Themes from the Early Church Fathers Witness of the Early Church

Association of Hebrew Catholics Lecture Series The Mystery of Israel and the Church Fall 2009 – Series 5 Themes From the Early Church Fathers Talk #3 Witness of the Early Church on the Road to Martyrdom: St. Ignatius of Antioch © Dr. Lawrence Feingold STD Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri Note: This document contains the unedited text of Dr. Feingold’s talk. It will eventually undergo final editing for inclusion in the series of books being published by The Miriam Press under the series title: “The Mystery of Israel and the Church”. If you find errors of any type, please send your observations [email protected] This document may be copied and given to others. It may not be modified, sold, or placed on any web site. The actual recording of this talk, as well as the talks from all series, may be found on the AHC website at: http://www.hebrewcatholic.net/studies/mystery-of-israel-church/ Association of Hebrew Catholics • 4120 W Pine Blvd • Saint Louis MO 63108 www.hebrewcatholic.org • [email protected] Witness of the Early Church on the Road to Martyrdom: St. Ignatius of Antioch After the Letter of Clement I of Rome, the most im- with Christ and for life in him with the intensity of Ignatius. portant Christian source after the New Testament are the We therefore read the Gospel passage on the vine, which stupendous letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who wrote according to John’s Gospel is Jesus. In fact, two spiritual seven letters on his way to martyrdom in the Coliseum in “currents” converge in Ignatius, that of Paul, straining with Rome. Six were directed to churches—Rome, Ephesus, all his might for union with Christ, and that of John, con- centrated on life in him. In turn, these two currents translate Magnesia, Trallia, Smyrna, and Philadelphia—and one into the imitation of Christ, whom Ignatius several times was directed to St. Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. proclaimed as “my” or “our God.” Thus, Ignatius implores St. Ignatius, like St. Polycarp, was a direct disciple of the Christians of Rome not to prevent his martyrdom since St. John the Apostle, and he was third bishop of Antioch he is impatient “to attain to Jesus Christ.” And he explains, (after St. Peter and Evodius) from around 70AD to 107AD, “It is better for me to die on behalf of Jesus Christ than to the date of his martyrdom. He is thus a crucial link in reign over all the ends of the earth.... Him I seek, who died showing us the continuity between the Apostles and the for us: him I desire, who rose again for our sake.... Permit me post-apostolic age. to be an imitator of the Passion of my God!” (Romans, 5-6). Antioch, after Rome and Alexandria, was the third most Ignatius’ Letter to the Romans is an amazing expres- important and populous city of the Roman Empire. In ad- sion of the desire to participate in the passion of Christ. dition to its civil importance, it had special significance in He writes to the Romans imploring them not to intercede the Christian world in that it was the first church in which with the Emperor or his court so as to obtain clemency for significant numbers of Gentile converts entered in, it was him. In nos. 2-6 he writes: the city where the name “Christian” was first coined, it was Grant me no more than to be a sacrifice for God while the city in which Paul and Barnabas made their base, and it there is an altar at hand…[ no. 2] was the city where Peter was bishop before going to Rome. Then, too, I shall be a convincing Christian only when Ignatius therefore had a crucial importance as bishop of the world sees me no more. Nothing you can see has real Antioch for 37 years, serving as a key link between the value. Our God Jesus Christ, indeed, has revealed himself apostolic and the post-apostolic age. It is in the letters of Ig- more clearly by returning to the Father. The greatness of natius that we first find the expression, “Catholic Church.” Christianity lies in its being hated by the world, not in its Ignatius was arrested and martyred by the Emperor Trajan being convincing to it. …[no. 3] as a kind of figurehead of the Christian world. I plead with you, do not do me an unseasonable kind- ness. Let me be fodder for wild beasts—that is how I can Eusebius, the first historian of the Church from the begin- get to God. I am God’s wheat and I am being ground by the ning of the fourth century, has a chapter on St. Ignatius, in teeth of wild beasts to make a pure loaf for Christ….Pray which he informs us: Christ for me that by these means I may become God’s sac- Ignatius was sent from Syria to Rome and became food rifice….May nothing seen or unseen begrudge me making for wild animals because of his testimony to Christ. He made my way to Jesus Christ. Come fire, cross, battling with wild the journey through Asia under the strictest military guard, beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs, crushing of encouraging the Christian community, by homilies and my whole body, cruel tortures of the devil—only let me get exhortations, in every city where he stayed. In particular he to Jesus Christ!... I am going through the pangs of being warned them to guard most carefully against the heresies born…. Do not stand in the way of my coming to life—do which were then first becoming prevalent, and exhorted not wish death on me….Let me imitate the Passion of my them to hold fast to the apostolic tradition, which, as he was God [nos. 4-6]. now on his way to martyrdom, he thought it necessary for The same desire to shed his blood for Christ can be seen 1 safety’s sake to set down clearly in writing. in Ignatius’ letters to the other churches. In the Letter to a. Desire for Martyrdom the Ephesians 1, he writes: Pope Benedict XVI, in his Wednesday Audience of For when you heard that I was on my way from Syria March 14, 2007 on St. Ignatius, speaks first of all of Ig- in chains for the sake of our common name and hope, and natius’ ardent desire to be joined to Christ and to imitate was hoping through your prayers to succeed in fighting with Him to the shedding of his blood for Christ: wild beasts in Rome—in order that by so succeeding I might be able to be a disciple—you hurried to visit me. No Church Father has expressed the longing for union Ignatius’ wish was granted. He died in the Coliseum as 1 Eusebius, The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine fodder for wild beasts. The Acts of his martyrdom tell us 3.36, trans. G.A. Williamson (New York: Dorset Press, 1965), 145. that “only the harder portions of his holy remains were left, 2 AHC Lecture Series 5: Themes From the Early Church Fathers –– Lecture 3: Witness of Early Church: St. Ignatius of Antioch which were conveyed to Antioch and wrapped in linen, For when you obey the bishop as if he were Jesus Christ, as an inestimable treasure left to the holy Church by the you are… living not in a merely human fashion but in Jesus grace which was in the martyr.”2 Christ’s way, who for our sakes suffered death that you might believe in his death and so escape dying yourselves. It is es- b. Hierarchical Structure of the Church sential, therefore, to act in no way without the bishop, just Ignatius’ seven letters give us very complete picture of as you are doing. Rather submit even to the presbytery as to the principal pastoral concerns of one of the greatest saints, the apostles of Jesus Christ. He is our Hope, and if we live in bishops, and martyrs of the first century of Christianity. union with him now, we shall gain eternal life. Those too who Card. Newman wrote that “the whole system of Catholic are deacons of Jesus Christ’s mysteries must give complete satisfaction to everyone. For they do not serve mere food and doctrine may be discovered, at least in outline, not to say in 3 drink, but minister to God’s Church. Inside the sanctuary parts filled up, in the course of them [his seven epistles].” a man is pure; outside he is impure. That means: whoever The theme that is foremost in his mind, to which he does anything without bishop, presbytery, and deacons does returns again and again, is the unity of the Church. He not have a clear conscience. explains that this unity has its foundation in the sacramental Again in the Letter to the Smyrnaeans, no. 8: and hierarchical structure of the Church, with one bishop Flee from schism as the source of mischief. You should in each diocese presiding over a college of presbyters and all follow the bishop as Jesus Christ did the Father. Follow, deacons dedicated to the works of charity. This is very too, the presbytery as you would the Apostles; and respect the valuable evidence that by the year 107 AD the hierarchical deacons as you would God’s law. Nobody must do anything structure of the Church had exactly the same basic form that has to do with the Church without the bishop’s approval.

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