Church Fathers – Jerome and Augustine The Church from 300-500AD: Church Fathers – Jerome and Augustine The Church from 300-500AD Mike Buehrer
Blacksburg Christian Fellowship
Oct. 20, 2002
Overview: Overview Overview of Period (300A.D. – 500 A.D.)
Constantine’s conversion allowed shift in focus from survival and apologetics to doctrine
Church Fathers
Jerome
Vulgate
Augustine
Conversion
Pelagianism
Lessons for today
Website www.mprg.org/people/buehrer
Look under “biographical info”
Timeline 300 – 500 A.D.: Timeline 300 – 500 A.D. 300 A.D. 400 A.D. 500 A.D. 350 A.D. 450 A.D. Conversion of Constantine Council of Nicea Athanasius Jerome completes
Vulgate Conversion of
Augustine Ambrose
Bishop of Milan Chrysostom -Bishop
of Constantinople Patrick Missionary
to Ireland Council of
Chalcedon Jerome Augustine
Augustine & Jerome: Augustine & Jerome
Jerome – Eusebius Hieronymous Sophronius: Jerome – Eusebius Hieronymous Sophronius Born in Stridonius (near Adriatic) 342 to Christian parents
Educated in Rome
Spent time going through catacombs reading the inscriptions as a student
Baptized by Pope Liberius in 360
Traveled much of ancient world and was a great scholar
373 – Arrived in Antioch where he went out to wilderness for 4 years to study
Although well known for personal holiness, learning and integrity, often offended people with this biting, sarcastic style.
Jerome in the Wilderness: Jerome in the Wilderness God convicted Jerome of his love for scholarship
Spent four years in the desert of Chalcis (Near Antioch in Syria)
Lived an austere life of fasting and discipline
“Alone with the enemy, I threw myself in spirit at the feet of Jesus, watering them with my tears, and tamed my flesh by fasting whole weeks.”
Learned Hebrew during this time in addition to the Greek and Latin that he knew
Jerome - Vulgate: Jerome - Vulgate Jerome was one of the biggest scholars of his day
Secretary to Damasus, bishop of Rome from 382-385
Damasus wanted a uniform translation for the western church that spoke primarily ‘common’ Latin.
Jerome began his work in 382, moved to Bethlehem after Damasus’ death in 385, and finished the Latin translation in 405
Vulgate – from Latin vulgus or common
Jerome: Jerome Involved in several heresies
Wrote vehemently on the perpetual virginity of Mary
Strongly opposed Pelagianism
One of the greatest scholars of the western church
In Bethlehem he lived in a cave near where the Savior was born.
Started a free school and hospice for pilgrims
Died in 420
Augustine: Augustine Born Aurelius Augustinus in Tagaste near Hippo, North Africa (modern day Algeria) in 354
Born to a Christian mother and pagan father
Studied in Carthage
Originally saw Christianity as religion for the simple-minded
Surrounded by “cauldron of unholy loves”
Took on a concubine while in teens
Spent 71 of his 75 years in North Africa
383 – Moved to Italy (Rome and Milan) for four years where Ambrose was Bishop of Milan Oldest surviving image of Augustine, from the 6th century.
North Africa: North Africa Hippo Regius Carthage Thagaste
Conversion of Augustine: Conversion of Augustine “Lord make me chaste, but not yet.”
He intellectually assented to the gospel, but couldn’t accept Christ.
The Lord finally moved him to convert to Christianity in 387.
While sitting in a garden he heard a child sing “Take it and read”. He picked up and read :
Romans 13:13,14 – “Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to lust.
“It was as though the light of faith flooded into my heart and all the darkness of doubt was dispelled.” JAN VAN SCOREL (1520)
Augustine: Augustine Augustine would have been happy with the monastic life.
However, his reputation as being a brilliant Christian spread.
391 - ordained as a priest
395 - bishop of Hippo
He was involved in nearly every controversy of his time
Donatists
Pelagianism
Prolific writer
100’s of treatises, letters, commentaries
On the Trinity
Confessions
City of God
Augustine: Augustine Wrote over 100 books, 200 letters and 400 sermons
Confessions (397-401 AD)
Spiritual autobiography
“Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
City of God (416 AD)
Response to the fall of Rome to Visgoths
God’s work in history
“City of Man” vs. “City of God”
On the Trinity
On the Psalms
Slide15: * - Eph. 2:1-10
Augustine – The Will: Augustine – The Will Augustine taught that due to the fall, man was unable to save himself. It was totally of God’s grace.
Pelagianism – Man contributes to his own salvation.
Lessons for Today: Lessons for Today Jerome and Augustine both demonstrated tremendous
Spiritual Discipline
Dedication to God
Personal Holiness
Jerome
Scholarship/Bible Study/Doctrine must be not be for their own sakes, but strengthen our walk and relationship to God
Augustine
Even after mind is convinced, the heart must be converted
Prayers of a mother
Free will vs. Predestination is still an issue today!
References: References K.S. Latourette, A History of Christianity, Prince Press 1975
B.L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, Nelson 1995.
H.C. Sheldon, History of the Christian Church, Hendrickson Publishers 1994.
H. Von Campenhausen, The Fathers of the Church, Hendrickson Publishers 1998.
T. Dowley Ed., Erdman’s Handbook to The History of Christianity, W.B. Erdmans Publishing Co. 1977.
E.E. Carirns, Christianity Through the Ages, 3rd Ed., Zondervan Publishing 1996.
A.K. Curtis, J.S. Lang, and R. Peterson, The 100 Most Important Events in Christian History, Fleming H. Revell 1991.
S.M. Houghton, Sketches from Church History, Banner of Truth 1980.
Augustine, Confessions, Penguin Books, 1987.