Patristics

From Monachos Patristic Quotations Index

Patristics (from the Greek πατηρ, 'father') is the study of the writings of early Christian writers, commonly referred to as the Church Fathers. It is considered a branch of theology, and often of specifically historical theology. At times 'patrology' is heard in its stead, though this technically refers specifically to the study of the persons of the Church Fathers themselves, while 'patristics' refers more broadly to the life, thought, theology and history of the whole patristic era.

Defining the 'Patristic era'

The genre is generally considered to run from the end of New Testament times (c. AD 100) until around the eighth century - though the terminal date of the patristic period is interpreted in widely varying terms. In terms of the Orthodox Church's theology, the 'patristic period' is ongoing, as the Church is ever guided and instructed by those it would call its fathers and mothers. However, for the sake of categorizing time-periods for study, the patristic era generally covers the second to ninth centuries AD.

Within this broad timeframe, the writings of the Church Fathers (and the ecclesiastical writers in general) are generally divided into various broad categories. The most common division takes the Council of Nicaea as a fulcrum, and organises the writings of the Fathers into:

• The ante-Nicene, those who lived and wrote before the Council of Nicaea (AD 325)
• The Nicene and post-Nicene Fathers, those who lived and wrote after this first ecumenical council

Linguistic classifications

In addition, the division of the fathers into Greek and Latin writers is also common, though this type of division seems to be more commonplace in Western patrology - and in the early periods especially, is prone to difficulties. Examples of Greek Fathers include Justin Martyr and Cyril of Alexandria; and of Latin Fathers Tertullian of Carthage and Ambrose of Milan.

The nature of patristic study

Apart from simply the histories and writings of the Church Fathers, the study of patristics involves examining the contexts in which they lived and wrote, questions about texts and authenticity, influences and interrelationships, sources, ecclesastical and ecclesiological questions, and a host of other subjects related to the field.