The Ante-Nicene Period of early Christianity was the era following the Apostolic Age of the 1st century down to the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. During this time, the Church was subjected to severe persecutions from without, and damaging heresies from within. As Christianity spread westward, the life of the Christian Church became molded by Roman methods of government, law and order, a process that resulted in Catholicism, and paved the way for Christianity to become the official state religion. During the Apostolic Era, there was no special priesthood, or separation of Christians into clergy and laity. Apostles, prophets, teachers and other gifted men were on the same spiritual level as the average Christian, all having access to God through faith. By the close of the first Christian century, a change occurred in the Church. Christians began to desire a more specific order, and safeguards against heresy. The Church began to elect leaders, to adopt rules of conduct beyond those taught by Christ and the Apostles. A class of Christians known as clergy began to form. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries, another change occurred. Rather than government by a group of elders, local churches began to be headed by single officials, usually known as bishops. The bishop alone had a right to preach, teach and administer the Sacraments. Every church was required to have a bishop, and every Christian was under a bishop. The prominent leaders of the Church during this period were known as the Ante-Nicene Fathers, and ten volumes of their writings were collected and translated into several languages. The Ante-Nicene Fathers agreed on most doctrinal issues, while early Christian writers who disagreed with the majority were considered heretical. The Ante-Nicene Fathers tried to stay true to the gospel, but they had to deal with several spurious writings claiming to have the same weight as the established writings of Paul, Peter and Luke.
Feature Article
Who Were The Ante-Nicene Fathers & Why Were They Important?
The New Testament that we read today is based on the original Greek text,
based on a large number of ancient manuscripts. None of these manuscripts
were originals, and the large majority of them are copies of copies. While
they were derived from the originals, errors are sure to occur in the
process of copying, particularly since it had to be done by hand.
The Greek New Testament was published for the first time in written form
in the 16th
century. Erasmus of Rotterdam established his text from a handful of
manuscripts dating from the later Middle
Ages, some of which were later found to be inferior. As he was
lacking portions of the text, he re-translated them from the current Latin
versions. The leaders of the Protestant
Reformation used his version to produce vernacular translations
of their own.
It wasn't until the 19th
century that a number of superior manuscripts became available,
dating from the 4th and 5th centuries, earlier than what had been
available previously.
The evidence of the earlier manuscripts have demonstrated that, while
there were surely errors in earlier translations, few major doctrinal
issues were in dispute between translations, although there are always
issues of interpretation.
However, there are no original manuscripts from any Biblical author, even
outside of those that were included in the canon. While there are several
extra-biblical manuscripts, some claiming apostolic authorship, none of
these are original manuscripts either, and actual authorships are in
doubt.
Questions of interpretation might be answered by those who knew, or
studied under the apostles, by those who were members of the original
church, and those in the first generations of the Christian
church, many of whom have published works relating to their
understanding of the Scriptures and the life of the early church. These
people are known as the ante-Nicene Fathers.
The ante-Nicene Fathers are those who came after the apostles, up until
the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325. Their testimonies are important because
many, such as Clement of Rome and Polycarp, were personally acquainted
with the apostles of Jesus.
Others were approved by the apostles, and appointed to positions of
leadership in the church by the apostles.
It is largely through their published writings that we know who wrote the
various New Testament documents, how the Christian canon came into being,
and the way in which the early church interpreted the New Testament
scriptures.
The ante-Nicene Fathers were the leaders of the early Christian church,
leading the church after the time of the apostles, and they wrote volumes,
much of which has survived until today.
The ante-Nicene Fathers were, in alphabetical order:
- Alexander of Alexandria
- Apollonarius
- Archelaus
- Aristides
- Aristo of Pella
- Arius
- Arnobius
- Athenagoras
- Bardesanes
- Caius
- Clement of Rome
- Clement of Alexandria
- Cyprian
- Dionysius of Alexandria
- Dionysius of Corinth
- Dionysius of Rome
- Eusebius
- Firmilian
- Hegesippus
- Hermas
- Hippolytus
- Ignatius
- Irenaeus
- Julius Africanus
- Justin Martyr
- Lactantius
- Manes
- Marcion
- Mark Minucius Felix
- Melito
- Methodius
- Montanus
- Novatian
- Origen
- Papias
- Polycarp
- Polycrates
- Tatian
- Tertullian
- Theonas
- Theophilus
- Trypho
- Victorinus
It is important to understand that, much like the leaders of the church
today, the ante-Nicene Fathers did not always agree, and their collected
works include writings in opposition to one another.
