An Attempt to Date
Ten Illustrious Church Fathers
July 15, 2015
G.D.O'Bradovich III
introduction
It is sometimes repeated that the New Testament could be reconstructed based on the extensive quotes from the alleged writings of the Church Fathers. While we are not in a position to confirm this assertion, we are aware there are thousands of extant copies of ancient Bibles with variant readings and the Church Fathers do quote from variant texts. We can not proclaim that this a miraculous manifestation as much as there was one edition that the Church Fathers quote. This one edition, the received text, is the "New Teachings" of Erasmus in 1516.
The following citations are courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary referencing "Church Fathers" and "Apostolic Fathers". Secondary sources are in red.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 155
Ase zayþ þe boc of collacions of holy uaderes.
1546 T. Langley tr. P. Vergil Abridgem. Notable Worke viii. ii. 145/1
Suche thynges as belong to the Apostolicall penitencers Benet the XII. deuised first.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. xiv. (R.)
The Apostolycall men..shuld purpose nothyng vnto them whiche they had not receiued of Christ.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Pref.,
If a manne woulde searche out by the auncient fathers.
1555? Coverdale tr. Hope of Faythful xiv. 84
The article in the holy Apostolicall crede.
1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. sig. ¶.viii (heading)
A..preaching of the Euangelicall and apostolicall trueth.
1598 Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iv. ii. 146
As a certaine Father saith.
1616c R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) iv. 1595
Some think he was not Apostolicall, But alwaies in his heart papisticall.
1641a R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 200
To this discourse of Basil, other Fathers agree.
1654 J. Hall Of Govt. & Obed. iii. xii. 354
... and other the Church Fathers and Founders.
1704 R. Nelson Compan. Festivals & Fasts (ed. 2) i. i. 19
The Apostolical Institution of the Lord's Day.
1710 H. Prideaux Orig. & Right Tithes 141
Irenaeus and Origen, and other Fathers.
1751 J. Jortin Remarks Eccl. Hist. I. 51
The authors called Apostolical, as Clemens, ..., Ignatius.
1776–81 Gibbon Decline & Fall xlvii. (note) ,
The Greek as well as the Latin fathers.
1787a J. Brown Posthumous Wks. (1797) 96
... or understood by the church-fathers, councils, ...
All citations referencing the Church Fathers, excepting one, are after the Erasmus' publication and the exception is the for the year 1340 that was found in the year 1866. The evidence for Church Fathers, as a group, can only be found in the 16th century and to be certain of our conclusion, we will examine ten individual Church Fathers.
The following citations are courtesy of the Oxford English Dictionary referencing "Church Fathers" and "Apostolic Fathers". Secondary sources are in red.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 155
Ase zayþ þe boc of collacions of holy uaderes.
1546 T. Langley tr. P. Vergil Abridgem. Notable Worke viii. ii. 145/1
Suche thynges as belong to the Apostolicall penitencers Benet the XII. deuised first.
1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Matt. xiv. (R.)
The Apostolycall men..shuld purpose nothyng vnto them whiche they had not receiued of Christ.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Pref.,
If a manne woulde searche out by the auncient fathers.
1555? Coverdale tr. Hope of Faythful xiv. 84
The article in the holy Apostolicall crede.
1577 H. I. tr. H. Bullinger 50 Godlie Serm. sig. ¶.viii (heading)
A..preaching of the Euangelicall and apostolicall trueth.
1598 Shakespeare Love's Labour's Lost iv. ii. 146
As a certaine Father saith.
1616c R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) iv. 1595
Some think he was not Apostolicall, But alwaies in his heart papisticall.
1641a R. Montagu Acts & Monuments (1642) 200
To this discourse of Basil, other Fathers agree.
1654 J. Hall Of Govt. & Obed. iii. xii. 354
... and other the Church Fathers and Founders.
1704 R. Nelson Compan. Festivals & Fasts (ed. 2) i. i. 19
The Apostolical Institution of the Lord's Day.
1710 H. Prideaux Orig. & Right Tithes 141
Irenaeus and Origen, and other Fathers.
1751 J. Jortin Remarks Eccl. Hist. I. 51
The authors called Apostolical, as Clemens, ..., Ignatius.
1776–81 Gibbon Decline & Fall xlvii. (note) ,
The Greek as well as the Latin fathers.
1787a J. Brown Posthumous Wks. (1797) 96
... or understood by the church-fathers, councils, ...
