Church Fathers

[Nemo Neem]

Hi, all.

I'm studying the Church Fathers in one of my classes, and one of the things we need to do as students is form our theology. I'm devoutly Methodist, and thoroughly studied Wesley's theology. I was wondering which of the Church Fathers I should look at, since we need to use them in our formulation. From which Fathers did Wesley draw inspiration? Your help is much appreciated.

The Fathers I like (though I don't agree with everything they wrote) are Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Clement of Rome, and Ignatius of Antioch.

 

[Obedientiarius]

Wesley was particularly interested what E. Orthodoxy call 'theosis' so I'd go to Athanasius, Maximus the Confessor, Gregory Palamas, and the Cappadocian Fathers.

 

[ContraMundum]

An interesting little book that might touch on your interests is "From the Apostles to Wesley" by former Nazarene president W Greathouse. It's a brief but well done historical overview of the Christian Perfection distinctive with some references from the ECFs.

My opinion: Tertullian is not "Saint Tertullian" because he fell into error and we need to be cautious of his later works. I suggest a reading of the Apostolic Fathers as a place to start. Lightfoot's translation is pretty useful.

I have the complete works of the Fathers on my shelf. I used to be a bit of a Patristic groupie but soon realized that "Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh" (Ecclesiastes 12:12) so I have taken the foot off the pedal in recent times.

Anyway- for fun I give you this quote:

"Can anyone who spends several years in those seats of learning, be excused if they do not add to that learning the reading of the Fathers? The Fathers are the most authentic commentators on Scripture, for they were nearest the fountain and were eminently endued with that Spirit by whom all Scripture was given. It will be easily perceived, I speak chiefly of those who wrote before the council of Nicaea." (John Wesley)