionally, he provides an ample amount of excerpts from Tertullian’s writing that allows the reader to interact with the primary sources. While he does provide some commentary concerning Tertullian’s work, if there is a weakness in Bray’s chapter, it is the lack of sufficient explanatory material surrounding the large block texts of Tertullian’s writing.
For example, Bray mentions that Tertullian has an “unusual” eschatological idea that amounts to a proto-theology of purgatory (see pg. 99). Aside from simply including the quoted text, Bray quickly moves on to the next topic without providing any reason for his inclusion of this material. In terms of Bradley Green’s goals for each chapter listed in the introduction, such an inclusion does not provide ample information to achieve the goal of listing “a critical assessment of each theologian that asks how evangelicals should view and appropriate (or not) the insights of the theologian” (14). Besides this minor oversight, Bray adequately introduces the reader to Tertullian in a fair, informative and inspiring way.
Origen
Of the ten theologians covered in Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy, Origen presents the hardest challenge. Bryan Litfin tries admirably to summarize his work and theological impact by using the illustration of a diamond. There are many facets of a diamond, and they cause light to shine in many different directions. There also can be imperfections in the diamond even though the light sparkles everywhere. By using this illustration, Liftin attempts to defend the significance of Origen’s works while acknowledging that he has some serious flaws. Though this chapter is an admirable attempt, ultimately, Liftin fails in his project by overstating his case in some potentially dangerous ways.
Liftin begins his coverage of the third century theologian by stating that Origen’s writings and theology are too significant to ignore. This statement is true. However, in his attempt to “salvage” Origen, Liftin glosses over serious theological error. Origen’s theology was entrenched in Platonic dualism. He denied original sin and promoted universal salvation and subordinationism in the Trinity. Liftin’s defense of Origen does not adequately account for such grievous error.
Liftin defends Origen by showing how he wanted desperately to be remembered as a man who supported the church. While such a goal is admirable, it should not allow errant theology to be overlooked! Yes, modern readers must remember that every theologian is a product of his culture and therefore must not hold older theologians to the same standards as modern theologians. However, Origen differs even from his fellow-African, contemporary theologian, Tertullian. Tertullian expressed a more balanced approach towards the body and the material life, while Origen betrayed a strong Platonic bent. Such an emphasis should not be applauded. Additionally, Liftin misses the mark when he tries to portray Origen as a more balanced pastor-theologian over against Tertullian’s “pedantic exhortations to chastity” (142).
Liftin even tries to defend Origen’s excessive allegorical exegesis by comparing him to a “Spirit-filled preacher” who “paint[s] a biblical picture with deftness and artistry, relying on his intuition as much as his concordance.” He continues, “Perhaps today’s interpreter should be more aggressive in using his sanctified imagination to elucidate—and even construct—the fuller sense of the text” (147). At best, Liftin overstates his case in an attempt to defend Origen from modern claims of heresy and irrelevancy. At worst, he glosses over near-heretical views in order to defend a theologian whom the modern church might not be able to ignore, but should certainly not imitate.
Athanasius
Carl Beckwith’s piece on Athanasius invites the reader to learn from the Egyptian theological giant and to cherish the heart of the gospel that Athanasius risked his life to protect. The strength of this chapter is his treatment of On the Incarnation of the Word, which highlights the center of Athanasius’ message: the victory of the cross. Athanasius has sometimes been criticized for a lack of focus on the cross as a result of his focus on the incarnation. One minor weakness of Beckwith’s treatment is that he does not show precisely how Athanasius connects the themes of incarnation and the victory of the cross. It is clear that he comes to this conclusion, but it could have been established with greater clarity. This minor oversight aside, Beckwith’s piece is inspiring and informative.
The Three Cappadocians
Robert Letham is faced with a unique challenge: his chapter must not only fit Green’s criteria for the work as a whole, but also summarize the work of three different theologians. The one weakness of Letham’s work is that it lacks one clear organizing principle that can sum up the contribution of the three Cappadocians, such as “the victory of the cross” for Athanasius in Beckwith’s chapter. The theme of “deification” would most likely be the best fit: this is a central focus for all three of the eastern theologians. Again, this is a minor issue in the context of an excellent chapter.
At the end of his chapter, Letham includes nine positive elements and two negative elements that can be observed from the work of the Cappadocians. This conclusion is one of the best in the book. Letham is willing to acknowledge that the Cappadocians regressed in the formation of orthodoxy in some significant areas such as the authority of Scripture and some important dynamics within Trinitarian life. Yet, Letham allows the reader to marvel at the tremendous advances that the three Cappadocians made in clarifying some of the language of the Trinity, specifically the difference between ousia and hypostasis. Letham has taken a difficult project and allowed the reader to stand in wonder at God’s work though these three men.
The “A” Team: Augustine, Anselm and Thomas Aquinas
As stated earlier, these last three chapters will be treated briefly. Augustine, Anselm and Thomas Aquinas are indeed three of the greatest shapers of Christian orthodoxy and their respective chapters each fit well within the parameters of the goal for the book. Through these chapters, the reader will understand the historical context of each theologian and will gain a greater appreciation of the pressing theological issues in the ancient church and their implications for the modern church. Though Augustine and Anselm are in the “faith seeking understanding” tradition and Thomas is more in the “understanding seeking faith” tradition, these three thinkers can be easily seen as complementary to one another in many ways. As Green aptly noted, in a sense, all of Western history is a series of footnotes to Augustine.
Specifically for Green’s chapter on Augustine, he connects Augustine’s work on the Trinity with some of the theologians previously covered as well as looking forward, showing the continuity between Augustine and Anselm. Though Augustine’s written corpus is both broad and deep, Green provides a thorough introduction to Augustine that will not confuse the novice, but will still educate the well-read. David Hogg’s treatment of Anselm continues in the same vein. Hogg identifies the connections between Augustine and Anselm in their theories of the atonement and in the “faith seeking understanding” tradition. Though he includes large portions of primary text from Anselm, he comments thoroughly on each portion of block text—something that would have helped the reader in Bray’s chapter. As Hogg leads the reader through the catacombs of the philosopher’s thought the reader is able to understand Anselm’s argument in context and connect to the heart of Anselm’s project of “faith seeking understanding.” There are few greater Anselm scholars today than David Hogg. Finally, Mark Elliott shows the similarities and differences between Thomas and Augustine and Anselm and provides helpful commentary on each issue. He is careful to avoid broad-sweeping claims about Scholasticism and demonstrates how Thomism is both similar to and different from the Reformers who would come a few centuries later.
Pastoral Relevance
Any student of church history knows that the organizing principles for most church history text books are names, dates and events. While such text books do mention the theology of the great men of the church, it is usually in order to show why an event happened the way it did. For example, Athanasius’ theology might be detailed in order to show the contrast between his and Arius’ theology during the Council of Nicaea. There is nothing inherently wrong with this kind of approach. However, if such church history text books are the only gateways into the life and heart of the church of old, we will be gravely lacking in our understanding of our own theology. One of the main points of Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy is to fill this lack with a vibrant testimony of the faithfulness of men of old through the lens of their theology. Theology is not just something that affects events in history—theology is a central for history, because Christian orthodoxy is a matter of life or death for the believer!