All citations referencing the Church Fathers, excepting one, are after the Erasmus' publication and the exception is the for the year 1340 that was found in the year 1866. The evidence for Church Fathers, as a group, can only be found in the 16th century and to be certain of our conclusion, we will examine ten individual Church Fathers.
citations
The researched words are Thomist, Clementine, Ignatian, Athanasian, Cappadocian, Cyprianic, Ambrosian, isidorian, Gregorian and Augustinian.
1359 Wyclif Wks. (1905) 127
Thomiste qui sanctum Thomam secuntur.
1400c Rom. Rose 7463
Frere prechours ben good men alle..So been Augustins.
There is one primary reference before the year 1500. Saint Augustine 1400c
1533 Tyndale Souper of Lorde B iij (margin) ,
Thomistes be the schole docters.
1538a W. Holme Fall & Euill Successe Rebellion (1572) sig. C.iiijv
,...The Origenistes, the Ebionites...
1544 J. Bale Brefe Chron. Syr J. Oldcastell in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 277
..., clementynes, codes.
1546 Bp. S. Gardiner Declar. True Articles xvi,
...but al saued at the last, as the Origenistes sayed.
1554 J. Christopherson Exhortation to All Men sig. Zvv,
..., as the Origenians dydde.
1567 T. Harding Reioindre to M. Iewels Replie against Masse 177 (margin)
The heresie of the Origenians.
1585 T. Rogers Eng. Creede: 1st Pt. (new ed.) 4
...to the Creede Apostolical, Nicen, Athanasian.
There are six primary references between 1501 and 1600. Saint Thomas Aquinas 1533. Saint Clement 1544. Origen 1546. Saint Athanasius 1585.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Fovre-footed Beastes 286
The Cappadocian horsses are swift ...
1609 J. Dowland tr. A. Ornithoparchus Micrologus 27
... Ambrosian song, or corrupted with ..
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 314
The Abbey of the Friers Augustines.
1647 A. Ross Mystagogus Poet. (1675) iii. 77
The Encratites, Or[i]genists, ...
1647 Ussher (title) Appendix
Ignatiana, continens genuinas ejus epistolas.]
1648 J. Beaumont Psyche xv. cclxxxvii. 295
Tertullianists, ... Elxites, Origenians.
1653 T. Urquhart tr. Rabelais 1st Bk. Wks. xliii,
... Gregorian water as of the starres..they might [etc.].
1669 T. Gale True Idea Jansenisme 58
No doubt there are such small Graces, as the Thomists ...
1695 J. Sage (title)
The Principles of the Cyprianic Age.
1696 G. Rule (title)
The Cyprianick Bishop examined and found...
There are nine primary references between 1601 and 1700. Although not referring to church fathers, we have included "Cappadocian" from the year 1607. Saint Ambrose 1609. Saint Ignatius 1647. Saint Tertullian 1648. Gregorian 1653. Saint Cyprian 1695.
1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi iii. i. i. 19/1
... in opposition to Tertullianism, ...
1708 London Gaz. No. 4427/13
The Church of the barefooted Augustins.
1710 Brit. Apollo II. No. 84. 2/1
He..gave name to a Sect call'd Tertullianists about the Year 245.
1711 Pope Ess. Crit. 26
Scotists and Thomists, now, in Peace remain...
1724 D. Waterland Crit. Hist. Athanasian Creed (T.)
To call one side Athanasians, ...
1728 E. Chambers Cycl.
Origenians, a Sect of ancient Heretics, who even surpass'd ...
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Chant,
The Plain, or Gregorian Chant, is where the Choir and the People sing ...
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. Ambrosian rite
... the Ambrosian church..
1762 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy V. xxvii. 98
The Phoenicians,—the Arabians,—the Capadocians..did it.
1773a A. Butler Lives Saints (1779) VII. 344
A..convent of Basilian monks.
1776 J. Hawkins Gen. Hist. Music I. 346
... is called the Gregorian music.
1777 J. Priestley Matter & Spirit I. Pref. 21
Athanasianism..will..appear to have been ...
1781 Gibbon Decline & Fall III. xxxvii. 537
... the freedom of Athanasian worship.
1782 C. Burney Gen. Hist. Music II. 12
The ancient Gregorian chants that are come down to us.
1782 C. Burney Gen. Hist. Music II. 14,
I shall..give a short example of each mode in Gregorian notes.
1789c Encycl. Brit. (1797) IV. 139/2
The Cappadocians at first fancied themselves obliged to their new protector.
1797a E. Burke Fourth Let. Peace Regicide Directory of France in Writings & Speeches (1991) IX. 70 He is an Origenist, and believes in the conversion of the Devil.
There are thirteen primary references between 1701 and 1800. There are no initial references to the Church Fathers in the 18th century.
