Ignatius of Antioch on Marriage

Revisiting a project I began many moons ago - refuting revisionist theology on homosexuality.

Looking now at the writings of select church fathers,in order to learn how they preached on the subject of human sexuality.

Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35 - 117) was a student of John the Apostle, along with his contemporary, Polycarp.

Ignatius became a Christian at a young age. He was appointed Bishop of Antioch at a time when the early church was coalescing, as the Bible states in Acts 11:26 it was in Antioch that the term "Christian" was coined. Seven of Ignatius' letters remain extant. According to Christian legend, Ignatius was martyred in the Roman Colosseum by wild animals. His remains were carried back to Antioch by his companions and interred outside the city gates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Antioch

The Epistle of Ignatius to Polycarp upholds marriage as the union of man and wife, with celibacy as the other option.

 

Speak to my sisters, that they love the Lord, and be satisfied with their husbands both in the flesh and spirit. In like manner also, exhort my brethren, in the name of Jesus Christ, that they love their wives, even as the Lord the Church. If any one can continue in a state of purity, to the honour of the flesh of the Lord, let him so remain without boasting.

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.v.viii.v.html

 (Ch.5 - "The Duties of Husbands and Wives")

Augustine on Homosexuality

Revisiting a project I began many moons ago - refuting revisionist theology on homosexuality.

Looking now at the writings of select church fathers,in order to learn how they preached on the subject of human sexuality. 

Augustine (354-430) was born in Tagaste, Numidia in North Africa. His mother was a Christian, but his father remained a pagan until late in life. After a rather unremarkable childhood, ... Augustine drifted through several philosophical systems before converting to Christianity.From 391 until his death he served as Bishop of Hippo (presently the nation Algeria, located in Africa.) 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo#Christian_conversion_and_priesthood
 

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/augustine


In his seminal work, Confessions, Augustine writes about his sinful life prior to conversion and the greatness of God in transforming his life. 

 

Therefore are those foul offences which be against nature, to be every where and at all times detested and punished; such as were those of the men of Sodom: which should all nations commit, they should all stand guilty of the same crime, by the law of God, which hath not so made men that they should so abuse one another.

(Confessions 3:8:15 [A.D. 400]).

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/augustine/confess.iv.viii.htmll

Clement of Alexandria on Homosexuality

Revisiting a project I began many moons ago - refuting revisionist theology on homosexuality.

Looking now at the writings of select church fathers,in order to learn how they preached on the subject of human sexuality.

 

Clement of Alexandria (c.150-211/216AD) was a theologian who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. His parents were pagans. He was a convert to Christianity,having rejected paganism as a young man due to its perceived moral corruption.

http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/people/clement_alexandria.htm

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement_of_Alexandria

 

He argued that both promiscuity and sexual abstinence are unnatural, and that the main goal of human sexuality is procreation. Homosexuality, prostitution, concubinage, adultery and coitus with pregnant women should all be avoided as they will not act towards the generation of legitimate offspring.

^"But the embellishment of [a man shaving all his bodily hair], if it is to attract men, is the act of an effeminate person ; if to attract women, is the act of an adulterer; and both must be driven as far as possible from our society."

 

"But life has reached this pitch of licentiousness through the wantonness of wickedness, and lasciviousness is diffused over the cities...and boys, taught to deny their sex, act the part of women."

 

"I admire the ancient legislators of the Romans: these detested effeminacy of conduct; and the giving of the body to feminine purposes, contrary to the law of nature..."

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf02.vi.iii.iii.iii.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Irenaeus on Homosexuality

Revisiting a project I began many moons ago - refuting revisionist theology on homosexuality.

Looking now at the writings of select church fathers,in order to learn how they preached on the subject of human sexuality.

Irenaeus (ca. 125-202) was bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, which is now Lyons, France. Irenaeus was born in Smyrna in Asia Minor, where he studied under bishop Polycarp, who in turn had been a disciple of the Apostle John. Leaving Asia Minor for Rome he joined the school of Justin Martyr before being made bishop of Lyons in Southern Gaul in about 178 AD.

Irenaeus is primarily noted for his refutation of early Gnosticism. To this end he wrote his major work Against Heresies, in which also sought to expound and defend the orthodox Christian faith.http://www.theopedia.com/Irenaeus

He condemns homosexuality by quoting the Apostle Paul:
  [The apostle], foreseeing the wicked speeches of unbelievers, has particularized the   works which he terms carnal; and he explains himself, lest any room for doubt be left to those who do dishonestly pervert his meaning, thus saying in the Epistle to the Galatians: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are adulteries, fornications, uncleanness, luxuriousness, idolatries, witchcrafts,  hatreds, contentions, jealousies, wraths, emulations, animosities, irritable speeches, dissensions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, carousings, and such like; of which I warn you, as also I have warned you, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”... so also he who has continued in the aforesaid works of the flesh, being truly reckoned as carnal, because he did not receive the Spirit of God, shall not have power to inherit the kingdom of heaven. As, again, the same apostle testifies, saying to the Corinthians, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err,” he says: “neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor revilers, nor rapacious persons, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And these ye indeed have been; but ye have been washed, but ye have been sanctified, but ye have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.”He shows in the clearest manner through what things it is that man goes to destruction, if he has continued to live after the flesh; and then, on the other hand, [he points out] through what things he is saved. Now he says that the things which save are the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of our God.
 http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.ix.vii.xii.html
Bk 5, Ch.11, para.1

Justin Martyr on Homosexuality

 Revisiting a project I began many moons ago - refuting revisionist theology on homosexuality.

Looking now at the writings of select church fathers,in order to learn how they preached on the subject of human sexuality.

Justin Martyr (100 - 165AD) was born in the Roman city of Flavia Neapolis. Raised by pagan parents, he sought to find life's meaning in the philosophies of his day.

http://tinyurl.com/aksep9h
 

One of Justin's tactics was to contrast what the Christians were falsely charged with doing with what the Romans did with impunity. For example, Christians were charged with killing babies in worship services and then consuming them. Justin countered that it was the worshipers of Saturn who engaged in homicide and in drinking blood and other pagans who sprinkled the blood of men and animals on their idols. Christians were accused of sexual immorality, but it was their critics, Justin said, who imitated "Jupiter and the other gods in sodomy and sinful relations with women."

"And imitating Jupiter and the other gods in sodomy and shameless intercourse with woman, might we not bring as our apology the writings of Epicurus and the poets? But because we persuade men to avoid such instruction, and all who practise them and imitate such examples, as now in this discourse we have striven to persuade you, we are assailed in every kind of way."

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.iii.xii.html?highlight=sodomy#highlight

Athenagoras on Homosexuality

Revisiting a project I began many moons ago - refuting revisionist theology on homosexuality.

Looking now at the writings of select church fathers,in order to learn how they preached on the subject of human sexuality.

Athenagoras(ca. 133 – 190) lived during the second half of the 2nd century of whom little is known for certain, besides that he was Athenian(though possibly not originally from Athens),a philosopher and a convert to Christianity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athenagoras_of_Athens

He denounced homosexuality in A Plea for the Christians,chapter 34.
"...Oh! Why should I speak of things unfit to be uttered?...For those [pagans]who have set up a market for fornication and established infamous resorts for the young for every kind of vile pleasure - who do not abstain even from males, males with males committing shocking abominations, outraging all the noblest and comeliest bodies in all sorts of ways, so dishonoring the fair workmanship of God..."
http://files.libertyfund.org/files/1970/1333.02_Bk_SM.pdf