As Green notes in the introduction, history repeats itself. Unless we are aware of the contours of history, then we will be more susceptible to fall prey to the same errors. In today’s age of rampant pluralism, ministers of the gospel must be especially wary of such errors. Shelton makes a specific connection clear for the readers: anyone deceived by the wiles of someone like Bart Ehrman needs to be a student of the church fathers in order to counteract such deceit. Yet other theologians covered in this book will guard the reader from similar errors and provide inspiration for love of the truth. Rob Bell is currently teaching some of the same theological errors that Origen taught. Though Liftin could have been more explicit in his refutation of Origen’s errors, he certainly points them out as flaws in Origen’s theology—a lesson that anyone attracted to Bell’s theology needs to hear. Another contemporary example comes from Pentecostal preacher T. D. Jakes, who is a confessing Modalist. Though we grieve that he has not aligned his theology with orthodox Trinitarian theology, we are thankful for faithful Christian ministers in the Gospel Coalition who openly opposed his ministry at the Elephant Room earlier in 2012. These examples, and many others, show how important a book like Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy is for the church today.
If anything is to be received from Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy, it should be the resounding fact that doctrine matters. As ministers of the gospel, when we read of the multiple exiles of Athanasius or the careful scholarship of Augustine or Anselm, we should tremble at the responsibility that God has given us to follow in the footsteps of such great men. We cannot be content to let the pluralistic mantra, “It might be good for you, but it is not good for me” to thrive in our churches. The fact that ecumenical councils such as the council of Nicaea were called in order to codify Christian orthodoxy should cause us to have more backbone in what we believe when it is a matter of the purity of the gospel. If these men have gone before us, with heart aflame in love for their God—Father, Son and Spirit—we should also endeavor to labor for the advancement of the gospel in our own corners of the earth, even if it is "contra mundum."
In the introduction to Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy, Green defends his reason for the study of early Christian theologians by stating two propositions: first, readers are able to understand the central truths of the Bible by studying the theology and theologians of times past. Second, readers learn how to do theology themselves through the influence of these great minds. He continues to defend this project by providing examples of his own study of Augustine, saying that the influence of such primary texts was “life-giving,” especially when compared to studying the latest theological tome hot off the press (12). Additionally, Green remarks that Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy intends to introduce students to the key theologians of the Christian church as opposed to simply cataloging names, dates and events in church history.
The eight chapters in the book cover the life and work of ten theologians: Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Three Cappadocians (Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzen), Augustine, Anselm and Thomas Aquinas. Though Green provides little reason for his inclusion of these ten theologians over against others such as Ignatius, Benedict, Cyprian or Ambrose, it is hard to argue against the treatment of any of the ten landmark theologians included. The content of each chapter seeks to provide a short biography, historical context, theological overview of the work of the theologian, and appropriation of the theologian’s work. At the end of each chapter a detailed bibliography is also included for further study.
As with any edited work, it is difficult to trace continuity from chapter to chapter. Therefore, the next section in this book review will briefly interact with the author of each chapter and provide a synopsis of his treatment of the specific theologian. Many of the chapters have the same admirable strengths. As a result, the comments on the earlier chapters will be slightly longer than the comments on the later chapters to avoid repetition in comment. The book review will conclude with a statement concerning the pastoral relevance of the chapters and of the book as a whole.
Irenaeus
W. Brian Shelton’s chapter on Irenaeus achieves the goal established by Green. He effectively catalogs both the historical context and Irenaeus’ works and thereby introduces the reader to the heart and soul of Irenaeus. One of the most helpful aspects of Shelton’s chapter is that he takes a well-known theological topic such as the doctrine of Scripture and shows how Irenaeus contributes specifically to that doctrine. Shelton recognizes that, “in the end, Irenaeus does not necessarily provide the exact parameters of canon” (52) yet he does display “a doctrinal solidity and accuracy that does not seem so different from that of historic and contemporary Christianity” (60). He understands that Irenaeus is a product of his time, and thus he will not have a fully developed 21st century doctrine of Scripture, yet he made significant strides towards a robust doctrine of Scripture that fought against heresy and edified the church.
The reader will feel historically informed after finishing Shelton’s article since he provides details of the predominant heresies of Irenaeus’ day. When Shelton includes primary quotes, he explains their implications thoroughly. Pastorally, Shelton shows how the second-century theologian is relevant for the modern church. For example, he shows how Irenaeus’ historical accounts of the early Christian church prove Bart Ehrman’s supposed evidence against orthodox Christianity to be null and void. Shelton’s chapter avoids some of the problems of the subsequent chapters and provides a solid introduction to a major second century theologian.
Tertullian
Gerald Bray’s chapter on Tertullian exemplifies careful scholarship and provides a balanced approach to this great theologian. He gives enough historical background for the reader to adequately understand the importance of Tertullian’s theological conclusions. Additionally, he debunks some falsely attributed quotations and ideas, such as his apocryphal statement, “I believe because it is absurd.” He also provides helpful context to his often misunderstood statement, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?”
When evaluating Tertullian’s theology and philosophy, Bray appropriates Tertullian’s theology with excellence. He summarizes Tertullian’s main theological emphases and clearly has a firm grasp of Tertullian’s overall contribution to Christian orthodoxy. Additionally, he provides an ample amount of excerpts from Tertullian’s writing that allows the reader to interact with the primary sources. While he does provide some commentary concerning Tertullian’s work, if there is a weakness in Bray’s chapter, it is the lack of sufficient explanatory material surrounding the large block texts of Tertullian’s writing.
For example, Bray mentions that Tertullian has an “unusual” eschatological idea that amounts to a proto-theology of purgatory (see pg. 99). Aside from simply including the quoted text, Bray quickly moves on to the next topic without providing any reason for his inclusion of this material. In terms of Bradley Green’s goals for each chapter listed in the introduction, such an inclusion does not provide ample information to achieve the goal of listing “a critical assessment of each theologian that asks how evangelicals should view and appropriate (or not) the insights of the theologian” (14). Besides this minor oversight, Bray adequately introduces the reader to Tertullian in a fair, informative and inspiring way.
Origen
Of the ten theologians covered in Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy, Origen presents the hardest challenge. Bryan Litfin tries admirably to summarize his work and theological impact by using the illustration of a diamond. There are many facets of a diamond, and they cause light to shine in many different directions. There also can be imperfections in the diamond even though the light sparkles everywhere. By using this illustration, Liftin attempts to defend the significance of Origen’s works while acknowledging that he has some serious flaws. Though this chapter is an admirable attempt, ultimately, Liftin fails in his project by overstating his case in some potentially dangerous ways.
Liftin begins his coverage of the third century theologian by stating that Origen’s writings and theology are too significant to ignore. This statement is true. However, in his attempt to “salvage” Origen, Liftin glosses over serious theological error. Origen’s theology was entrenched in Platonic dualism. He denied original sin and promoted universal salvation and subordinationism in the Trinity. Liftin’s defense of Origen does not adequately account for such grievous error.