1816 Scott Antiquary II. ii. 40
The papal laws, decrees, decretals, clementines.
1818a Encycl. Metrop. XIV. 253/1
The Cappadocian horses have been the theme of much ...
1823 C. Lamb in London Mag. 8 402/1 T.N.T.,
...a sturdy old Athanasian.
1832 Murdock tr. Mosheim Eccl. Hist. (1841) I. 89
Indeed the whole subject of the Ignatian epistles...
1833 E. Burton Lect. Eccl. Hist. ii. xxii. 234
A sect of Tertullianists..continued at Carthage till the end ...
1836 Penny Cycl. VI. 272/1
The Cappadocians were very generally known during the Roman occupation...
1842 W. T. Brande Dict. Sci., Lit. & Art 1233/1
The Thomists continued as a sect to the commencement ...
1846 W. Cureton Vindiciæ Ignatianæ App. p. i (heading)
... the Ignatian Epistles from the year 1650 ...
1848 Godde de Liancourt & Manning Pius IX II. ii. 59
The Basilian nuns of Minsk.
1850 J. H. Newman Lect. Diffic. Anglicans i. 23
...dispense with the Athanasian Creed altogether.
1850 J. H. Newman Lect. Diffic. Anglicans i. 24
... we be Athanasians, Sabellians, Tritheists, or Socinians.
1853 J. C. Robertson Hist. Christian Church (1874) iii. vi. §3 299
...a monk of Origenistic opinions.
1855 A. P. Stanley Hist. Memorials Canterbury (1857) i. 10
..., has heard of his Gregorian chants.
1857 S. Davidson tr. J. K. L. Giesler Text-bk. of Church Hist. I. 221
... repeats the Origenist doctrine ...
1858 R. A. Vaughan Ess. & Remains I. 43
Many of the Origenists held opinions which the ...
1861a W. Cuningham Hist. Theol. in Wks. (1863) I. 164
The Cyprianic bishop was very different...
1867 G. A. Macfarren Harmony i, 18
The so-called Gregorian scales.
1872 O. Shipley Gloss. Eccl. Terms
Gregorian Tones, a collection of chants compiled by S. Gregory...
1874 J. H. Blunt Dict. Sects (at cited word),
A very able defence of Origenist opinions was ...
1874 J. H. Blunt Dict. Sects (at cited word),
... These Origenists are spoken of as given to shameful vices.
1876 Encycl. Brit. V. 74/2
In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians occupied the whole region from...
1876 J. Stainer & W. A. Barrett Dict. Musical Terms 362/2
The usual notes of the Gregorian Plain Song.
1880 Helmore in Grove Dict. Music I. 60
The Ambrosian chant was eventually merged, but certainly ...
1882 P. Schaff et al. Relig. Encycl. I. 393
The Spanish or Isidorian translation [of Greek Canons] ...
1882 P. Schaff et al. Relig. Encycl. I. 658
The controversy between Thomists and Scotists..concerning ...
1883 Advance (Chicago) 6 Dec.
The sects of the Ebionites, Clementines, and Gnostics illustrate..
1883 Pall Mall Gaz. 1 Sept. 1/2
The forgery of the Isidorian Decretals, which did so much to augment ...
1890 Athenæum 8 Feb. 182/2
The Basilian monk and savant Father Cozza.
1894 Catholic World June 338
It was also held by those heretics who were called Origenists,...
1900 United Presb. Mag. May 238/1
Mediaeval history has a parallel in the famous ‘Isidorian Decretals’.
The initial reference to Saint Basil is in the year 1848.
1359 Wyclif Wks. (1905) 127
Thomiste qui sanctum Thomam secuntur.
1400c Rom. Rose 7463
Frere prechours ben good men alle..So been Augustins.
There is one primary reference before the year 1500. Saint Augustine 1400c
1533 Tyndale Souper of Lorde B iij (margin) ,
Thomistes be the schole docters.
1538a W. Holme Fall & Euill Successe Rebellion (1572) sig. C.iiijv
,...The Origenistes, the Ebionites...
1544 J. Bale Brefe Chron. Syr J. Oldcastell in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 277
..., clementynes, codes.
1546 Bp. S. Gardiner Declar. True Articles xvi,
...but al saued at the last, as the Origenistes sayed.
1554 J. Christopherson Exhortation to All Men sig. Zvv,
..., as the Origenians dydde.
1567 T. Harding Reioindre to M. Iewels Replie against Masse 177 (margin)
The heresie of the Origenians.
