IRENAEUS OF LYONS Eric Osborn CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS IRENAEUS OF LYONS Eric Osborn’s book presents a major study of Irenaeus (125–200), bishop of Lyons, who attacked Gnostic theoso- phywithpositiveideasaswellasnegativecritiques.Irenaeus’ combination of argument and imagery, logic and aesthetic, wasdirectedtoanewdocument,theChristianbible.Domi- natedbyaSocraticloveoftruthandaclassicalloveofbeauty hewasafounderofWesternhumanism.Erasmus,whoedited thefirstprintededitionofIrenaeus,praisedhimforhisfresh- nessandvigour.Heistodayvaluedforhissplendidaphorisms, hisoptimism,loveofthecreatedworld,evolutionaryviewof history,theologyofbeauty,andhumour.Whyhavetwomil- lenniaofEuropeanculturebeensocreative?Irenaeuspoints to the sources: Greek ways of thinking and the Christian bible.Irenaeus’thoughtiscomplex,yetinfinitelyrewarding tothecriticalreader,andthisfullstudyofitwillbeofinterest to theologians, historians of ideas, classicists, scientists and students. ERIC OSBORN isHonoraryProfessorattheDepartmentof History, La Trobe University and Professorial Fellow at the DepartmentofFineArts,ClassicalStudiesandArchaeology, UniversityofMelbourne.Hisbooks(someofwhichhavebeen translated into French and German) include The beginning of Christian philosophy (Cambridge, 1981), The emergence of Christian theology (Cambridge, 1993) and Tertullian, first the- ologianoftheWest(Cambridge,1997). This Page Intentionally Left Blank IRENAEUS OF LYONS ERIC OSBORN HonoraryProfessor,LaTrobeUniversity,Melbourne and ProfessorialFellow,UniversityofMelbourne PUBLISHED BY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS (VIRTUAL PUBLISHING) FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 IRP 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA 477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia http://www.cambridge.org © Eric Osborn 2001 This edition © Eric Osborn 2003 First published in printed format 2001 A catalogue record for the original printed book is available from the British Library and from the Library of Congress Original ISBN 0 521 80006 4 hardback ISBN 0 511 01823 1 virtual (netLibrary Edition) To SophieandGenevieve This Page Intentionally Left Blank Contents Preface pagexi Listofabbreviations xvi 1 Irenaeus:argumentandimagery 1 1.1 Lifeandwork 1 1.2 Irenaeusphilosophus? 7 1.3 Theunexpectedjungle 9 1.4 Sourcecriticismandconceptualbankruptcy 10 1.5 Content,contourandconflict 12 1.6 Truthandbeauty:thetwocriteria 18 1.7 Thefourconcepts 20 1.8 Argumentandimages 22 PART I DIVINE INTELLECT 2 OneGod:Intellectandlove 27 2.1 AttributesofGod:fromopulencetoomnipresence 28 2.2 Metaphysicofmind 32 2.3 DivineIntellectinIrenaeus 38 2.4 Plotinus 44 2.5 Knowledge,loveandunityofthedivineIntellect 46 PART II ECONOMY 3 Onecreator:utsapiensarchitectusetmaximusrex 51 3.1 Twoanalogies–wisearchitectandsovereignking 51 3.2.1 Sovereignking 52 3.2.2 Enclosing,notenclosed 55 3.2.3 Onecreator,noregress 56 3.3.1 Wisearchitect–wordandplan 58 vii viii Listofcontents 3.3.2 Wisearchitect–theconfigurationofcreatedthings 60 3.4 Plotinus’argumentforagoodcreator 62 3.5 Godneedsnothing 64 3.6.1 Creatioexnihilo:conceptwithoutformula(Justin) 65 3.6.2 Creatioexnihilo:formulawithoutconcept(Basilides) 68 3.6.3 Creatioexnihilo:formulaandconcept(Irenaeus) 69 3.7 Immediacy 73 4 Economy:Godasarchitectoftime 74 4.1 Economyanddivinearchitect 75 4.2.1 Economyasaccustoming 80 4.2.2 Economyasprogressiverevelation 82 4.2.3 Economyastheascentofman 85 4.2.4 Economyaspolemic:historyasknowledge 86 4.3 TrinityandthehandsofGod 89 4.4 Riverandmovement 93 PART III RECAPITULATION 5 Recapitulation:correctionandperfection 97 5.1 Recapitulation,acomplexconcept 97 5.2 Correction 100 5.3.1 Perfectionofbeing 104 5.3.2 Joyintruth;perfectionoftruth 108 5.3.3 Perfectionofgoodness 109 5.4.1 Christology:twoAdams 110 5.4.2 WordofGod 111 5.4.3 Onemediator 112 5.4.4 Fatherandson 113 5.4.5 Thename 114 5.5 Thetotalityofrecapitulation 115 6 Recapitulation:inaugurationandconsummation 117 6.1.1 Inaugurationofnewlife 117 6.1.2 Lifethroughthecross 118 6.2.1 Christasheadandcornerstone 121 6.2.2 Theunityofthechurch 123 6.3 Theeconomyofapostolictruth 126 6.4 Newwayoflife 130 6.5 Baptism,eucharistandministry 132 6.6.1 Consummation:oneGodalonewillreign 134 6.6.2 WhenChristshallcomeagain 135 6.6.3 Resurrection 136 Listofcontents ix 6.6.4 Communionandseparation 137 6.6.5 Antichristandchiliasm 138 PART IV PARTICIPATION 7 Logicandtheruleoftruth:participation intruth 143 7.1 Canonandcriterion 143 7.2 Compendiumoftruth 145 7.3 Charismaandtruth 146 7.4 Whatdoestherulesay? 149 7.5 Conversion,recoveryofreason,faithandsight 150 7.6.1 Heresy 150 7.6.2 Contemporaryassessment 153 7.6.3 Sophistry 154 7.7 Parody:theologyforhorses 156 7.8 Consonantia 159 8 ScriptureasmindandwillofGod:participation intruth 162 8.1.1 Frompropheticspirittoeternalword 163 8.1.2 MindandwillofGod 165 8.1.3 Prophecy:frompredictiontopresence 167 8.1.4 Arebirthofimages 169 8.2.1 Theunityandtruthofscripture 170 8.2.2 Scriptureandtradition 172 8.2.3 Principlesofinterpretation 172 8.4 Imagesoftheeconomy:thefourGospels 175 8.5.1 FormationoftheChristianbible 178 8.5.2 Canonofscripture 180 8.6.1 Typologyandtruth 182 8.6.2 Typologyandeconomy 184 8.7 John 186 8.8 Paul 189 9 Aesthetics:participationinbeauty 193 9.1 Persistenceofaesthetics 193 9.2 Atheologicalaesthetic? 195 9.3 ArtandaestheticsinearlyChristianity 199 9.4 Manifestation,visionandparticipation 202 9.5.1 Glory 205 9.5.2 Criticismanddifficulties 207 9.6 Thelimitsofbeauty 209