Liftin defends Origen by showing how he wanted desperately to be remembered as a man who supported the church. While such a goal is admirable, it should not allow errant theology to be overlooked! Yes, modern readers must remember that every theologian is a product of his culture and therefore must not hold older theologians to the same standards as modern theologians. However, Origen differs even from his fellow-African, contemporary theologian, Tertullian. Tertullian expressed a more balanced approach towards the body and the material life, while Origen betrayed a strong Platonic bent. Such an emphasis should not be applauded. Additionally, Liftin misses the mark when he tries to portray Origen as a more balanced pastor-theologian over against Tertullian’s “pedantic exhortations to chastity” (142).
Liftin even tries to defend Origen’s excessive allegorical exegesis by comparing him to a “Spirit-filled preacher” who “paint[s] a biblical picture with deftness and artistry, relying on his intuition as much as his concordance.” He continues, “Perhaps today’s interpreter should be more aggressive in using his sanctified imagination to elucidate—and even construct—the fuller sense of the text” (147). At best, Liftin overstates his case in an attempt to defend Origen from modern claims of heresy and irrelevancy. At worst, he glosses over near-heretical views in order to defend a theologian whom the modern church might not be able to ignore, but should certainly not imitate.
Athanasius
Carl Beckwith’s piece on Athanasius invites the reader to learn from the Egyptian theological giant and to cherish the heart of the gospel that Athanasius risked his life to protect. The strength of this chapter is his treatment of On the Incarnation of the Word, which highlights the center of Athanasius’ message: the victory of the cross. Athanasius has sometimes been criticized for a lack of focus on the cross as a result of his focus on the incarnation. One minor weakness of Beckwith’s treatment is that he does not show precisely how Athanasius connects the themes of incarnation and the victory of the cross. It is clear that he comes to this conclusion, but it could have been established with greater clarity. This minor oversight aside, Beckwith’s piece is inspiring and informative.
The Three Cappadocians
Robert Letham is faced with a unique challenge: his chapter must not only fit Green’s criteria for the work as a whole, but also summarize the work of three different theologians. The one weakness of Letham’s work is that it lacks one clear organizing principle that can sum up the contribution of the three Cappadocians, such as “the victory of the cross” for Athanasius in Beckwith’s chapter. The theme of “deification” would most likely be the best fit: this is a central focus for all three of the eastern theologians. Again, this is a minor issue in the context of an excellent chapter.
At the end of his chapter, Letham includes nine positive elements and two negative elements that can be observed from the work of the Cappadocians. This conclusion is one of the best in the book. Letham is willing to acknowledge that the Cappadocians regressed in the formation of orthodoxy in some significant areas such as the authority of Scripture and some important dynamics within Trinitarian life. Yet, Letham allows the reader to marvel at the tremendous advances that the three Cappadocians made in clarifying some of the language of the Trinity, specifically the difference between ousia and hypostasis. Letham has taken a difficult project and allowed the reader to stand in wonder at God’s work though these three men.
The “A” Team: Augustine, Anselm and Thomas Aquinas
As stated earlier, these last three chapters will be treated briefly. Augustine, Anselm and Thomas Aquinas are indeed three of the greatest shapers of Christian orthodoxy and their respective chapters each fit well within the parameters of the goal for the book. Through these chapters, the reader will understand the historical context of each theologian and will gain a greater appreciation of the pressing theological issues in the ancient church and their implications for the modern church. Though Augustine and Anselm are in the “faith seeking understanding” tradition and Thomas is more in the “understanding seeking faith” tradition, these three thinkers can be easily seen as complementary to one another in many ways. As Green aptly noted, in a sense, all of Western history is a series of footnotes to Augustine.
Specifically for Green’s chapter on Augustine, he connects Augustine’s work on the Trinity with some of the theologians previously covered as well as looking forward, showing the continuity between Augustine and Anselm. Though Augustine’s written corpus is both broad and deep, Green provides a thorough introduction to Augustine that will not confuse the novice, but will still educate the well-read. David Hogg’s treatment of Anselm continues in the same vein. Hogg identifies the connections between Augustine and Anselm in their theories of the atonement and in the “faith seeking understanding” tradition. Though he includes large portions of primary text from Anselm, he comments thoroughly on each portion of block text—something that would have helped the reader in Bray’s chapter. As Hogg leads the reader through the catacombs of the philosopher’s thought the reader is able to understand Anselm’s argument in context and connect to the heart of Anselm’s project of “faith seeking understanding.” There are few greater Anselm scholars today than David Hogg. Finally, Mark Elliott shows the similarities and differences between Thomas and Augustine and Anselm and provides helpful commentary on each issue. He is careful to avoid broad-sweeping claims about Scholasticism and demonstrates how Thomism is both similar to and different from the Reformers who would come a few centuries later.
Pastoral Relevance
Any student of church history knows that the organizing principles for most church history text books are names, dates and events. While such text books do mention the theology of the great men of the church, it is usually in order to show why an event happened the way it did. For example, Athanasius’ theology might be detailed in order to show the contrast between his and Arius’ theology during the Council of Nicaea. There is nothing inherently wrong with this kind of approach. However, if such church history text books are the only gateways into the life and heart of the church of old, we will be gravely lacking in our understanding of our own theology. One of the main points of Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy is to fill this lack with a vibrant testimony of the faithfulness of men of old through the lens of their theology. Theology is not just something that affects events in history—theology is a central for history, because Christian orthodoxy is a matter of life or death for the believer!
As Green notes in the introduction, history repeats itself. Unless we are aware of the contours of history, then we will be more susceptible to fall prey to the same errors. In today’s age of rampant pluralism, ministers of the gospel must be especially wary of such errors. Shelton makes a specific connection clear for the readers: anyone deceived by the wiles of someone like Bart Ehrman needs to be a student of the church fathers in order to counteract such deceit. Yet other theologians covered in this book will guard the reader from similar errors and provide inspiration for love of the truth. Rob Bell is currently teaching some of the same theological errors that Origen taught. Though Liftin could have been more explicit in his refutation of Origen’s errors, he certainly points them out as flaws in Origen’s theology—a lesson that anyone attracted to Bell’s theology needs to hear. Another contemporary example comes from Pentecostal preacher T. D. Jakes, who is a confessing Modalist. Though we grieve that he has not aligned his theology with orthodox Trinitarian theology, we are thankful for faithful Christian ministers in the Gospel Coalition who openly opposed his ministry at the Elephant Room earlier in 2012. These examples, and many others, show how important a book like Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy is for the church today.
If anything is to be received from Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy, it should be the resounding fact that doctrine matters. As ministers of the gospel, when we read of the multiple exiles of Athanasius or the careful scholarship of Augustine or Anselm, we should tremble at the responsibility that God has given us to follow in the footsteps of such great men. We cannot be content to let the pluralistic mantra, “It might be good for you, but it is not good for me” to thrive in our churches. The fact that ecumenical councils such as the council of Nicaea were called in order to codify Christian orthodoxy should cause us to have more backbone in what we believe when it is a matter of the purity of the gospel. If these men have gone before us, with heart aflame in love for their God—Father, Son and Spirit—we should also endeavor to labor for the advancement of the gospel in our own corners of the earth, even if it is "contra mundum."
