Church History
11/18/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter X. Church Fathers, and Theological Literature." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2562-2700). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 161-180).
"§169. Epiphanius." (pp. 2614-2620).
Schaff dates Epiphanius as living from between 310 and 320 to 403 (Schaff 2014, p. 2615). He was born in Palestine, becoming a Christian about the age of 16. In 367 he was elected bishop of Salamis, in Cyprus (Schaff 2014, p. 2616). While in Cyprus he engaged in doctrinal controversies as a zealous defender of orthodoxy. Particularly, he opposed the teachings of Origen. Schaff considers his zealous stands not always to be adequately informed. However, his relentless hunt for heresy has inspired many others.
Though Epiphanius had a familiarity with five languages, he was not considered a master of them, nor was he broadly educated (Schaff 2014, p. 2617). However, his writings provide information about heresies as well as about patristic polemical practices. Schaff reviews his extant writings in brief. He identifies Epiphanius as a compiler of information more than someone who engaged in structured discursive arguments (Schaff 2014, p. 2618). His catalog of heresies is particularly valuable in this regard.
"§170. John Chrysostom." (pp. 2620-2629).
Since the seventh century, this John has been called Chrysostom, "the Golden-Mouthed" (Schaff 2014, p. 2621). He is highly regarded as an expositor and preacher. Born in 347 in Antioch, he was well trained, first by his mother, then by Libanius, who considered John his top scholar (Schaff 2014, p. 2622). John received three years of instruction in theology at Antioch, then considered adopting a monastic life (Schaff 2014, p. 2622). He was dissuaded in this by his mother until her death. John then spent six years in study and solitude in the mountains near Antioch, enjoying the fellowship of men such as Diodorus and Theodore of Mopsuestia.
John's ascetic life created health problems, which brought him back to Antioch about 380, where he was made a deacon, then a presbyter (Schaff 2014, p. 2623). During this time in Antioch he was active in writing homilies, commentaries, and other works. In 397 John was made patriarch of Constantinople. During this time, he made some overtures toward Origenist thought, which resulted in his banishment until his death in 407 (Schaff 2014, p. 2624). John used "simple, sober, grammatico-historical interpretation, in opposition to the arbitrary allegorizing of the Alexandrians" (Schaff 2014, p. 2624). His emphasis generally was on practical matters of piety (Schaff 2014, p. 2625). He was also noteworthy for his care for the poor and his life of simplicity. Schaff briefly reviews Chrysostom's known writings.
11/18/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter X. Church Fathers, and Theological Literature." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2562-2700). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 161-180).
"§169. Epiphanius." (pp. 2614-2620).
Schaff dates Epiphanius as living from between 310 and 320 to 403 (Schaff 2014, p. 2615). He was born in Palestine, becoming a Christian about the age of 16. In 367 he was elected bishop of Salamis, in Cyprus (Schaff 2014, p. 2616). While in Cyprus he engaged in doctrinal controversies as a zealous defender of orthodoxy. Particularly, he opposed the teachings of Origen. Schaff considers his zealous stands not always to be adequately informed. However, his relentless hunt for heresy has inspired many others.
Though Epiphanius had a familiarity with five languages, he was not considered a master of them, nor was he broadly educated (Schaff 2014, p. 2617). However, his writings provide information about heresies as well as about patristic polemical practices. Schaff reviews his extant writings in brief. He identifies Epiphanius as a compiler of information more than someone who engaged in structured discursive arguments (Schaff 2014, p. 2618). His catalog of heresies is particularly valuable in this regard.
"§170. John Chrysostom." (pp. 2620-2629).
Since the seventh century, this John has been called Chrysostom, "the Golden-Mouthed" (Schaff 2014, p. 2621). He is highly regarded as an expositor and preacher. Born in 347 in Antioch, he was well trained, first by his mother, then by Libanius, who considered John his top scholar (Schaff 2014, p. 2622). John received three years of instruction in theology at Antioch, then considered adopting a monastic life (Schaff 2014, p. 2622). He was dissuaded in this by his mother until her death. John then spent six years in study and solitude in the mountains near Antioch, enjoying the fellowship of men such as Diodorus and Theodore of Mopsuestia.
John's ascetic life created health problems, which brought him back to Antioch about 380, where he was made a deacon, then a presbyter (Schaff 2014, p. 2623). During this time in Antioch he was active in writing homilies, commentaries, and other works. In 397 John was made patriarch of Constantinople. During this time, he made some overtures toward Origenist thought, which resulted in his banishment until his death in 407 (Schaff 2014, p. 2624). John used "simple, sober, grammatico-historical interpretation, in opposition to the arbitrary allegorizing of the Alexandrians" (Schaff 2014, p. 2624). His emphasis generally was on practical matters of piety (Schaff 2014, p. 2625). He was also noteworthy for his care for the poor and his life of simplicity. Schaff briefly reviews Chrysostom's known writings.
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