Irenaeus
Irenaeus of Lyon | |
|---|---|
| Doctor of the Church | |
20th-century Greek icon depicting Saint Irenaeus | |
| Diocese | Lyon |
| See | Lyon |
| Predecessor | Pothinus |
| Successor | Zechariah |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 125 AD |
| Died | c. 202 AD (aged c. 77) Lugdunum, Gallia Lugdunensis, Roman Empire |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | June 28 (Latin Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, Lutheranism, Anglicanism); August 23 (Eastern Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches); Monday after fourth Sunday of the Exaltation of the Cross (Armenian Apostolic Church) |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox Church Assyrian Church of the East Lutheranism Anglicanism |
| Title as Saint | Bishop of Lyon, Venerable, Hieromartyr, Church Father, Doctor of the Church |
Theology career | |
| Notable work | Against Heresies |
| Theological work | |
| Era | Patristic Age |
| Language | Greek |
| Tradition or movement | Trinitarianism |
| Main interests | Theodicy, millennialism |
| Notable ideas | Irenaean theodicy Recapitulation theory of atonement |
| Part of a series on |
| Catholic philosophy |
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Irenaeus | |
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| Influences | Clement, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Papias, Polycarp, The Shepherd of Hermas |
| Influenced | Agapius, Augustine, Basil the Great, Epiphanius, Hippolytus, Tertullian |
| Part of a series on |
| Theodicy |
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Irenaeus (/ɪrɪˈneɪəs/ or /ˌaɪrɪˈniːəs/; Ancient Greek: Εἰρηναῖος, romanized: Eirēnaîos; c. 125 – c. 202 AD) was a Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in the southern regions of present-day France and, more widely, for the development of Christian theology by opposing Gnostic interpretations of Christian Scripture and defining proto-orthodoxy. Originating from Smyrna, he had seen and heard the preaching of Polycarp, who in turn was said to have heard John the Evangelist.
Chosen as Bishop of Lugdunum, now Lyon, Irenaeus wrote his best-known work Against Heresies around 180 as a refutation of gnosticism, in particular that of Valentinus. To counter the doctrines of the gnostic sects claiming secret wisdom, he offered three pillars of orthodoxy: the scriptures, the tradition said to be handed down from the apostles, and the teaching of the apostles' successors. He is the earliest surviving witness to regard all four of the now-canonical gospels as essential.
Irenaeus is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Lutheran Churches, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East. He was declared a Doctor of the Church in the Catholic Church by Pope Francis in 2022.