September 6, 2025
"Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging with Early and Medieval Theologians" edited by Brad Green offers a more detailed introduction to the subject than Michael Haykin's "Rediscovering the Church Fathers". I felt that I gained most from the essays that included lengthier quotations, allowing the original authors to speak for themselves. p.10-11: "I happily and passionately affirm the full authority, sufficiency and perspicuity of Scripture. ... At the same time, we would be wrong to suggest that God simply departed from his church either at the point the last New Testament document was written, or the point when the New Testament was seen as canonical (367, with Athanasius, or earlier). Rather, it is not wiser to suspect that God might have been leading certain persons in the history of the church to articulate something in a helpful way, to forge a helpful argument, to discover an insightful theological axiom or principle?" p.12: "Thus Christian theology should always be returning to Scripture, be immersing itself in Scripture, and seeking to understand God, his ways and will through attention to his Word." p.48 (W. Brian Shelton, Irenaeus): "Eve's action led to death for the human race, while Mary's faithful action led to salvation for it. ... Irenaeus thus declares, 'The knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by Mary's obedience, for what the virgin Eve had bound by her unfaith, the virgin Mary loosed by her faith.'{Against Heresies 3.22.4} Jaroslav Pelikan recognises that this is an important component of the case for the humanity and divinity of Jesus for Irenaeus. 'Mary had served as proof for the reality of the humanity of Jesus: he had truly been born of a human mother and therefore was a man.'{Jaroslav Pelikan, The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine. Vol I: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100-600) (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1971), p.241; cf. Against Heresies 5.1.2} For Irenaeus, the Virgin Mary is the obedient Eve just as Christ is the obedient Adam." p.89-90 (Tertullian, On the Crown 5; Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (eds.), The Ante-Nicene Fathers, 24 vols. (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1866-72): "Ours is the God of nature, who fashioned man in such a way that he might desire, appreciate and partake of the pleasures afforded by his creatures. ... Let flowers be what they are – things to be looked at and smelled." p.103 (Tertullian, On Flight in Persecution, 14): "How shall we assemble together? ... Let wisdom be your safeguard, not bribery. ... All you need for your safety is faith and wisdom. ... If you cannot assemble by day, then there is always the night, when the light of Christ will brighten up the darkness. Be content with a church of threes. It is better not to have big crowds than to subject yourselves to the yoke of bribery." p.120 (Bryan Litfin, Origen): "Origen cites Romans 8:28 to show that God, with sovereign foreknowledge of all things, works to aid the moral efforts of those who know him personally, and in fact love him. It is utter delight in the Lord, not teeth-gritting endurance, that drives the Christian's disciplined spiritual life." p.122 (On Prayer 47 (Greer, Origen, p.76)): "Why do we hang back and hesitate to put off the perishable body, the earthly tent that hinders us, weighs down the soul, and burdens the thoughtful mind? Why do we hesitate to burst our bonds and depart from the stormy billows of a life with flesh and blood? Let our purpose be to enjoy with Christ Jesus the rest proper to blessedness, contemplating Him, the Word, wholly living. By Him we shall be nourished; in Him we shall receive the manifold wisdom and be modeled by the Truth Himself. By the true and unceasing Light of knowledge our minds will be enlightened to gaze upon what is by nature to be seen in that light with eyes illuminated by the Lord's commandment." p.125-6 (Origen, On First Principles pref.I (Butterworth, G.W., Origen: On First Principles (Gloucester, MA: Smith, 1973), p.1)): "By the words of Christ we do not mean only those which formed his teaching when he was made man and dwelt in the flesh, since even before that Christ the Word of God was in Moses and the prophets. For without the Word of God how could they have prophesied about Christ?" p.127 (Origen, On First Principles 4.1.6 (Butterworth, p.265)): "Now the light which was contained within the law of Moses, but was hidden under a veil, shone forth at the advent of Jesus, when the veil was taken away and there came at once to men's knowledge those 'good things' of which the letter of the law held a 'shadow.'" p.133 (Origen, Against Celsus 7.44. Henry Chadwick, Origen: Contra Celsum (Cambridge: CUP, 1953), p.432): "by God's kindness and love to man, and by a miraculous divine grace, the knowledge of God extends to those who by God's foreknowledge have been previously determined, because they would live lives worthy of Him after he was made known to them." p.135 (Timaeus 28c (John M. Cooper & D.S. Hutchinson, Plato: Complete Works [Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997], p.1235)): "to find the maker and father of this universe is hard enough, and even if I succeeded, to declare him to everyone is impossible." p.142-3 (Bryan Litfin, Origen): "The ancient understanding of ascetism stands in sharp contrast to the modern way of viewing it as puritanical prudishness or legalistic abstinence. While self-discipline and rigorous training for the sake of athletic achievement is widely appreciated in contemporary Western culture, spiritual ascetism is hardly in vogue today. .../ the Christian life offered much more than 'rules to live by' or 'good moral principles'. It offered the chance to ascend towards the living God. Even though Origen's asceticism was couched in the language of Plato, his desire for intimacy with God and his abhorrence of the sins of the flesh should ring true in evangelical ears." p.146 (Origen, Commentary on John 5.6 (Roberts & Donaldson, vol.9, p.347): "Christ is written about even in the Pentateuch. He is spoken of in each of the Prophets, and in the Psalms, and in a word, as the Saviour himself says, in all the Scriptures." p.148: "Origen's educational view of the atonement, in which Christ offers an example of perfect righteousness and calls us to imitate him, can teach us something important about the Christian life. Despite the tacky marketing of 'What would Jesus do?' products, the question itself is entirely valid. Evangelicals often need to be reminded that moral progress is experienced as a series of yeses and noes to the options before us. In such moments, there is no better model than Christ himself." p.154: "The Word who created and redeemed us is the same Word who becomes our co-worker in the life of sanctification and by his grace through the Holy Spirit renders us holy. Our transformation – our deification, as Athanasius prefers to put it – and our lives of holiness serve as a testimony and witness to the world of Christ's victory. ... you need only look at the world around you and marvel at the courage of the martyrs, the deeds of the monks and the steadfastness of ordinary Christians to know that the Christ who conquered on the cross continues to live and conquer in the lives of his followers." p.168 (Carl Beckwith, Athanasius): "We had been created and given life out of nothing and, by our own sins, we were now returning, through corruption, to nothingness.{Athanasius, On the Incarnation 4} We were 'disappearing', writes Athanasius, we were becoming less and less human, as the work of God was being 'undone'.{Ibid. 6}" p.169 (Athanasius, On the Incarnation 54 (Edward Hardy (ed.), Christology of the Later Fathers (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1954), p.107, n.79)): "He was humanized that we might be deified." p.181 (Athanasius, Festal Letter 42 (David Brakke, "Outside the Places, Within the Truth": Athanasius of Alexandria and the Localization of the Holy, in David Frankfurter (ed.), Pilgrimage and Holy Space in Late Antique Egypt (Leiden: Brill, 1998), pp.479-480): "When they say that many people who had unclean spirits have been healed in the martyr shrines ... I will answer them by saying that they are not healed by the martyrs coming upon the demons, but they are healed by the Savior, the one whom the martyrs confessed." p.186-7 (Carl Beckwith, Athanasius): "He would not yield on any point that compromised his faith in Jesus, true God and true man, co-eternal and co-equal with the Father, in whom alone we have salvation." p.197 (Robert Letham, The Three Cappadocians): "The Spirit is the one in whom we worship and in whom we pray. Thus prayer to the Spirit is, in effect, the Spirit offering prayer or adoration to himself.