Historical Theology · Patristic Database

The Christian
Belief Map

What the first five centuries believed — and who still believes it today.

217
Belief Records
46
Figures
500
Years
6
Traditions
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Church Fathers
Apostolic · AD 30–96
Clement of Rome 3 Council of Jerusalem 1 Didache 4 Hermas 2 Ignatius of Antioch 7 Polycarp of Smyrna 2
Ante-Nicene · AD 96–325
Clement of Alexandria 4 Cornelius of Rome 1 Cyprian of Carthage 13 Didascalia Apostolorum 1 Irenaeus of Lyon 16 Justin Martyr 14 Origen of Alexandria 17 Tertullian 19
Nicene · AD 325–381
Ambrose of Milan 10 Arius 1 Athanasius of Alexandria 10 Basil of Caesarea 4 Council of Constantinople I 2 Council of Ephesus 3 Council of Nicaea 5 Cyril of Alexandria 2 Cyril of Jerusalem 4 Gregory of Nazianzus 5 Gregory of Nyssa 2 John Chrysostom 9 Pope Damasus I 1
Post-Nicene · AD 381–500
Athanasian Creed 1 Augustine of Hippo 21 Council of Carthage 2 Council of Chalcedon 3 Council of Constantinople II 1 Council of Constantinople III 2 Council of Nicaea II 1 Council of Orange 1 Council of Toledo III 1 Gregory of Tours 1 Gregory the Great 4 Jerome 4 John of Damascus 1 Pelagius 1 Pope Gelasius I 1 Pope Innocent I 2 Pope Leo I 4 Pope Martin I 1 Vincent of Lérins 3
IL
Irenaeus of Lyon
Ante Nicene · 16 records · 6 doctrines
Tradition Alignment
Catholic
94%
Orthodox
81%
Lutheran
50%
Reformed
25%
Baptist
19%
Evangelical
19%
Doctrine Coverage
Christology
Ecclesiology 5
Eschatology 1
Mariology
Petrine Ministry 2
Pneumatology
Prayer & Devotion
Scripture & Tradition 5
Soteriology 1
The Eucharist 2
The Priesthood
The Sacraments
Ecclesiology 5 records
The Church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic
Against Heresies, III.3.1
affirmed
Irenaeus of Lyon uses the recapitulation theory — Christ recapitulates all of human history in himself
Against Heresies, III.18.1
affirmed
Heresy — departing from the episcopal Church — invalidates a community's claim to apostolic faith
Against Heresies, IV.26.2
affirmed
Apostolic succession requires both physical continuity of ordination and continuity of apostolic doctrine
Against Heresies, IV.26.2
affirmed
The Quartodeciman controversy shows that diversity in liturgical practice does not break unity of faith
Letter to Victor of Rome (quoted in Eusebius, HE V.24.11)
affirmed
Scripture & Tradition 5 records
Irenaeus describes the rule of faith as a summary of apostolic doctrine held universally by the Church
Against Heresies, I.10.1
affirmed
Polycarp received the tradition directly from the Apostle John and transmitted it faithfully to the West
Against Heresies, III.3.4
affirmed
Scripture and apostolic tradition together are the rule of faith
Against Heresies, III.4.1
affirmed
Heretics cannot rightly use Scripture because they stand outside the apostolic tradition
Against Heresies, III.2.1
affirmed
Gnosticism is wrong — creation is good and the God of creation is the God of redemption
Against Heresies, II.1.1
affirmed
Petrine Ministry 2 records
The apostles founded the Church at Rome and committed the episcopate to Linus their successor
Against Heresies, III.3.2
affirmed
Every church must agree with the Roman Church on account of its preeminent authority and the apostolic tradition preserved there
Against Heresies, III.3.2
affirmed
The Eucharist 2 records
Irenaeus teaches that the Eucharist is a firstfruit offered to God from his own creation
Against Heresies, IV.17.5
affirmed
The Eucharist contains the body and blood of Christ, which refutes those who deny the resurrection of the flesh
Against Heresies, V.2.3
affirmed
Eschatology 1 record
It is safer to await the fulfilment of prophecy regarding the Antichrist than to speculate on the name bearing 666
Against Heresies, V.30.2–4
affirmed
Soteriology 1 record
Irenaeus teaches that salvation recapitulates the whole of human history in Christ — every stage restored
Against Heresies, V.21.1
affirmed
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