www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Help - Need quotes from Early Church Saints...

I've been having dialog with a protestant, who claims the Catholic Church was begun at the First Council of Nicea in 325. I feel I countered that opinion somewhat well, paraphrasing St. Justin the Martyr and St. Ignatius of Antioch. I brought up St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrystosom (though I know they don't exactly fit into this time line). I spoke of how the Church was founding by Christ, given to the Apostles who appointed and ordained Bishops, who have carried out The Faith (Dogma) and handed it down throughout the ages. I pointed to St. Peter and St. Paul�s letters to the Churches of that time, indicating that when they spoke to the church's, they were indeed speaking to the Catholic Church (in saying Catholic here, I also mean Orthodox - we were one).

Can anyone help to refresh my memory and provide quotes from these and others, in the time frame of 100-325 A.D.

For some, the proof of the pudding is in the eating - in this case, the proof of the faith is in the writings.

I feel this conversation went well, and I provided him with a Catholic Bible (inclusive of all the Old Testament texts rather than the KJV, which omits several books). I provided him with a catechism. I received a promise from him that he would investigate it to see if my claims about the Catholic Church are true. He promised to pray about it as well. I will pray for him also.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I hope and pray I presented my arguments accurately.

While I've generalized our conversation, do you think there is anything I could have done better? If you have Protestants ask questions about The Faith, what do you do initially?

Thank you again for any responses.

Blessings,
Mary

I'd like to add on to this...

We also discussed the necessity of the Sacraments (Holy Mysteries), the life of grace in the soul, the need for Holy Tradition, the need to accept the interpretation (teaching) of the Apostles and successive church fathers of Holy Scripture, and the fact that there is no salvation outside of the One, True, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic church.

I mentioned how the Bible was put in writing by the Catholic Church.

I pointed him also to Ancient Faith Radio, in particullar 'The Path' podcasts.

Again, in saying Catholic, I'm in no way excluding Orthodoxy.

( edited for grammer errors

Mary,

St. Clement of Rome's First Epistle to the Corinthians speaks of the Church hierarchy, and the need for all to be under a bishop, and in union, etc. He died about AD 98. That's online.

I can't provide you with specific quotes, but there are a number of early Fathers with significant writings that could be mentioned along with the ones you mention: St. Irenaeus of Lyons (+202) Against Heresies, Tertullian (+~220) especially his Apologia, Origen (+~250), and Eusebius of Caesarea (+340) Historia Ecclesiastica can all be found online.

Eusebius is the first Church historian, and published his History right around AD 325. This work can be found online, using Google at a number of places, though a hardcopy version is usually easier to use.

HTH.
Michael

Mary,

Check out www.catholic.com [catholic.com]

They have the "Catholic Answers" to the "Catholic Questions" you have. The left hand side of the home page has topics to click on.

God Bless You,

Dr. Eric

"Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior of our souls, the Governor of our bodies, and the Shepherd of the Catholic Church throughout the world." -<i>Martrydom of Polycarp</i> (c. 135).

Try a search for St. Ignatius of Antioch (Theophores); he repeatedly mentioned the Catholic Church in the early second century.

-------
Western Orthodoxy Blog [westernorthodox.blogspot.com]

Thank you for all your help!

Many Blessings,
Mary

I've seen that 'date' placed by a KJV-only fundamentalist. I would agree with some of the last posters. The epistles of St. Clement and the writings of St. Justin Martyr are very much worth quoting.