Who is st irenaeus

The persecution was sporadic, mostly instigated by the common people. Their customs and traditions, however, were very different and changed from place to place. No one knows for sure how long the Christian communities had been in Gaul when Irenaeus arrived there. It appears that they were already there around the middle of the second century—mostly immigrants from Asia Minor.

Even the year of his birth has been disputed. He might have been born around A. Gnosticism from the word gnosis , meaning knowledge is a term of convenience used by later historians. The various tendencies under this umbrella had one thing in common: a desire for higher knowledge.

As such, they were already mentioned in New Testament warnings by Paul especially in the Epistle to the Colossians , John in his first epistle , and Jude. Most likely, Irenaeus encountered Gnostics when he traveled to Rome, which at that time had a population of over a million people from all over the known world.

He was particularly acquainted with a group known as Valentinians, who were part of the widespread phenomena we today refer to as Gnosticism. Irenaeus took time to study Gnostic writings and to talk to Gnostics in person. At the encouragement of a friend, Irenaeus wrote his reflections in a series of five books, which he titled The Refutation and Overthrowal of Knowledge Falsely So-Called today known as Against Heresies , a project he continued for a number of years, between A.

He might have started writing before moving to southeastern Gaul, where he served as presbyter or bishop, since the two words were used interchangeably.

He mostly operated in Vienne and Lyon, two cities about 20 miles from each other. It was a prosperous region, particularly important as a center of trade and Celtic religious rites. Every year, Lyon hosted a meeting of the 60 tribes from the area and a popular festival in honor of the sun god Lugh equivalent of the Roman Mercury. It was just before this festival, in , that the Lyonnaise attacked the Christians.

Irenaeus was probably in Rome, where he had been sent to carry a letter to Bishop Eleutherius and discuss the controversial teachings of Montanus in Asia Minor. When he returned, the questions facing Irenaeus were urgent and complex. While the faith of some survivors had been strengthened through the persecution, many others were wearied by the struggle.

Beyond the threat of violence from those who still followed traditional Roman beliefs, Irenaeus had to address heresy within the church. Gnosticism, in its various forms, had encouraged people to look for higher knowledge and a more sophisticated understanding of Christian belief than what the apostles and the local churches could offer.

While adherents organized themselves in separate communities, they often gained a hearing within the churches. The Gnostic message had a wide appeal. First of all, the prospect of obtaining a higher, secret knowledge is always tempting. Second, Gnosticism provided a plausible explanation of the problem of evil as the result of the impulsive and vindictive whims of an inferior god, and this struggle between two deities made sense.

They could in good conscience accept the demands of the Roman government and escape persecution. For Irenaeus, the main problem with Gnosticism was that it was not historical Christianity. To them, salvation was obtained through enlightenment and was only available to a chosen few. These he contrasted with the teaching of the apostles and the text of Holy Scripture, giving us, in five books, a system of theology of great importance to subsequent times.

Moreover, his work, widely used and translated into Latin and Armenian, gradually ended the influence of the Gnostics. The circumstances and details about his death, like those of his birth and early life in Asia Minor, are not at all clear.

The words of St. Polycarp, who had known John the Evangelist, left a lasting impression on Irenaeus. Irenaeus quickly earned the respect of the local clergy and eventually became the second Bishop of Lyons. A period of peace allowed Bishop Irenaeus time to pursue his pastoral duties and to encourage missionary work in the surrounding towns of Gaul.

It also allowed Irenaeus time to write. A prolific writer, most of his work has been lost; h owever, two remain. Some areas liked John while other areas might prefer Matthew or Mark or Luke.