1585 T. Rogers Eng. Creede: 1st Pt. (new ed.) 4
...to the Creede Apostolical, Nicen, Athanasian.
There are six primary references between 1501 and 1600. Saint Thomas Aquinas 1533. Saint Clement 1544. Origen 1546. Saint Athanasius 1585.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Fovre-footed Beastes 286
The Cappadocian horsses are swift ...
1609 J. Dowland tr. A. Ornithoparchus Micrologus 27
... Ambrosian song, or corrupted with ..
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 314
The Abbey of the Friers Augustines.
1647 A. Ross Mystagogus Poet. (1675) iii. 77
The Encratites, Or[i]genists, ...
1647 Ussher (title) Appendix
Ignatiana, continens genuinas ejus epistolas.]
1648 J. Beaumont Psyche xv. cclxxxvii. 295
Tertullianists, ... Elxites, Origenians.
1653 T. Urquhart tr. Rabelais 1st Bk. Wks. xliii,
... Gregorian water as of the starres..they might [etc.].
1669 T. Gale True Idea Jansenisme 58
No doubt there are such small Graces, as the Thomists ...
1695 J. Sage (title)
The Principles of the Cyprianic Age.
1696 G. Rule (title)
The Cyprianick Bishop examined and found...
There are nine primary references between 1601 and 1700. Although not referring to church fathers, we have included "Cappadocian" from the year 1607. Saint Ambrose 1609. Saint Ignatius 1647. Saint Tertullian 1648. Gregorian 1653. Saint Cyprian 1695.
1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi iii. i. i. 19/1
... in opposition to Tertullianism, ...
1708 London Gaz. No. 4427/13
The Church of the barefooted Augustins.
1710 Brit. Apollo II. No. 84. 2/1
He..gave name to a Sect call'd Tertullianists about the Year 245.
1711 Pope Ess. Crit. 26
Scotists and Thomists, now, in Peace remain...
1724 D. Waterland Crit. Hist. Athanasian Creed (T.)
To call one side Athanasians, ...
1728 E. Chambers Cycl.
Origenians, a Sect of ancient Heretics, who even surpass'd ...
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Chant,
The Plain, or Gregorian Chant, is where the Choir and the People sing ...
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. Ambrosian rite
... the Ambrosian church..
1762 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy V. xxvii. 98
The Phoenicians,—the Arabians,—the Capadocians..did it.
1773a A. Butler Lives Saints (1779) VII. 344
A..convent of Basilian monks.
1776 J. Hawkins Gen. Hist. Music I. 346
... is called the Gregorian music.
1777 J. Priestley Matter & Spirit I. Pref. 21
Athanasianism..will..appear to have been ...
1781 Gibbon Decline & Fall III. xxxvii. 537
... the freedom of Athanasian worship.
1782 C. Burney Gen. Hist. Music II. 12
The ancient Gregorian chants that are come down to us.
1782 C. Burney Gen. Hist. Music II. 14,
I shall..give a short example of each mode in Gregorian notes.
1789c Encycl. Brit. (1797) IV. 139/2
The Cappadocians at first fancied themselves obliged to their new protector.
1797a E. Burke Fourth Let. Peace Regicide Directory of France in Writings & Speeches (1991) IX. 70 He is an Origenist, and believes in the conversion of the Devil.
There are thirteen primary references between 1701 and 1800. There are no initial references to the Church Fathers in the 18th century.
1816 Scott Antiquary II. ii. 40
The papal laws, decrees, decretals, clementines.
1818a Encycl. Metrop. XIV. 253/1
The Cappadocian horses have been the theme of much ...
1823 C. Lamb in London Mag. 8 402/1 T.N.T.,
...a sturdy old Athanasian.
1832 Murdock tr. Mosheim Eccl. Hist. (1841) I. 89
Indeed the whole subject of the Ignatian epistles...
1833 E. Burton Lect. Eccl. Hist. ii. xxii. 234
A sect of Tertullianists..continued at Carthage till the end ...
1836 Penny Cycl. VI. 272/1
The Cappadocians were very generally known during the Roman occupation...
1842 W. T. Brande Dict. Sci., Lit. & Art 1233/1
The Thomists continued as a sect to the commencement ...
1846 W. Cureton Vindiciæ Ignatianæ App. p. i (heading)
... the Ignatian Epistles from the year 1650 ...
1848 Godde de Liancourt & Manning Pius IX II. ii. 59
The Basilian nuns of Minsk.
1850 J. H. Newman Lect. Diffic. Anglicans i. 23
...dispense with the Athanasian Creed altogether.
