The Apostolic Fathers

By studying the Apostolic Fathers, I aspired to learn more about the theology of Apostles’ first students and those students explained the orthodox Christian theology. I wished to compare my current theological convictions as a Protestant with the theology of the Apostolic Fathers. Effectively, I hope to see how the Apostolic Fathers defined and defended Orthodox Christianity.

Before studying the Apostolic Fathers, I expected a couple of things from the Apostolic Fathers; first, I expected mostly heavily doctrinal exhortations that reflected the theology of the Apostolic Churches (the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church) and a lot of apologetics against popular heresies at the time.

From December 25th, 2021, to January 10th, 2022, I studied the English translation of the Apostolic Fathers by Rick Brannan. As I studied the Apostolic Fathers, I underlined sections and wrote questions concerning the underlined passages off to the side as I also noted some confusing content. These questions will be mentioned in the following sections with their corresponding references.

1. God gives regenerate grace to all? (1 Clement 7:5, p. 16)

2. What scripture? (1 Clement 23:3, p. 28)

3. TaNaK is the Old Testament canon? (1 Clement 28:3, p. 31)

4. Justification from works? (1 Clement 30:3)

5. Initial justification comes from faith? (1 Clement 31:2)

6. Initial justification comes from faith? (1 Clement 32:4, p. 33)

7. Apostolic succession? (1 Clement 42:4, p. 40)

8. Apostolic succession? (1 Clement 44:1-2, p. 41)

9. Biblical infallibility? (1 Clement 45:2, p. 42)

10. Inspiration of the New Testament? (1 Clement 47:1-3, p. 44)

11. Earliest New Testament quotation? (2 Clement 2:4, p. 57)

12. Reference to non-canonical gospel? (2 Clement 4:5, p. 58)

13. Reference to a heretical gospel? (2 Clement 12:2, p 64)

14. Egalitarianism? (2 Clement 12:5, p. 64)

15. Lordship salvation? (2 Clement 19:3, p. 69)

16. A vicar of Christ? (Ignatius to the Ephesians Prologue, p. 71)

17. Perfectionism? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 1:1, p. 71)

18. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 4:1, p. 72)

19. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 5, p. 73)

20. The Pope is the Vicar of Christ? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 6:1, p. 73)

21. Mary is the Mother of God? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 7:2, p. 74)

22. The Eucharist given at every service? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 13:1, p. 76)

23. Lordship salvation? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 14:2, p. 78)

24. Salvation is loseable? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 14:2, p. 78)

25. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Ephesians 20:2, p. 81)

26. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Magnesians 2, p. 84)

27. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Magnesians 3, p. 84)

28. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Magnesians 7, p. 86)

29. The Sabbath is not the Lord’s day? (Ignatius to the Magnesians 9:1, p. 87)

30. Supersessionism? (Ignatius to the Magnesians 10:3, p. 88)

31. Salvation is loseable? (Ignatius to the Magnesians 11, p. 88)

32. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Magnesians 13:2, p. 89)

33. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Trallians 2:1-2, p. 91)

34. The Pope is the Vicar of Christ? (Ignatius to the Trallians 3:1, p. 92)

35. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Trallians 7, p. 94)

36. Ascholasticism? (Ignatius to the Trallians 8:2, p. 94)

37. Ascholasticism? (Ignatius to the Trallians 9:1, p. 95)

38. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Trallians 13:2, p. 96)

39. Real presence of the Eucharist? (Ignatius to the Romans 6:3, p. 101)

40. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Philadelphians 3:2-3, p. 104)

41. No salvation outside of the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Philadelphians 7:2, p. 106)

42. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Philadelphians 8:1, p. 106)

43. Real presence of the Eucharist? (Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 7:1, p. 112)

44. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 8, p. 113)

45. No salvation outside the Catholic Church? (Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans 9:1, p. 113)

46. Homosexuality is a sin? (Polycarp to the Philippians 5:3, p. 125)

47. Sodomy is a sin? (Didache 2:1, p. 132)

48. Abortion is a sin? (Didache 2:1, p. 132)

49. Credobaptism? (Didache 7:1, p. 135)

50. Baptism only in the trinitarian formula? (Didache 7:1, p. 135)

51. Baptism by immersion preferred? (Didache 7:1, p. 135)

52. Baptism by pouring permissible? (Didache 7:3, p. 135)

53. Only those baptized take communion? (Didache 9:5, p. 136)

54. Weekly communion? (Didache 14:1-2, p. 139)

55. Salvation is loseable? (Barnabas 2:10, p. 143)

56. Supersessionism? (Barnabas 4:6-8, p. 144)

57. Synergism? (Barnabas 4:14, p. 146)

58. All sodomy is a sin? (Barnabas 10:7-8, p. 155)

59. Old Earth Creationism? (Barnabas 15:3-5, p. 162)

60. Christians rest on the eighth day of the week? (Barnabas 15:8-9, p. 162)

61. Abortion is a sin? (Barnabas 19:5, p. 165)

62. Reference to the Sibylline Oracles? (Shepherd of Hermas 8:1, p. 173)

63. Reference to Purgatory? (Shepherd of Hermas 15:5-6, p. 180)

64. Apostasy is possible? (Shepherd of Hermas 72:4, p. 231)

65. Free-grace theology? (Shepherd of Hermas 75:1-3, p. 233)

66. Apostasy is possible? (Shepherd of Hermas 90:7-9, p. 247)

67. Prevenient grace? (Shepherd of Hermas 92:3, p. 248)

68. Apostolic succession? (Shepherd of Hermas 107:1-3, p. 257)

69. Earliest Christians referred to as atheists? (Martyrdom of Polycarp 3:2, p. 265)

70. Earliest Christians referred to as atheists? (Martyrdom of Polycarp 9:2, p. 268)

71. Can this mean there is an invisible catholic church? (Diognetus 6:3-4, p. 282)

Very close to my expectations, the Apostolic Fathers very clearly seemed to support doctrines associated with the Apostolic Churches today. Although the core focus is not on doctrine for the majority of the works, the epistles push for following the bishops, that outside of the Catholic Church there is no salvation, and apostolic succession. Besides this, there seems to be prominent support of lordship salvation, synergistic soteriology, and the Pope being the Vicar of Christ (though there are passages that might seem to say otherwise). All in all, the epistles indubitably hold to what has been considered Orthodox Christianity throughout the ages (e.g. the Trinity, the Hypostatic Union, the Incarnation, a Bodily Death and Resurrection, a Future Resurrection)