{Gregory Nazianzen, Theological Orations 5.12 (P.Schaff, A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, 2nd series, vol.7)}" p.200 (Basil , On the Holy Spirit 10.28; Schaff): "Faith and baptism are two kindred and inseparable ways of salvation; faith is perfected through baptism, baptism is established through faith, and both are completed by the same names. For as we believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, so are we baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost: first comes the confession, introducing us to salvation, and baptism follows, setting the seal upon our assent." p.202: "Athanasius recognized that what was of greatest importance was not the words that were used but the meaning of the words. This paved the way for some to realize that others who employed different terminology might after all be intending the same. It was Basil, in Letter 214.3-4, who proposed that settled meanings be given to these two words [hypostasis (roughly corresponding to 'person') and ousia ('essence')]." p.220 (Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 38 on the Theophany; Schaff): "But when I say God, I mean Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." p.227: "The Old Testament proclaimed the Father openly, and the Son more obscurely. The New manifested the Son, and suggested the deity of the Spirit. Now the Spirit himself dwells among us, and supplies us with a clearer demonstration of himself. For it was not safe, when the Godhead of the Father was not yet acknowledged, plainly to proclaim the Son; nor when that of the Son was not yet received to burden us further (if I may use so bold an expression) with the Holy Ghost; lest perhaps people might, like men loaded with food beyond their strength, and presenting eyes as yet too weak to bear it to the sun's light, risk the loss even of that which was within the reach of their powers, but that by gradual additions ... the light of the Trinity might shine upon the more illuminated.{Theological Orations 5.26}" p.228: "Basil and his colleagues point the church to the centrality of the Trinity for faith and worship. This is a vital principle that has been largely lost in the Western church, although it has been rediscovered and so presents hopeful signs for the future." p.229: "Theology takes place in the church; it is not an abstract pursuit but is aimed at salvation, which in God's purpose takes place in and through the church." p.230: "In Jesus Christ, the eternal Son himself takes a human nature in a personal, indissoluble union. ... If it is impossible for humans to know God as he is in himself it would be impossible for the incarnate Christ, qua humanity, to know God – still less be personally united to him. That would be no incarnation." p.241(Augustine, Letter 11 (Augustine to Nebridius) 2. In The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century, vol.2.1, tr. and notes Roland Teske, SJ, ed. John E. Rotelle, OSA (Hyde Park, NY: New City, 2001). Cf. Handbook on Faith, Hope and Love 12.38: 'the operations of the Trinity are inseparable' (opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa: the external works of the Trinity are undivided)): "For the Catholic faith teaches and believes that this Trinity is so inseparable – and a few holy and blessed men also understand this – that whatever this Trinity does must be thought to be done at the same time by the Father and by the Son and by the Holy Spirit. The Father does not do anything that the Son and the Holy Spirit do not do, nor does the Son do anything that the Father and the Holy Spirit do not do, nor does the Holy Spirit do anything that the Father and the Son do not do." p.244 (Augustine, City of God 11.21): "For not in our fashion does He look forward to what is forward, nor at what is present, nor back upon what is past; but in a manner quite different and far and profoundly remote from our way of thinking. For He does not pass from this to that by transition of thought, but beholds all things with absolute unchangeableness; so that of those things which emerge in time, the future, indeed, are not yet, and the present are now, and the past no longer are; but all of these are by Him comprehended in His stable and eternal presence." p.246 (Augustine, City of God, 11.6): "The world was made, not in time, but simultaneously with time." p.247 (Augustine, City of God 5.11): "God can never be believed to have left the kingdoms of men, their dominations and servitudes, outside of the laws of His providence." p.249 (Exposition of Psalm 9 20. In Exposition of the Psalms 121-150, The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century, vol. 3.20, introduction Michael Fiedrowicz, tr. and notes Maria Boulding, OSB, ed. Boniface Ramsey (Hyde Park, NY: New City, 2004): "It is providence which both makes and orders the light, but does no more than order the darkness." p.256 (The Spirit and the Letter 5): "For free choice is capable only of sinning, if the way of truth remains hidden." p.259: "It is standard to point out that Augustine would construe justification in the sense of 'make righteous' (Latin: justifico, 'I justify, or make righteous') rather than the evangelical understanding of 'to declare' or 'to reckon' righteous (from the Greek term in the New Testament, dikaioo). The difficulty here is that Augustine was not embroiled in the Catholic-Protestant debates and should not be interpreted in the light of that distance from such debates." p.259-60 (To Simplicianus 1, Second Question, 3): "So no one does good works in order that he may receive grace, but because he has received grace. How can a man live justly who has not been justified? How can he live holily who has not been sanctified? Or, indeed, how can a man live at all who has not been vivified? Grace justifies so that he who is justified may live justly." p.262 (City of God 10.29): "The grace of God could not have been more graciously commended to us than thus, that the only Son of God, remaining unchangeable in Himself, should assume humanity, and should give us the hope of His love by means of the mediation of a human nature, through which we, from the condition of men, might come to Him, who was so far off – the immortal from the mortal; the unchangeable from the changeable; the just from the unjust; the blessed from the wretched." p.270 (Augustine, The First Catechetical Instruction 4.8, tr. Joseph Christopher, Ancient Christian Writers (New York: Newman, 1978)): "in the Old Testament the New is concealed, and in the New the Old is revealed." p.284-5 (Pascal; quoted in Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power, tr. Walter Kaufmann & R.J. Hollingdale (New York: Vintage, 1968), 1.83): "Our inability to know the truth is the consequence of our corruption, our moral decay." p.299 (David Hogg, Anselm): "Whereas our contemporary theologians and exegetes tend to emphasize the analysis of the minutiae of the biblical text, often to the exclusion of broader theological considerations throughout the canon, the medieval theologian preferred to think and write with a view to a broader understanding of the canon. In practice this generally means that commentaries from the Middle Ages are replete with intertextual links, while commentaries from our own day are replete with grammatical and historical analysis." p.299-300: "the monastery was full of men persistently and consistently studying the Bible and the theology handed down to them by the church fathers and other great luminaries. As every monk knew, the way to grow in depth of prayer was to grow in depth of knowledge of God. The more one knew God and about God, the more one prayed and wanted to pray." p.313 (Anselm, The Proslogion, Chapter 1): "I do not try, O Lord, to penetrate your great heights because my understanding is in no way comparable to the task; yet I desire to understand some degree of your truth which my heart believes and loves. For I do not seek to understand so that I might believe, but I believe so that I might understand. For this also I believe, that unless I have believed I will not understand." p.321 (Anselm, Cur Deus Homo 1.1; cf. Benedicta Ward, The Prayers and Meditations of Saint Anselm with the Proslogion (London: Penguin Books, 1973)): "[Boso:] it seems to me that we would be negligent if, after we have been confirmed in the faith, we do not study in order to understand what we believe." p.323 (Cur Deus Homo 1.2-3): "I want everything that I say to be accepted according to the following stipulation: if I say anything which is not confirmed by a greater authority, then even though I appear to prove it in a reasonable manner, it will be accepted as certain only in the sense that it seems certain for now and until God reveals something better to me." p.323 (Ibid.): "For it was fitting that just as through one man's disobedience the human race entered into death, so through the obedience of one man life was restored. Moreover, it was fitting that the sin which was the cause of our damnation, was initiated through a woman, so the author of our justification and salvation should be initiated through a woman. Furthermore, it was fitting that the Devil who conquered man by persuading them to eat of the tree should be conquered by a man whose suffering on a tree was inflicted by the Devil." p.330 (Anselm, Meditation on Human Redemption; cf. Ward, pp.230-232, ll.1-57): "For you did not assume humanity so that you might conceal what is known about you, but so that you might reveal what was unknown. You declared yourself to be true God and true man and showed evidence of it." p.361 (In Rom 6; Thomas d'Aquin, Commentaire de l'epitre aux Romans (Paris: Cerf, 1999), p.463 (The Summa Contra Gentiles of Saint Thomas Aquinas, tr. English Dominican Fathers (London: Burns Oates & Washbourne, 1923-9) 3.20)): "Whatever happens on earth, even if it is evil, turns out for the good of the whole world. Because, as Augustine says in the Enchiridion, God is so good that he would never permit any evil if he were not also so powerful that from any evil he could draw out a good." p.366 (Mark Elliott, Thomas Aquinas): "theology is about putting one's mind in the place near enough to God where he can surprise us."
