List of Church Fathers

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The following is a list of Christian Church Fathers. Roman Catholics generally regard the Patristic period to have ended with the death of John of Damascus in 749.[ citation needed ] However, Orthodox Christians believe that the Patristic period is ongoing.[ citation needed ] Therefore, the list is split into two tables. It should also be noted that certain Church Fathers in the following list may only be considered as such based on the denomination they belonged to (ex. Martin Luther).

Contents

Until John of Damascus

Church Father Date of deathNotes
Adrian the monk of Antioch 5th Century (estimate) [1] wrote a manual on the Antiochene method of Scriptural exegesis [2]
Agrippa Castor [3] 2nd century
Alexander of Alexandria [4] 326 or 328 
Alexander of Jerusalem [5] 251
Alexander of Lycopolis [6] 4th century 
Ambrose of Milan [7] 397one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church; strongly opposed Arianism
Ammonius of Alexandria [8] 3rd century
Amphilochius of Iconium [2] [4] 403 or earlier 
Ananias of Shirak [4] [9] 685wrote a work on Christmas and one on Easter
Anastasius of Sinai [2] [4] 7th century 
Andrew of Caesarea [2] 637commented on the Apocalypse
Andrew of Crete [4] 712, 726, or 740author of the 250-strophe Great Canon
Anthony the Great [2] 356 
Aphraates 345 Mesopotamian bishop who authored 23 homilies [2]
Apollinaris of Hierapolis [10] between 177-180 
Apollinaris of Laodicea [6] [11] 382 
Apollinaris the Elder [11] 4th century
Apollonius of Ephesus [12] after 210 
Apringius of Beja 6th centurycommented on the Apocalypse [13]
Archelaus (bishop of Carrhae)  3rd century (early)supposedly a bishop of Carchar who wrote against Manichaeism
Aristides the Athenian [2] [4] 134 
Aristo of Pella [2] 160 
Arnobius of Sicca [2] 330author of Against the Heathen
Arnobius the Younger [14] 460
Arsenius the Great 445 
Asterius of Amasea [4] 410wrote sermons on morality including topics like divorce and covetousness, and the parables of Jesus Christ
Athanasius the Great of Alexandria [15] 373one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church
Athenagoras of Athens [2] 190wrote in defense of the resurrection of the dead [4]
Atticus [2] 420s 
Augustine of Hippo 430one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church (Doctor Gratiae)
Aurelius of Carthage [7] 429
Aurelius Prudentius [2] [4] 413commented on the Psalms [16]
Ausonius [ citation needed ]395 
Avitus of Vienne [2] 518author of the five-book poem De spiritualis historiae gestis; converted King Sigismund; combated Arianism
Barnabas [4] 061wrote a single Epistle
Barsanuphius of Palestine [17] 540 
Basil the Great of Caesarea 379one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church and one of the Three Holy Hierarchs; father of monachism
Bede [2] 735 Doctor of the Church and author of Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Benedict of Nursia [2] [4] 547best known for the Rule of St Benedict
Boethius [4] 520sauthor of Consolation of Philosophy
Braulio of Zaragoza 651commented on the Psalms [16]
Caesarius of Arles [2] 542commented on the Apocalypse
Caius 3rd century 
Cassiodorus [2] [4] 585 
Chromatius [4] 407wrote sermons on the Gospel of Matthew
Clement of Alexandria 215 
Clement of Rome 099 
Coelius Sedulius [2] 5th century 
Columba of Iona [2] [4] 597 
Commodianus 3rd century 
Cyprian of Carthage [2] 258 
Cyril of Alexandria 444 Doctor of the Church (Doctor Incarnationis) combated the Nestorian heresy
Cyril of Jerusalem 386 Doctor of the Church who wrote thorough instructions to catechumens and baptized Christians [2]
Pope Damasus I 384 
Didymus the Blind [2] 398teacher of Jerome and Rufinus; follower of Origen; opponent of Arianism and the Macedonian heresy; works condemned at the Fifth Ecumenical Council and the Sixth Ecumenical Council
Diodore of Tarsus [2] 390 
Dionysius of Corinth [2] 2nd century 
Pope Dionysius of Rome [2] 268combated Sabellianism
Dionysius the Areopagite 096Secular scholars attribute writings in his name to Pseudo-Dionysius.
Pope Dionysius the Great of Alexandria 265 
Ephrem the Syrian 373 Doctor of the Church
Epiphanius of Salamis 403friend of Jerome who strongly opposed Origenism and wrote a history of heresies
Eucherius of Lyon [2] [4] 449 
Eugippius [9] 535 
Eusebius of Caesarea 339 
Eusebius of Emesa 360commented on Genesis [18]
Eusebius of Vercelli [2] 371 
Firmilian [2] 269 
Fulgentius of Ruspe 527 or 533 
Gaius Marius Victorinus 4th centurycombated Arianism [2]
Gennadius of Massilia [2] 496 
Pope Gregory I the Great 604one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church and author of Dialogues
Gregory of Nazianzus 389one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church; one of three Orthodox saints honored with the title "The Theologian;" one of the Three Holy Hierarchs
Gregory of Nyssa 395 
Gregory of Tours [4] 594 
Gregory Thaumaturgus 270 
Hegesippus of Palestine [2] 180a Jewish convert who combated Gnosticism and Marcionism
Hermias [4] 3rd century 
Hesychius of Jerusalem 5th century 
Hilary of Poitiers 367 Doctor of the Church
Hippolytus of Rome [2] [4] 235 
Ignatius of Antioch 108 
Irenaeus 2nd (end of) or beginning of 3rd century 
Isaac of Nineveh 700ascetic author of many spiritual homilies who commented on the Psalms [16] and contributed significantly to Syrian piety; was not Christologically Nestorian [19]
