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#283466 - 03/20/08 07:48 AM A Question about Church Fathers
Terry Bohannon Online content
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Registered: 05/15/07
Posts: 1403
Loc: Houston, TX USA
With “Church Teaching” in the following I refer to Rome.

Are there Fathers of the Church who are not saints, or are all Fathers those early teachers who are recognized as saints?

I was wondering because I just picked up a commentary on Zechariah by Didymus the Blind. In many respects his teachings are wise and in tune with Church teaching, but he is not considered a saint (please correct me if I’m wrong) because of his connection with Origen and for some of the neo-Platonic ideas which mingle with his theology. Is he considered a Church Father? The Coptic Church recognizes him to be a saint, I’ve seen several icons of him.

Terry
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#283467 - 03/20/08 08:09 AM Re: A Question about Church Fathers [Re: Terry Bohannon]
francis Offline
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Registered: 03/18/04
Posts: 373
Loc: Maryland
The term "Fathers of the Church" is not a technical one, so the Church has never defined exactly who is or who is not a "Father". It is simply a term to apply to those great teachers of the Faith up to John Damascene. In fact, many consider Origen a "Father" due to his influential teaching, although he is not a (canonized) saint.

The only thing that the Church defines is Saints and Doctors of the Church. And all Doctors are canonized Saints.
_________________________
Francis

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#283469 - 03/20/08 08:22 AM Re: A Question about Church Fathers [Re: francis]
Terry Bohannon Online content
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Registered: 05/15/07
Posts: 1403
Loc: Houston, TX USA
There are many spiritual riches to gain in Origen's approach to scripture.

The reason I wonder about this question is that I would like to read the Alexandrian Fathers uncritically, without imposing modern or post-modern standards on their approach to scripture or their method of understanding the spiritual. I don’t want to reject their exegesis because it does not follow a modern methodology.

I want to trust their teaching and appreciate their writings as they were written. I would keep in mind Christological or theological divergence from teaching, but I don’t want that to stop me from listening (or trying to listen) to what they teach.

Terry
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