
The Glory of the INCARNATION
The Church's Founder and Origin

The True followers and those who left as traitors.
Image | Name(s) | Birth | Death |
Role(s) |
Works |
Overview |
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St. Athanasius | c. 296 Alexandria, Egypt |
May 2/3,
373 Alexandria |
Bishop of Alexandria | On the Incarnation; Life of St. Anthony | Opponent of Arianism, defender of Nicene Christology; supporter of monasticism. |
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St. Augustine of Hippo; Aurelius Augustine; "The Doctor of Grace" |
354
Thagaste, N. Africa |
430
Hippo, N. Africa |
Bishop of Hippo, theologian | City of God; Confessions; On Free Will; On the Trinity; Handbook on Faith, Hope and Love | Developed orthodox doctrines of grace, original sin, soul, Trinity, the church. |
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Basil the Great | c.330 Cappadocia |
c.379 | Cappadocian father, monk, Bishop of Caesarea | Philocalia; On the Holy Spirit; Against Eunomius | Involved in Arian controversy. |
![]() | c. 150 | c. 215 | theologian; professor | Exhortations; Teachings; Miscellanies | Interpreted Christian teachings in the context of Greek philosophy. | |
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St. Clement of Rome; Clement I; Pope St. Clement | unknown | c. 101 | Bishop of Rome | 1 Clement | Considered fourth Pope by Catholics; might be mentioned in Php. 4:3. Probable author of 1 Clement, a letter once considered for the NT canon. |
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Gregory of Nazianzus | 329/30 Nazianzus in Cappadocia |
389/90 | Cappadocian father, monk, preacher | Five Theological Orations | Studied at Athens. Influenced outcome of Council of Constantinople (381) by his eloquent preaching. |
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Gregory of Nyssa | c. 330 Cappadocia |
c. 395 Constantinople? |
Cappadocian father, Bishop of Nyssa, monk, preacher, theologian | Against Eunomius, Against Apollinarius, Catechetical Oration; On Virginity | Brother of St. Basil. Influenced by Platonism. |
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Ignatius of Antioch | unknown | c. 110 |
Bishop of Antioch | seven letters | Wrote letters on his way to be matryred; opposed Docetism. |
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Irenaeus of Lyons | c. 140 |
c. 200 France |
Bishop of Lyons | Against Heresies | Disciple of Polycarp. Developed idea of "recapitulation." Writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology. Against Heresies is a detailed description and refutation of Gnosticism. |
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Jerome |
c. 342
Slovenia |
420
Bethlehem |
scholar, theologian | Vulgate; Against Jovinian; Against Vigilantius; Commentaries | Translated Bible into Latin |
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Justin Martyr |
c. 100 Flavia Neapolis, Palestine [now Nabulus] |
c. 165 Rome, Italy (feast: June 1) |
apologist, philosopher | Apology; Dialogue with Trypho the Jew | A convert from paganism and Greek philosopher, Justin represents the first positive encounter between Christianity and Greek philosophy. |
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Origen of Alexandria; Origenes Adamantius |
c. 185 Alexandria |
c. 254 Caeserea or Tyre |
apologist, theologian, teacher | Against Celsus; Commentaries; Homilies | Taught universalism and preexistence of souls. Views condemned by Council in 533. |
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Tertullian |
160
Carthage |
220 | theologian, apologist | Against Praxeas; Apology; On the Soul | Coined theological terms such as trinity, person, substance; argued that faith and reason do not mix. "Father of Latin Theology." |