Isidore of Pelusium 450author of 2000 letters dealing primarily with allegorical exegesis [2]
Isidore of Seville [2] [4] 636 Doctor of the Church
Jacob of Serugh [9] [16] [20] 521a.k.a. Mar Jacob
Jerome 420one of the Four Great Doctors of the Western Church
John Cassian [2] [20] 435 
John Chrysostom 407one of the Four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church and one of the Three Holy Hierarchs
John Climacus [20] 649 
John of Damascus 749 Doctor of the Church and author of An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith and ascetic and exegetical writings and hymns; Peter Lombard based his Four Books of Sentences on the works of John of Damascus and Thomas Aquinas based his Summa Theologica on Peter Lombard's Sentences
Julianus Pomerius [2] between 499-505author of De Vita Contemplativa concerning Christian sanctity
Julius Firmicus Maternus 4th century 
Justin Martyr 165 
Juvencus [2] 4th century 
Lactantius 325 
Pope Leo I the Great 461 Doctor of the Church
Leontius of Byzantium [2] 543 
Lucian of Antioch [2] 312 
Lucifer [2] 370combated Arianism and defended Athanasius at the Council of Milan in 354
Macarius of Alexandria [20] 395 
Macarius of Egypt [20] 391 
Malchion 3rd century?played key role in the deposition of Paul of Samosata
Marcus Minucius Felix [2] [20] 250author of Octavianus
Marius Mercator 451made a compilation on Nestorianism and another on Pelagianism [2]
Martin of Braga 580commented on the Psalms [16]
Martin of Tours [20] 397 
Mathetes 2nd century?author of an Epistle to Diognetus
Maximus of Turin [2] 465 
Maximus the Confessor [2] [20] 662 
Meletius of Antioch [20] 381 
Melito of Sardis 180author of an important sermon called On Pascha about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Methodius of Olympus [2] [20] 311combated Origenism
Moses of Chorene 490author of A History of Armenia
Nectarius of Constantinople [20] 397 
Nemesius 390
Nicetas of Remesiana 414the patron saint of Romania commented on the Psalms [16]
Nilus of Sinai 430 
Nonnus 5th century 
Novatian [2] 258commented on the Psalms [16]
Oecumenius 6th centuryauthor of the first extant Greek commentary on the Apocalypse [13]
Optatus 4th centurycombated Donatism [2]
Origen of Alexandria 254posthumously anathematized at Fifth Ecumenical Council (553)
Orosius [2] 418 
Pachomius [2] [20] 348Father of Christian cenobitic monasticism
Pacian of Barcelona [20] 391combated Novatianism
Palladius of Helenopolis [2] [20] 420s 
Pamphilus of Caesarea 309 
Pantaenus 200first to make the Catechetical school of Alexandria famous [2]
Papias [20] 163disciple of John the Evangelist and Ariston [2]
Patrick [20] 5th century 
Paulinus of Nola [20] 431 
Peter Chrysologus 450 Doctor of the Church
Pope Peter of Alexandria 311 
Philip the priest 5th Century (dates uncertain)Acquaintance of Jerome, [21] commented on the Book of Job
Philoxenus of Hierapolis [9] 6th centuryauthor of 13 ascetic discourses who combated Nestorianism, Manichaeism, and Marcionism
Poemen 450commented on the Psalms [16]
Polycarp 156Wrote a single Epistle to the Philippians
Proclus of Constantinople 440s 
Prohaeresius [2] 368 
Prosper of Aquitaine [2] 455 
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite 6th centuryauthor of The Divine Names, The Mystical Theology, The Celestial Hierarchy , The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and the non-extant Theological Outlines; quoted extensively in the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas
Quadratus of Athens [2] 129wrote a non-extant apology to Emperor Hadrian
Quodvultdeus [22] 453
Rabbula [9] [23] 435ascetic and energetic bishop of Edessa and ally of Cyril of Alexandria who opposed the heretical teachings of Nestorius
Rhodon after 192
Romanus the Melodist [23] 556
Sahdona 649commented on the Psalms [16]
Salvian [2] [23] 490sGallic author of On the government of God
Severian of Gabala between 408 and 425commented on Genesis [18] and the First and Second Epistle to the Corinthians
Severus of Antioch [9] [23] 538 
Sextus Julius Africanus [2] [20] 240 
Sidonius Apollinaris [2] [23] 489 
Socrates of Constantinople 439 
Sophronius of Jerusalem [23] 638 
Sozomen 450 
Sulpicius Severus [23] 425disciple and biographer of Martin of Tours and author of an Ecclesiastical History [2]
Synesius of Cyrene [2] [23] 414 
Tatian 185 
Tertullian 240died a Montanist, First of the Latin Fathers
Theodore of Mopsuestia [2] 428commented on Acts of the Apostles and the First and Second Epistle to the Corinthians
Theodoret of Cyrus 458continuator of Eusebius of Caesarea [2]
Theodotus of Ancyra 5th century 
Theophilus of Antioch [2] Between 183-185first writer known to have used the term Trinity to describe the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Theotimus 407 
Tichonius 390commented on the Apocalypse ; his seven principles of interpretation from his Book of Rules inspired Augustine of Hippo [13]
Tyrannius Rufinus 410friend of Jerome and continuator of Eusebius of Caesarea [2] who commented on the Psalms [16]
Valerian of Cimiez [7] 460commented on the Psalms [16]
Venantius Fortunatus 600 or 609wrote a poem on Easter
Victor of Antioch 5th century (late) to early 6th centurycontemporary of John Chrysostom, [24] commented on the Gospel of Mark [2]
Victor of Capua 554wrote the Codex Fuldensis
Victorinus of Pettau 303author of On the Creation of the World and a Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
Vincent of Lérins 450 
Zeno of Verona 371 
Pope Zephyrinus 217commented on the Psalms