March 3, 2020
Good and helpful discussion of Irenaeus, Tertullian, the 3 Cappadocians, Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas. Some essays had a little too much copy-and-paste from the primary sources.
August 30, 2021
Intermediate Church history/Historical theology. Designed as a taster for digging into more advanced/in-depth studies or the primary sources themselves.
What is this book?
A collection of essays on significant historical christian thinkers, the model is similar for each chapter: i) Biographical sketch ii) outline of key teaching/themes iii) brief evaluation including comments on how useful this individual's thought is for modern evangelicals.
Each chapter has a different author; the topics and authors are they are as follows
1. Irenaeus - W. Brian Shelton
2. Tertullian - Gerald L. Bray
3. Origen - Bryan Litfin
4. Athanasius - Carl Beckwith
5. The Three Cappadocians - Robert W. Letham
6. Augustine - Bradley G. Green
7. Anselm - David S. Hogg
8. Thomas Aquinas - Mark W. Elliott
(Chapter 5 is a minor deviation from the format of the rest of the book as it presents 3 people rather than one, but the concept is otherwise the same)
What's good about this book?
It can give you a reasonable measure of what to expect if you go and read any of the figures being covered, and it can tell you in advance a lot about the value of these earlier writers to encourage you to invest time in studying them.
The significant primary source quotes familiarise you with something of the style of these early writers and may help you feel ready to read some of their works yourself.
What is weaker about this book?
- one of the key aims of the book is to make you want to read primary sources (and give you an intro to them), whilst you're reading this book you're not doing that.
- the chapters vary in where they're pitched, and their style varies significantly - standard issue with a multi-author volume
- the Aquinas chapter spent a lot of time arguing with views taken on Aquinas by various other modern authors which distracted from actually showing what Aquinas though - whereas most of the book was just trying to present history, this last chapter read like a polemic
- very little is said on how the different thinkers in this book are linked with each other, the book is tied together by the shared layout of the chapters (biography, overview of thought, evaluation) but not so much by the content
Conclusion
A helpful intermediate book on church history, if you have some grasp of the history of the church and the history of doctrine and you'd like a deeper look at parts of it this is a good option, though be aware it is only going to talk about the life and teaching of the ten men listed in the contents.
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars for this, maybe 3.5 would be right. Rating them individually some of the chapters (particularly 5, 6 and 7) may be worthy of 5 stars but thinking of the book as a whole and the very narrow audience for something like this pushed it down.
What is this book?
A collection of essays on significant historical christian thinkers, the model is similar for each chapter: i) Biographical sketch ii) outline of key teaching/themes iii) brief evaluation including comments on how useful this individual's thought is for modern evangelicals.
Each chapter has a different author; the topics and authors are they are as follows
1. Irenaeus - W. Brian Shelton
2. Tertullian - Gerald L. Bray
3. Origen - Bryan Litfin
4. Athanasius - Carl Beckwith
5. The Three Cappadocians - Robert W. Letham
6. Augustine - Bradley G. Green
7. Anselm - David S. Hogg
8. Thomas Aquinas - Mark W. Elliott
(Chapter 5 is a minor deviation from the format of the rest of the book as it presents 3 people rather than one, but the concept is otherwise the same)
What's good about this book?
It can give you a reasonable measure of what to expect if you go and read any of the figures being covered, and it can tell you in advance a lot about the value of these earlier writers to encourage you to invest time in studying them.
The significant primary source quotes familiarise you with something of the style of these early writers and may help you feel ready to read some of their works yourself.
What is weaker about this book?
- one of the key aims of the book is to make you want to read primary sources (and give you an intro to them), whilst you're reading this book you're not doing that.
- the chapters vary in where they're pitched, and their style varies significantly - standard issue with a multi-author volume
- the Aquinas chapter spent a lot of time arguing with views taken on Aquinas by various other modern authors which distracted from actually showing what Aquinas though - whereas most of the book was just trying to present history, this last chapter read like a polemic
- very little is said on how the different thinkers in this book are linked with each other, the book is tied together by the shared layout of the chapters (biography, overview of thought, evaluation) but not so much by the content
Conclusion
A helpful intermediate book on church history, if you have some grasp of the history of the church and the history of doctrine and you'd like a deeper look at parts of it this is a good option, though be aware it is only going to talk about the life and teaching of the ten men listed in the contents.
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars for this, maybe 3.5 would be right. Rating them individually some of the chapters (particularly 5, 6 and 7) may be worthy of 5 stars but thinking of the book as a whole and the very narrow audience for something like this pushed it down.
April 17, 2012
It has often been said that “those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.” This is not just a warning for political, educational or social leaders. It is a warning for the Church as well. If there is anything that recent theological controversies have shown us, it is that knowing the history of doctrinal development–and specifically orthodox theological development–is key to understanding where we are and why we are here (rather than somewhere else), when it comes to the Church’s articulation of the key doctrines of the Christian faith. Time and time again, theological controversy drives the Church back to its history–especially to the first few hundred years after Christ. And it is history that will help today’s Church rediscover the oft-repeated, doctrinal controversies that shaped orthodox doctrine and learn how those who have gone before us responded with Scripture and wisdom.
