Irenaeus of Lyons

326 Pages·2001·1.21 MB·English

by  Eric Osborn

IRENAEUS OF LYONS
Eric Osborn
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
IRENAEUS OF LYONS
Eric Osborn’s book presents a major study of Irenaeus
(125–200), bishop of Lyons, who attacked Gnostic theoso-
phywithpositiveideasaswellasnegativecritiques.Irenaeus’
combination of argument and imagery, logic and aesthetic,
wasdirectedtoanewdocument,theChristianbible.Domi-
natedbyaSocraticloveoftruthandaclassicalloveofbeauty
hewasafounderofWesternhumanism.Erasmus,whoedited
thefirstprintededitionofIrenaeus,praisedhimforhisfresh-
nessandvigour.Heistodayvaluedforhissplendidaphorisms,
hisoptimism,loveofthecreatedworld,evolutionaryviewof
history,theologyofbeauty,andhumour.Whyhavetwomil-
lenniaofEuropeanculturebeensocreative?Irenaeuspoints
to the sources: Greek ways of thinking and the Christian
bible.Irenaeus’thoughtiscomplex,yetinfinitelyrewarding
tothecriticalreader,andthisfullstudyofitwillbeofinterest
to theologians, historians of ideas, classicists, scientists and
students.
ERIC OSBORN isHonoraryProfessorattheDepartmentof
History, La Trobe University and Professorial Fellow at the
DepartmentofFineArts,ClassicalStudiesandArchaeology,
UniversityofMelbourne.Hisbooks(someofwhichhavebeen
translated into French and German) include The beginning
of Christian philosophy (Cambridge, 1981), The emergence of
Christian theology (Cambridge, 1993) and Tertullian, first the-
ologianoftheWest(Cambridge,1997).
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IRENAEUS OF LYONS
ERIC OSBORN
HonoraryProfessor,LaTrobeUniversity,Melbourne
and
ProfessorialFellow,UniversityofMelbourne
PUBLISHED BY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS (VIRTUAL PUBLISHING)
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
CAMBRIDGE
The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 IRP
40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA
477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia

http://www.cambridge.org

© Eric Osborn 2001
This edition © Eric Osborn 2003

First published in printed format 2001

A catalogue record for the original printed book is available
from the British Library and from the Library of Congress
Original ISBN 0 521 80006 4 hardback

ISBN 0 511 01823 1 virtual (netLibrary Edition)
To
SophieandGenevieve
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Contents
Preface pagexi
Listofabbreviations xvi
1 Irenaeus:argumentandimagery 1
1.1 Lifeandwork 1
1.2 Irenaeusphilosophus? 7
1.3 Theunexpectedjungle 9
1.4 Sourcecriticismandconceptualbankruptcy 10
1.5 Content,contourandconflict 12
1.6 Truthandbeauty:thetwocriteria 18
1.7 Thefourconcepts 20
1.8 Argumentandimages 22
PART I DIVINE INTELLECT
2 OneGod:Intellectandlove 27
2.1 AttributesofGod:fromopulencetoomnipresence 28
2.2 Metaphysicofmind 32
2.3 DivineIntellectinIrenaeus 38
2.4 Plotinus 44
2.5 Knowledge,loveandunityofthedivineIntellect 46
PART II ECONOMY
3 Onecreator:utsapiensarchitectusetmaximusrex 51
3.1 Twoanalogies–wisearchitectandsovereignking 51
3.2.1 Sovereignking 52
3.2.2 Enclosing,notenclosed 55
3.2.3 Onecreator,noregress 56
3.3.1 Wisearchitect–wordandplan 58
vii
viii Listofcontents
3.3.2 Wisearchitect–theconfigurationofcreatedthings 60
3.4 Plotinus’argumentforagoodcreator 62
3.5 Godneedsnothing 64
3.6.1 Creatioexnihilo:conceptwithoutformula(Justin) 65
3.6.2 Creatioexnihilo:formulawithoutconcept(Basilides) 68
3.6.3 Creatioexnihilo:formulaandconcept(Irenaeus) 69
3.7 Immediacy 73
4 Economy:Godasarchitectoftime 74
4.1 Economyanddivinearchitect 75
4.2.1 Economyasaccustoming 80
4.2.2 Economyasprogressiverevelation 82
4.2.3 Economyastheascentofman 85
4.2.4 Economyaspolemic:historyasknowledge 86
4.3 TrinityandthehandsofGod 89
4.4 Riverandmovement 93
PART III RECAPITULATION
5 Recapitulation:correctionandperfection 97
5.1 Recapitulation,acomplexconcept 97
5.2 Correction 100
5.3.1 Perfectionofbeing 104
5.3.2 Joyintruth;perfectionoftruth 108
5.3.3 Perfectionofgoodness 109
5.4.1 Christology:twoAdams 110
5.4.2 WordofGod 111
5.4.3 Onemediator 112
5.4.4 Fatherandson 113
5.4.5 Thename 114
5.5 Thetotalityofrecapitulation 115
6 Recapitulation:inaugurationandconsummation 117
6.1.1 Inaugurationofnewlife 117
6.1.2 Lifethroughthecross 118
6.2.1 Christasheadandcornerstone 121
6.2.2 Theunityofthechurch 123
6.3 Theeconomyofapostolictruth 126
6.4 Newwayoflife 130
6.5 Baptism,eucharistandministry 132
6.6.1 Consummation:oneGodalonewillreign 134
6.6.2 WhenChristshallcomeagain 135
6.6.3 Resurrection 136
Listofcontents ix
6.6.4 Communionandseparation 137
6.6.5 Antichristandchiliasm 138
PART IV PARTICIPATION
7 Logicandtheruleoftruth:participation
intruth 143
7.1 Canonandcriterion 143
7.2 Compendiumoftruth 145
7.3 Charismaandtruth 146
7.4 Whatdoestherulesay? 149
7.5 Conversion,recoveryofreason,faithandsight 150
7.6.1 Heresy 150
7.6.2 Contemporaryassessment 153
7.6.3 Sophistry 154
7.7 Parody:theologyforhorses 156
7.8 Consonantia 159
8 ScriptureasmindandwillofGod:participation
intruth 162
8.1.1 Frompropheticspirittoeternalword 163
8.1.2 MindandwillofGod 165
8.1.3 Prophecy:frompredictiontopresence 167
8.1.4 Arebirthofimages 169
8.2.1 Theunityandtruthofscripture 170
8.2.2 Scriptureandtradition 172
8.2.3 Principlesofinterpretation 172
8.4 Imagesoftheeconomy:thefourGospels 175
8.5.1 FormationoftheChristianbible 178
8.5.2 Canonofscripture 180
8.6.1 Typologyandtruth 182
8.6.2 Typologyandeconomy 184
8.7 John 186
8.8 Paul 189
9 Aesthetics:participationinbeauty 193
9.1 Persistenceofaesthetics 193
9.2 Atheologicalaesthetic? 195
9.3 ArtandaestheticsinearlyChristianity 199
9.4 Manifestation,visionandparticipation 202
9.5.1 Glory 205
9.5.2 Criticismanddifficulties 207
9.6 Thelimitsofbeauty 209