1850 J. H. Newman Lect. Diffic. Anglicans i. 24
... we be Athanasians, Sabellians, Tritheists, or Socinians.
1853 J. C. Robertson Hist. Christian Church (1874) iii. vi. §3 299
...a monk of Origenistic opinions.
1855 A. P. Stanley Hist. Memorials Canterbury (1857) i. 10
..., has heard of his Gregorian chants.
1857 S. Davidson tr. J. K. L. Giesler Text-bk. of Church Hist. I. 221
... repeats the Origenist doctrine ...
1858 R. A. Vaughan Ess. & Remains I. 43
Many of the Origenists held opinions which the ...
1861a W. Cuningham Hist. Theol. in Wks. (1863) I. 164
The Cyprianic bishop was very different...
1867 G. A. Macfarren Harmony i, 18
The so-called Gregorian scales.
1872 O. Shipley Gloss. Eccl. Terms
Gregorian Tones, a collection of chants compiled by S. Gregory...
1874 J. H. Blunt Dict. Sects (at cited word),
A very able defence of Origenist opinions was ...
1874 J. H. Blunt Dict. Sects (at cited word),
... These Origenists are spoken of as given to shameful vices.
1876 Encycl. Brit. V. 74/2
In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians occupied the whole region from...
1876 J. Stainer & W. A. Barrett Dict. Musical Terms 362/2
The usual notes of the Gregorian Plain Song.
1880 Helmore in Grove Dict. Music I. 60
The Ambrosian chant was eventually merged, but certainly ...
1882 P. Schaff et al. Relig. Encycl. I. 393
The Spanish or Isidorian translation [of Greek Canons] ...
1882 P. Schaff et al. Relig. Encycl. I. 658
The controversy between Thomists and Scotists..concerning ...
1883 Advance (Chicago) 6 Dec.
The sects of the Ebionites, Clementines, and Gnostics illustrate..
1883 Pall Mall Gaz. 1 Sept. 1/2
The forgery of the Isidorian Decretals, which did so much to augment ...
1890 Athenæum 8 Feb. 182/2
The Basilian monk and savant Father Cozza.
1894 Catholic World June 338
It was also held by those heretics who were called Origenists,...
1900 United Presb. Mag. May 238/1
Mediaeval history has a parallel in the famous ‘Isidorian Decretals’.
The initial reference to Saint Basil is in the year 1848.
church fathers
The following is the initial primary reference to the Church Fathers in chronological order.
Augustine
Thomas Aquinas Origen Clement Athansasia Ambrose Cappadocian [Fathers] Ignatius Tertullian Gregory Cyprian Basil |
1400
1533 1538 1544 1585 1604 1607 1647 1648 1653 1695 1848 |
The median year (excluding Cappadocian) is 1604 and the standard deviation is 111 years and the range is from 1493 to 1715. Augustine falls outside this range due to the incorrect dating of the manuscript and we suspect that when the OED is updated, an earlier date for Basil will be found.
Expect for Augustine, the data for the Church Fathers, that is, the first recorded reference to the ancient and illustrious Church Fathers occur after the creation of the Textus Receptus by Erasmus in the year 1516. While we are obligated to report the dates as we found them, we do not believe the dates before the year 1600 are to be trusted. For example, Thomas Aquinas' alleged writings are known more than a century before Ignatius' alleged writings. There is nothing exceptional in this interval, per se, but for the reason that history informs us that Aquinas was the last of the Church Fathers (d. 1274) and Ignatius was one of the first Church Fathers (d. 107). We would either expect that Ignatius was known before Aquinas or that the discovery of their writings would be be contemporary.
Regardless of the supposed initial reference to the alleged writings of the Church Fathers, they occur only after Erasmus' creation of the New Teachings and, subsequent editions of the New Testament.
Expect for Augustine, the data for the Church Fathers, that is, the first recorded reference to the ancient and illustrious Church Fathers occur after the creation of the Textus Receptus by Erasmus in the year 1516. While we are obligated to report the dates as we found them, we do not believe the dates before the year 1600 are to be trusted. For example, Thomas Aquinas' alleged writings are known more than a century before Ignatius' alleged writings. There is nothing exceptional in this interval, per se, but for the reason that history informs us that Aquinas was the last of the Church Fathers (d. 1274) and Ignatius was one of the first Church Fathers (d. 107). We would either expect that Ignatius was known before Aquinas or that the discovery of their writings would be be contemporary.
Regardless of the supposed initial reference to the alleged writings of the Church Fathers, they occur only after Erasmus' creation of the New Teachings and, subsequent editions of the New Testament.