After John of Damascus

Church Father Date of deathNotes
Athanasius the Athonite [4] 1003 
Gregory Palamas [25] 1359Pillar of Orthodoxy and defender of Hesychasm
Ishodad of Merv 9th centurycommented on the Book of Job
Innocent of Alaska 1879his The Way Into the Kingdom of Heaven is often used as an Orthodox catechism [4]
Mark of Ephesus [20] 1444Pillar of Orthodoxy
Martin Luther 1546Pillar of Lutheranism and Protestantism, writer of Book of Concord, and consider saint and reformer by Protestants
Nicholas Cabasilas [20] 1391 
Photius the Great [20] [25] 893Pillar of Orthodoxy and author of Bibliotheca
Symeon Metaphrastes [23] 10th century 
Symeon the New Theologian [25] 1022one of three Orthodox saints honored with the title "The Theologian"
Theodore the Studite 826 
Theophan the Recluse [23] 1894 

See also

Notes and references

  1. Martens, Peter W. (2013-04-01). "Adrian's Introduction to the Divine Scriptures and Greco-Roman Rhetorical Theory on Style". The Journal of Religion. 93 (2): 197–217. doi:10.1086/669208. ISSN   0022-4189. S2CID   170946143.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 Chapman, John (1909), Fathers of the Church, vol. I, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 2008-01-29
  3. "Agrippa Castor from the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia". McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia Online. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Steenberg, M.C. (2008), The Patristics Master List, Page 1 (A-I) , retrieved 2008-01-29
  5. "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Fathers of the Church". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  6. 1 2 "List of Church Fathers (by name)". christ.org.tw. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  7. 1 2 3 "List of Church Fathers (by name)". christ.org.tw. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  8. Curry, Smith, Clyde (200s). "Ammonius". Dictionary of African Christian Biography. Retrieved 2024-06-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pearse, Roger (2007), Early Church Fathers: Additional Texts , retrieved 2008-01-29
  10. Slade, Dr Darren M. (2020-07-08). "Lesser Known Christian Apoligist: Claudius Apollinaris of Hierapolis". GCRR. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  11. 1 2 Cross, F. L. CrossF L.; Livingstone, E. A. LivingstoneE A. (2009-01-01), Cross, F. L.; Livingstone, E. A. (eds.), "Apollinarius and Apollinarianism", The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780192802903.001.0001/acref-9780192802903-e-386, ISBN   978-0-19-280290-3 , retrieved 2024-06-20
  12. "Henry Wace: Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D., with an Account of the Principal Sects and Heresies. - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  13. 1 2 3 Weinrich, William C. (2005), Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament, vol. VIII: Revelation
  14. "List of Church Fathers (by name)". christ.org.tw. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  15. "List of Church Fathers (by name)". christ.org.tw. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Wesselschmidt, Quentin F. (2007), Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament, vol. VIII: Psalms 51-150
  17. "List of Church Fathers (by name)". christ.org.tw. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  18. 1 2 Sheridan, Mark (2002), Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament, vol. II: Genesis 12-50
  19. Arendzen, J.P. (1910), Isaac of Nineveh, vol. VIII, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 2008-01-31
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Steenberg, M.C. (2008), The Patristics Master List, Page 2 (J-P) , retrieved 2008-01-29
  21. Vicchio, Stephen J. (2006-10-04). Job in the Medieval World. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN   9781597525336.
  22. "List of Church Fathers (by name)". christ.org.tw. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Steenberg, M.C. (2008), The Patristics Master List, Page 3 (Q-Z) , retrieved 2008-01-29
  24. "Victor of Antioch from the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia". McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia Online. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
  25. 1 2 3 Azkoul, Dr. Fr. Michael, Who Is A Church Father?, archived from the original on July 30, 2009, retrieved 2008-01-30

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