Revisiting Irenaeus’ Philosophical Acumen
In: Vigiliae ChristianaeSearch for other papers by Anthony Briggman in
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Abstract
The primary place held by Scripture in the theology of Irenaeus of Lyons is beyond doubt. A number of scholars have pointed out, however, that Irenaeus also utilizes philosophy and rhetoric to his advantage. Despite the gains of this research there is a persistent tendency to trivialize Irenaeus’ philosophical and rhetorical ability. In this paper I argue against this tendency by calling more attention to the philosophical ability that Irenaeus displays. In the first place, I summarize the current state of scholarly opinion on the role of philosophy and rhetoric in Irenaeus’ thought. In the second, I illustrate Irenaeus’ use of philosophy by examining his comments in Against Heresies 3,24,2-3,25,5.
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Revisiting Irenaeus’ Philosophical Acumen
In: Vigiliae ChristianaeSearch for other papers by Anthony Briggman in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
The primary place held by Scripture in the theology of Irenaeus of Lyons is beyond doubt. A number of scholars have pointed out, however, that Irenaeus also utilizes philosophy and rhetoric to his advantage. Despite the gains of this research there is a persistent tendency to trivialize Irenaeus’ philosophical and rhetorical ability. In this paper I argue against this tendency by calling more attention to the philosophical ability that Irenaeus displays. In the first place, I summarize the current state of scholarly opinion on the role of philosophy and rhetoric in Irenaeus’ thought. In the second, I illustrate Irenaeus’ use of philosophy by examining his comments in Against Heresies 3,24,2-3,25,5.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 227 | 43 | 4 |
| Full Text Views | 86 | 3 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 39 | 6 | 1 |