What does Patristic mean?

This word identifies with the period of the Early Church. Many academicians date it from the conclusion of the New Testament writings to somewhere around 600 A.D., with many subcategories there within. Orthodoxy was founded in this period of theological history. The doctrines which are central to Christianity (those without which the Christian faith does not exist) were all articulated in dogmatic, eccumenical creeds which were formulated within this timeframe.

This era also is where the apostolic tradition began. The succession of Christendom (often called Petrine primacy) plays itself out in the Patristic period. Therefore, those who give a high place to the role of tradition in the authority of the Church and its doctrine (which all Christians should) pay close attention to the writings of the Fathers, whose names are too numerable to mention. It is in this way that I’m using the term here.

That is to say, in my posts, I intend to take my own thoughts and seek to bring them in line with the Fathers. Furthemore, I hope to demonstrate in my posts that every doctrine central essential to Christianity (doctrines which divide the Christian faith from the pagan religions) was formulated within the eccumenical councils of the Patristic Era. This is not to say that the Fathers are infallible. I’m just saying that we should take them a lot more seriously than most do (especially evangelicals of a “low-church” background such as myself).

Of particular interest in this era were the nature of the Church, the doctrine of God (Trinitarianism), and the hypostatic union of Christ (the full diety and humanity of Jesus). These are two doctrines which were articulated extremely well (inerrantly?) in the Creeds of Nicaea and Chalcedon, respectively. My position is that all Christians who are truly saved believe in the material of these Creeds, whether they know it or not. I am not saying that all Christians must recite the Creeds, or understand the content of the Creeds. On the contrary, what I am saying is that if their faith is contrary to these Creeds, their faith is not Christian. It is, instead, heretical and un-Christian, becuase the Church has said so, with one voice, for all Christian history. Any positions that are anti-creedal are heretical and unorthodox, and this person should not be called “Christian.” The term “Christian” has been defined, and it includes these creedal beliefs.

One of the reasons these truths are so precious is becuase an appreciation for Patristic theology allows for true Christian unity. This is the eccumenical spirit that we so desparately need today - dividing only when necessary - that is, when the essance of Christianity is at stake.

So, this is what “Patristic” means, as it will be used in this blog.  If I’ve peaked  your interest, take some time to read more on Patristic theology at Creeds of Christendom.