Theological Term of the Week: Tertullian

Tertullian
A native of Carthage who was the “first great Christian writer in the Latin language.”1 He lived from 160-255.

• From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. H. Needham:

Tertullian was one of the most warlike spirits ever to enlist in the army of Christ; his hawkish, fire-breathing personality perfectly expressed the uncompromising hostility of the North-West African Church towards the pagan society of the Roman Empire. He was also a talented, many-sided theologian, with a gift for winging his piercing thoughts with bold, colourful and dazzling words. In the period 196-212, he produced a series of extremely important Christian writings … .

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Who was Tertullian?
2. Theopedia: Tertullian
3. Christian Classics Ethereal Library: Tertullian
4. Gerald Bray: Holiness and the Will of God: Perspectives on the Theology of Tertullian
5. Gerald Bray: Tertullian and the Early Church (audio)
6. Michael Haykin: Tertullian and Constantine (audio)

Related terms:

• Ambrose of Milan
• Apollinarius
• Athanasius
• Augustine of Hippo
• Basil of Caesarea
• Cappadocian fathers
• Columba
• Cyril of Alexandria
• Gregory of Nanzianzus
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Gregory the Great
• Hilary of Poitiers
• Irenaeus of Lyons
• Jerome
• John Chrysostom
• Justin Martyr
• Maximus the Confessor
• Monica
• Nestorius
• Origen
• Patrick
• Pelagius
• Sabellius
• Venerable Bede, The

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. R. Needham.

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Sunday's Hymn: O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace.

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad,
The honors of thy Name.

Jesus, the Name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
‘Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of reigning sin,
He sets the pris’ner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

He speaks and, listening to his voice,
New life the dead receive;
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice;
The humble poor believe.

Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come;
And leap, ye lame, for joy.

—Charles Wesley

Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• Come Down, O Love Divine at The Happy Wonderer 

Theological Term of the Week: Irenaeus of Lyons

Irenaeus of Lyons
The “first great Christian theologian of the patristic age.”1 Irenaeus was Greek and lived from around 130-202.

• From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. H. Needham:

Irenaeus stands out as the most important Church father of the 2nd Century. This is because he wrote against the Gnostics a lengthy book usually known as Against Heresies … . The book has survived, mostly in a Latin translation, and comes down to us today completely intact. It is priceless for what it tells us about the beliefs of Christians in the 2nd Century and about the Gnostic movement. Irenaeus also wrote a smaller work against the Gnostics called Proof of the Apostolic Preaching.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: Who was Saint Irenaeus of Lyons?
2. Christian History: Irenaeus of Lyon
3. Theopedia: Irenaeus
4. Christian Classics Ethereal Library: St. Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons
5. Ligonier.org: Irenaeus of Lyons
6. Michael Haykin: The Roman Empire and Ireneaus of Lyons (audio)

Related terms:

• Ambrose of Milan
• Apollinarius
• Athanasius
• Augustine of Hippo
• Basil of Caesarea
• Cappadocian fathers
• Columba
• Cyril of Alexandria
• Gregory of Nanzianzus
• Gregory of Nyssa
• Gregory the Great
• Hilary of Poitiers
• Jerome
• John Chrysostom
• Justin Martyr
• Maximus the Confessor
• Monica
• Nestorius
• Origen
• Patrick
• Pelagius
• Sabellius
• Tertullian
• Venerable Bede, The

Filed under Christian History

1From 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by N. R. Needham.

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Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

Clicking on the Theological Terms button will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.