Irenaeus of Lyons
September 1, 2007
Irenaeus of Lyons
Influenced by Justin, Irenaeus too wrote against the Gnostics, particularly Marcion and Valentinus. His case rested on the unity of the Old and New Testaments which was apparent in the fulfilment of ancient prophecy and in the parallels between Adam and Christ in the writings of Paul. For Irenaeus, the plan for the new covenant was a recapitulation of the original creation. Adam was made in the image and likeness of God. As a result of that fall the likeness has been lost. In Christ, the Word assumed humanity and by faith in him, mankind may recover the lost likeness of God. Salvation was a restoration of the condition in paradise before the Fall.
For Irenaeus, error came in because mankind is growing to maturity. It was natural as immature children should make mistakes, and have their pride quenched. Salvation history is progressive education, culminating in the incarnation and the spread of the gospel throughout the whole world.
Also for Irenaeus, the need for a canon was important. In his writings, he quotes from all the New Testament books apart from 3 John, James and 2 Peter (although this is not to say he didn’t view them as canonical). Irenaeus gave reasoned statements for accepting some books and not others. Irenaeus answered the Valentinians, who claimed to be able to supplement the writings of the apostles with secret, unwritten traditions and additional gospels, by appealing to the churches of apostolic foundations. If the apostles had really taught what the Valentinians believed, he argued, they would have passed that knowledge on to the authorised teachers they set up in the churches, who in turn would have passed it on to those who oversaw the churches in the present day. This is the idea of apostolicity, and the foundation for a doctrine of apostolic succession. He looks in particular to Rome, although other churches (e.g. Ephesus or Corinth) would have proven his point. Moreover, the authentic faith will be identical throughout the world and the other churches will agree with what is taught at Rome. The church is a bastion of orthodoxy against the sects beaten this way and that by the winds of novelty, guaranteed by its ability to trace its succession of authoritative teachers back to the apostles, and by the consensus of believers throughout the world.