Some of the men who are included among the ante-Nicene Fathers were, in
fact, later condemned as heretics. Still, it is from these men that we are
able to know the way in which the early Christians lived, as well as the
issues that were important to them.
Recommended Resources
All About Religion: Polycarp - Martyrdom
An introduction and overview of Polycarp, a pupil of the Apostle John, and Ante-Nicene Father, are presented here, along with the story of his martyrdom at the hands of the Romans. The life and death of Polycarp is related, and used as a symbol of the truth of Jesus Christ. A video on the life of Polycarp is included. On other pages, some of the early Church Fathers are named.
http://www.polycarp.net/
Bible Study Tools: Ante-Nicene Fathers
Writings of several of the early Church Fathers, from the 1st century to the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, are presented here. Included is an introductory notice and preface, the Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, the Fathers of the 2nd century, Latin Christianity, the Fathers of the 3rd and 4th centuries, and recently discovered additions to early Christian literature.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/history/early-church-fathers/ante-nicene/
Early Christian Writings: Church Fathers
Biographical information, the text of their writings, and other references are put forth for early Church Fathers and apologists of the 1st and 2nd centuries, which includes those known as the Apostolic Fathers as well as the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Includes are Justin Martyr, Hegesippus, Dionysius of Corinth, Irenaeus of Lyons, Theophilus of Caesarea, Theophilus of Antioch, Clement of Alexandria, and others.
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/churchfathers.html
Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers
Arranged by Philip Schaff, this is part of a 38-volume collection of writings from the first eight hundred years of the church. This section features the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, who include Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, Tatian, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, Hippolytus, Cyprian, Novatian, Julius Africanus, Venantius and others, as well as recently discovered additions.
http://www.bible.ca/history/fathers/
Fourth Century Christianity: Ante-Nicene Fathers
Maintained by Wisconsin Lutheran College and Asia Lutheran Seminary, a listing of authors and works contained in the Ante-Nicene Fathers collection of writings are listed, including a bibliographic help page, information on several primary texts, and links to the full texts of their published works. Other resources include chronological charts and suggestions for further reading.
http://www.fourthcentury.com/ante-nicene-fathers/
New Advent: The Fathers of the Church
Compiled by Kevin Knight, the site features the text of the available writings of the early leaders of the Christian church, who were known as the Ante-Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Included are Alexander of Alexandria’s epistles on the Arian heresy and the deposition of Arius, Ambrose on the Christian faith, the Holy Spirit, and repentance, Arnobius against the heathen, and a statement of faith from Athanasius.
http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/
The site suggests a reading plan, whereby in reading seven pages a day of the Early Church Fathers, a participant can study this vast library of theology, history, apologetics, biblical commentary, and devotion from the people who led the Christian church during the first seven centuries, which would include the Apostolic Fathers, the Ante-Nicene Fathers, and the Post-Nicene Fathers. A daily reading is presented, which would allow someone to complete their writings in seven years.
http://readthefathers.org/
Featured is a collection of ancient and modern writings about the Ante-Nicene Father, Tertullian, including the text of his surviving works, along with comments and the writings of other Ante-Nicene Fathers and some of those who they wrote against, including the Montanists and the Tertullianists. Also featured is a bibliography, links to online articles, and a selection of quotations.
http://www.tertullian.org/
The Early Church Fathers include three categories of church leaders: The Apostolic Fathers, the Ante-Nicene Fathers, and the Post-Nicene Fathers, each of which are discussed here, along with Mary and the Saints, as well as information about the sacraments, salvation, scripture and tradition, the church, and the papacy. A link to a site containing the English translations of their writings is included.
http://www.churchfathers.org/
Voice of the Ante-Nicene Fathers
Created by Russell Jones, a Biblical apologist, the site features articles and web links to further information about the views that were held during the first three hundred years of the Early Church, through the writings of Church elders and teachers who became known as the Ante-Nicene Fathers. These were the people who led the Church before the Catholic Church was established, and before the church hierarchy was formed, the idea being that this might be a better model for the Church today.
http://www.votanf.com/
