Irenaeus

Irenaeus
Irenaeus
Influences	Clement, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Papias, Polycarp, The Shepherd of Hermas
Influenced	Agapius, Augustine, Basil the Great, Epiphanius, Hippolytus, Tertullian

Saint

Irenaeus of Lyon
Saint; Irenaeus of Lyon
Doctor of the Church
	20th-century Greek icon depicting Saint Irenaeus
Diocese	Lyon
See	Lyon
Predecessor	Pothinus
Successor	Zechariah
Orders
Ordination	by Polycarp
Personal details
Born	c. 130 AD; Smyrna, Asia, Roman Empire
Died	c. 202 AD; Lugdunum, Gallia Lugdunensis, Roman Empire
Sainthood
Feast day	June 28 (Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, Orthodox Church); August 23 (Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches);; Monday after fourth Sunday of the Exaltation of the Cross (Armenian Apostolic Church)
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Catholicism; Assyrian Church of the East; Eastern Orthodox Church; Lutheran Church; Oriental Orthodox Church; Anglican Communion
Title as Saint	Bishop, Martyr, Bishop of Lyons, Teacher of the Faith and Doctor of the Church.
	Theology career
Notable work	Against Heresies
	Theological work
Era	Patristic Age
Language	Greek
Tradition or movement	Trinitarianism
Main interests	Theodicy, millennialism
Notable ideas	Irenaean theodicy; Recapitulation theory of atonement

Irenaeus (/ɪrɪˈneɪəs/; Greek: Εἰρηναῖος Eirēnaios; c. 130 – c. 202 AD)^[4] was a Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in the southern regions of present-day France and, more widely, for the development of Christian theology by combating heterodox or Gnostic interpretations of Scripture as heresy and defining proto-orthodoxy. Originating from Smyrna, he had seen and heard the preaching of Polycarp,^[5] who in turn was said to have heard John the Evangelist,^[6] and thus was the last-known living connection with the Apostles.

Chosen as bishop of Lugdunum, now Lyon, his best-known work is Against Heresies, often cited as Adversus Haereses, a refutation of gnosticism, in particular that of Valentinus.^[7] To counter the doctrines of the gnostic sects claiming secret wisdom, he offered three pillars of orthodoxy: the scriptures, the tradition handed down from the apostles, and the teaching of the apostles' successors.^[7]^[8]^[9] He is the earliest surviving witness to regard all four of the now-canonical gospels as essential.^[10]

He is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, which celebrates his feast on 28 June,^[11] and in the Eastern Orthodox Churches, which celebrates the feast on 23 August.

Irenaeus is honored in the Church of England and in the Episcopal Church on 28 June.^[12]^[13] Pope Francis declared Irenaeus the 37th Doctor of the Church on 21 January 2022.^[14]

^ Domar: the calendrical and liturgical cycle of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church Armenian Orthodox Theological Research Institute, 2002, p. 513-14
^ Against Heresies 5.28.4
^ Altaner, Bertold (1949), “Augustinus und Irenäus”. Theologische Quartalschrift, 129: 162–172.
^ Jurgens 1970, p. 84.
^ Eusebius 1890, Book V Chapter 5.
^ Poncelet 1910.
^ ^a ^b Cross & Livingstone 2005, p. 852.
^ Durant 1972.
^ Wingren n.d.
^ Brown 1997, p. 14.
^ Cite error: The named reference CalRom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference CofE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018. Church Publishing, Inc. 17 December 2019. ISBN 978-1-64065-235-4.
^ "Decreto del Santo Padre per il conferimento del titolo di Dottore della Chiesa a Sant'Ireneo di Lione". Press.vatican.va. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.

[1] Domar: the calendrical and liturgical cycle of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church Armenian Orthodox Theological Research Institute, 2002, p. 513-14

[2] Against Heresies 5.28.4

[3] Altaner, Bertold (1949), “Augustinus und Irenäus”. Theologische Quartalschrift, 129: 162–172.

[FOOTNOTEJurgens197084-4] Jurgens 1970, p. 84.

[FOOTNOTEEusebius1890[httpswwwnewadventorgfathers250105htm_Book_V_Chapter_5]-5] Eusebius 1890, Book V Chapter 5.

[FOOTNOTEPoncelet1910-6] Poncelet 1910.

[FOOTNOTECrossLivingstone2005852-7] Cross & Livingstone 2005, p. 852.

[FOOTNOTEDurant1972-8] Durant 1972.

[FOOTNOTEWingrenn.d.-9] Wingren n.d.

[FOOTNOTEBrown199714-10] Brown 1997, p. 14.

[CalRom-11] Cite error: The named reference CalRom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[CofE-12] Cite error: The named reference CofE was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[13] Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018. Church Publishing, Inc. 17 December 2019. ISBN 978-1-64065-235-4.

[14] "Decreto del Santo Padre per il conferimento del titolo di Dottore della Chiesa a Sant'Ireneo di Lione". Press.vatican.va. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.

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Irenaeus
Influences	Clement, Ignatius,^[2] Justin Martyr, Papias, Polycarp, The Shepherd of Hermas
Influenced	Agapius, Augustine,^[3] Basil the Great, Epiphanius, Hippolytus, Tertullian