With this view in mind Bradley Green has brought together eight contemporary scholars to create Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging with Early and Medieval Theologians. This book covers eight early theologians from Irenaeus to Thomas Aquinas. The impetus for this book is the belief that the past has something to say to and to teach the present. Theology is not hammered out in a vacuum nor does each generation reinvent the theological wheel (though some may try).
Green proposes two reasons for studying theologians of the past. First, studying past theologians helps us to see the logic of their doctrinal development and why they felt certain doctrinal distinctions were important to the faithful defense of the gospel. Second, in studying the “theologizing” of these past men, we allow them to teach us how to theologize. We do not merely stand on the shoulders of the past in terms of the doctrinal content we believe, but also in the logic and rationale used to form and shape that timeless content.
With Carl Beckwith’s chapter on Athanasius as a guide, the following outline provides the basic structure of each chapter and provides some helpful information on Athanasius.
Introduction
Each chapter begins with a short introduction to the life, work and historical context of the theologian in question.
Here we learn that Athanasius spent forty-five years of his life defending the gospel and the Trinity, and that the center of his theology was the victory of the cross.
Historical Context
The historical context seeks to give the reader a better understanding for any political, social and eccleastical factors that influenced or caused each theologian to engage themselves in the theological debates and interests they did.
Athanasius was born into a world that was very hostile towards Christianity, but began his theological ministry with Christianity as the official state religion, thanks to Constantine. While this may have provided some positive benefits for Christianity, it also opened the door for poor Christian thinking. Beckwith notes:
A public Christianity also provided an opportunity for all the different voices within the church to be heard. As these many voices emerged, it soon became apparent that a serious misunderstanding of Christianity had been embraced by some” (p. 157)
It is here that Athanasius finds himself. The defining theological issue for Athanasius was to state and defend the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity. The catalyst for his lifelong defense of this doctrine was the Arian heresy that was officially condemned by the Council of Nicaea in 325.
Theological Overview
Following the historical context of each theologian, an overview of their work and theology is presented. This is not a popular level overview nor is it overly technical. Rather, it manages to be both accessible and challenging.
Following the Council of Nicaea, Athanasius began his work responding to Arius. His first works in this regard were Against the Heathenand On the Incarnation of the Word. Here Athanasius lays out the significance of the incarnation as the redemptive answer to the fall of man from creation. As image bearers we were created to know God. Sin affected this and the incarnation makes it possible again by renewing our image in Christ. For Athanasius, it is precisely because of the incarnation that salvation is possible, and this is what makes the teaching of Arius so destructive. During his time as the bishop and patriarch of Alexandria, Athanasius’ pastoral heart shone forth. It is here that his deeply formulated theology of the cross of Christ came to bear on his pastoral duties to his people. His pastoral shepherding made its way into the lives of his people through his festal letters. Through them he encouraged his people in good theology and corrected what he saw as destructive teaching. Interestingly enough, during this time he also made great strides in shaping the art and architecture of Alexandria: “He constructed new Christian buildings, expanded existing structures and converted old pagan temples into churches” (p. 183).
Appropriating the Theologians Work
In this section each contributor notes the lessons we can learn from both the life and works of these great theologians.
Beckwith rightly uses Athanasius’ commendation of Ignatius as a model for believers today. Athanasius spoke highly of Ignatius to others because his faithfulness to Scripture was a model to all. Beckwith notes: “The interest and enthusiasm Athanasius had for Ignatius is the same interest and enthusiasm we should have for those faithful writers from the history of the church who have preceded us in the faith” (p. 185). As we learn from Athanasius, as he did from Ignatius, we see the importance of a constant appeal to the gospel as the center of life and theological grounding. As John Piper and others have taught us, Athanasius believed God is the gospel, God as three in one, co-equal, co-eternal, eternally existing together and equally sharing in the divine nature that is God. This is the gospel language Athanasius has given us and we do well to pass it on.
Sources
At the end of each chapter the primary and secondary sources on each theologian are provided for further study. There is a wealth of recommended reading provided here that will keep the interested reader busy.
Conclusion
Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy is a great introduction to eight theologians who gave their lives to the formation of orthodox theology. This is a first-rate academic introduction into the lives and theology of these men. Though academic in nature, it is accessible to the interested layman. There is also great interaction with the major contributions of each theologian, especially Tertullian, the three Cappadocians, Augustine and Anselm. Perhaps the most difficult theologian to follow is Anselm and his proof for the existence of God (p. 310-18). Yet at the same time, readers will be instructed and challenged as they read his work, for he does it so prayerfully.
What stands out most from these men is their consistent appeal to Scripture as the sole source and authority for their faith. This does not keep them from making mistakes, but their mistakes do not detract from their timeless contributions. In the words of Bradley Green: “Evangelicals should read all the fathers and gain as much exegetical insight, theological helpfulness and pastoral wisdom from them as possible.” (p. 13)
With this view in mind Bradley Green has brought together eight contemporary scholars to create Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy: Engaging with Early and Medieval Theologians. This book covers eight early theologians from Irenaeus to Thomas Aquinas. The impetus for this book is the belief that the past has something to say to and to teach the present. Theology is not hammered out in a vacuum nor does each generation reinvent the theological wheel (though some may try).
Green proposes two reasons for studying theologians of the past. First, studying past theologians helps us to see the logic of their doctrinal development and why they felt certain doctrinal distinctions were important to the faithful defense of the gospel. Second, in studying the “theologizing” of these past men, we allow them to teach us how to theologize. We do not merely stand on the shoulders of the past in terms of the doctrinal content we believe, but also in the logic and rationale used to form and shape that timeless content.
With Carl Beckwith’s chapter on Athanasius as a guide, the following outline provides the basic structure of each chapter and provides some helpful information on Athanasius.
Introduction
Each chapter begins with a short introduction to the life, work and historical context of the theologian in question.
Here we learn that Athanasius spent forty-five years of his life defending the gospel and the Trinity, and that the center of his theology was the victory of the cross.
Historical Context
The historical context seeks to give the reader a better understanding for any political, social and eccleastical factors that influenced or caused each theologian to engage themselves in the theological debates and interests they did.
Athanasius was born into a world that was very hostile towards Christianity, but began his theological ministry with Christianity as the official state religion, thanks to Constantine. While this may have provided some positive benefits for Christianity, it also opened the door for poor Christian thinking. Beckwith notes:
A public Christianity also provided an opportunity for all the different voices within the church to be heard. As these many voices emerged, it soon became apparent that a serious misunderstanding of Christianity had been embraced by some” (p. 157)
It is here that Athanasius finds himself. The defining theological issue for Athanasius was to state and defend the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity. The catalyst for his lifelong defense of this doctrine was the Arian heresy that was officially condemned by the Council of Nicaea in 325.
Theological Overview
Following the historical context of each theologian, an overview of their work and theology is presented. This is not a popular level overview nor is it overly technical. Rather, it manages to be both accessible and challenging.
