Faith of Our "Apostolic Fathers"

I recently joined a 'reading group' who have decided to read the Apostolic Fathers.  As I follow the schedule I hope to collect my thoughts in this blog.  Our gracious facilitator reminded us a couple things about these men and the era they lived in.  First of all it should be noted that they did "theology in community, not in isolation."   That is a fascinating point.   If I have grasped this right that means from the inception, to the development and even the analysis of Christian theology, it didn't occur in the sequestered life of a monastery, nor in the isolation of a seminary. Theology was understood, worked out and lived out in community. As a side-bar, I have learned of the most obscure ideas that originate in the mind of individuals who hold to private interpretation and fail to work it out in community.  

 

The second notable point was that this theology reflected a developmental journey.  For us today who have the advantage of Councils, Systematic Theologies and the like, it proves to be somewhat foreign to recognize that there was a time when our theological under-pinnings were in process. 

 

We learned that the men we now call "Apostolic Fathers" were not know this until the 17th Century.  It seems that the term is used primarily because of their relationship or proximity to the Twelve Apostles of Christ.  All the Twelve had died by 100 A.D. but at least one of the group we call "Apostolic Fathers" worked with or knew the Apostles John and Paul.  These "Fathers" were Greek speaking (therefore their work is a translation) and they all lived prior to the great Church councils.

 

Why would they be called "Fathers"?  We sing a hymn from time to time, written by Frederick W. Faber:

 

Faith of our fathers, living still,
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy
Whenever we hear that glorious Word!

Refrain

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

 

It would seem that to designate these men as "Fathers" is to anticipate their influence in our lives as spiritual parents.  This is not unlike Paul's relationship to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:2) and Titus.  For example: “To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (Titus 1:4, ESV).  We then might think of these men as parenting us spiritually.  But what of Christ's admonition found in Matthew 23:9 (ESV), "⁹ And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven?"   The notation in the Reformation Study Bible is helpful here.  There we read:

 

"Jesus does not prohibit organization or the use of all titles in the church (cf. Acts 20:17; 1 Cor. 9:1; 1 Tim. 3:1, 2, 8, 12; Titus 1:5–7). His warning is against the temptation to accord human leaders the authority and prerogatives that belong to God alone—a temptation here exemplified by the use of pretentious forms of address."

The application is clear. These "Fathers" are men.  Their instruction and authority does not exceed our Lord.  They are not infallible.  Their work requires examination and testing.  As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “but test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, ESV).  These presumes there is some elements that may be imperfect.  There is also some good that should be embraced. Our facilitator reminded us "Remember that at least some of these documents are penned by men who laid down their lives for the Lord and for their brothers and sisters.  They deserve our respect even if we don't always agree with them."