Following the Council of Nicaea, Athanasius began his work responding to Arius. His first works in this regard were Against the Heathenand On the Incarnation of the Word. Here Athanasius lays out the significance of the incarnation as the redemptive answer to the fall of man from creation. As image bearers we were created to know God. Sin affected this and the incarnation makes it possible again by renewing our image in Christ. For Athanasius, it is precisely because of the incarnation that salvation is possible, and this is what makes the teaching of Arius so destructive. During his time as the bishop and patriarch of Alexandria, Athanasius’ pastoral heart shone forth. It is here that his deeply formulated theology of the cross of Christ came to bear on his pastoral duties to his people. His pastoral shepherding made its way into the lives of his people through his festal letters. Through them he encouraged his people in good theology and corrected what he saw as destructive teaching. Interestingly enough, during this time he also made great strides in shaping the art and architecture of Alexandria: “He constructed new Christian buildings, expanded existing structures and converted old pagan temples into churches” (p. 183).
Appropriating the Theologians Work
In this section each contributor notes the lessons we can learn from both the life and works of these great theologians.
Beckwith rightly uses Athanasius’ commendation of Ignatius as a model for believers today. Athanasius spoke highly of Ignatius to others because his faithfulness to Scripture was a model to all. Beckwith notes: “The interest and enthusiasm Athanasius had for Ignatius is the same interest and enthusiasm we should have for those faithful writers from the history of the church who have preceded us in the faith” (p. 185). As we learn from Athanasius, as he did from Ignatius, we see the importance of a constant appeal to the gospel as the center of life and theological grounding. As John Piper and others have taught us, Athanasius believed God is the gospel, God as three in one, co-equal, co-eternal, eternally existing together and equally sharing in the divine nature that is God. This is the gospel language Athanasius has given us and we do well to pass it on.
Sources
At the end of each chapter the primary and secondary sources on each theologian are provided for further study. There is a wealth of recommended reading provided here that will keep the interested reader busy.
Conclusion
Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy is a great introduction to eight theologians who gave their lives to the formation of orthodox theology. This is a first-rate academic introduction into the lives and theology of these men. Though academic in nature, it is accessible to the interested layman. There is also great interaction with the major contributions of each theologian, especially Tertullian, the three Cappadocians, Augustine and Anselm. Perhaps the most difficult theologian to follow is Anselm and his proof for the existence of God (p. 310-18). Yet at the same time, readers will be instructed and challenged as they read his work, for he does it so prayerfully.
What stands out most from these men is their consistent appeal to Scripture as the sole source and authority for their faith. This does not keep them from making mistakes, but their mistakes do not detract from their timeless contributions. In the words of Bradley Green: “Evangelicals should read all the fathers and gain as much exegetical insight, theological helpfulness and pastoral wisdom from them as possible.” (p. 13)
February 17, 2018
This book is a collection of essays about early Christian theologians including excerpts from their works. Each essay is written by a different scholar. The time period spans from the first century through the thirteenth century. I always find works written by early Christians fascinating because I see how faithfully the theology of the early church has been handed down through the century. These early Christians were charged with protecting the faith and working out some of the complicated doctrinal questions of the Christian religion. It is also interesting to read how Greek philosophies and methodologies would creep into the church. Doctrines were challenged, apostasy exposed and complex issues clarified. I especially enjoyed the essay on Athanasius and his explanation of the Holy Trinity. I found the material on Aquinas confusing, thus only four stars. Instead of concentrating on what Aquinas taught, his essayist kept comparing him to other theological scholars and what they said, including adversarial views. Somehow Aquinas' views were overshadowed by the cumbersome use of citations within the text and numerous parenthetical material.
March 5, 2012
Reading this book reminded me of what a great debt we owe the early fathers of the church. Whether it is Tertullian wrestling with the relationship of Greek philosophy and Christian theology, the three Cappadocians (not a musical group) doing fine thinking about the nature of the Trinity, or Athanasius meeting the Arian challenge in his work on the incarnation, we owe these believers a great debt.
This book includes biographies of each of these theologians (Irenaus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Three Cappadocians, Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas). Following this, each chapter gives a summary of their theological contribution, often with extensive selections of their writing. This particularly made me want to read more of Tertullian and Anselm, particularly Cur Deus Homo. Each chapter concludes with an appraisal of their work and its contemporary relevance. Particularly helpful for me was the nuanced appraisal of Origin, likely the most controversial on this list. We see his love of scripture and passion for holiness and the grandeur of God, as well as his questionable understanding of the Trinity and the atonement.
This book serves as a good introduction to some of the most significant church fathers and the bibliographies provide many resources for further study.
This book includes biographies of each of these theologians (Irenaus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Three Cappadocians, Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas). Following this, each chapter gives a summary of their theological contribution, often with extensive selections of their writing. This particularly made me want to read more of Tertullian and Anselm, particularly Cur Deus Homo. Each chapter concludes with an appraisal of their work and its contemporary relevance. Particularly helpful for me was the nuanced appraisal of Origin, likely the most controversial on this list. We see his love of scripture and passion for holiness and the grandeur of God, as well as his questionable understanding of the Trinity and the atonement.
This book serves as a good introduction to some of the most significant church fathers and the bibliographies provide many resources for further study.
Read
January 11, 2011Intervarsity Press is doing a wonderful work for Christians with their commitment to bringing the writings of the ancients to us. Among these is an introduction to some early and medieval theologians that is called “Shapers of Christian Orthodoxy”.
This book covers the life, thought, writings, and theology of Inenaeu, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Cappadocians, Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas.
The contributors are honest about the ones of whom they write. They show their great contributions to Christian theology, and they also show their errors. What I appreciated was that they seemed to deal fairly with some who have not been fairly dealt with. I am speaking specifically of Tertullian and Origen. Though not without their failures, these two are certainly rehabilitated through an examination of their lives and writings. Thankfully, we can find that they were not as bad as many of us have been told.
In a time when the church is adrift theologically and many evangelicals fear the ancients, this book is a welcome help to those who are serious about Christian doctrine from an ancient perspective.
This review copy provided freely by IVP with no expectation or demand of a positive review.
This book covers the life, thought, writings, and theology of Inenaeu, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, The Cappadocians, Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas.
The contributors are honest about the ones of whom they write. They show their great contributions to Christian theology, and they also show their errors. What I appreciated was that they seemed to deal fairly with some who have not been fairly dealt with. I am speaking specifically of Tertullian and Origen. Though not without their failures, these two are certainly rehabilitated through an examination of their lives and writings. Thankfully, we can find that they were not as bad as many of us have been told.
In a time when the church is adrift theologically and many evangelicals fear the ancients, this book is a welcome help to those who are serious about Christian doctrine from an ancient perspective.
This review copy provided freely by IVP with no expectation or demand of a positive review.
September 16, 2014
Overall, this is a great entry point for further study. For the most part, the entries are well written. The accompanying bibliographies are especially useful. I was not to keen on the Aquinas chapter. Aquinas was closer to Paul than Augustine? Oh brother!
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