Saint Irenaeus of Lyon's work "Against the Heresies"

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Lyons under Saint Pothinus. Because of the Montanist's troubles which were taking place at Lyon, the Pope was solicited to condemn the Montanist controversy. Therefore, 'the faithful of Lyon wrote a letter on the subject to Pope Eleutherius (175-189) which they charged Irenaeus to take to Rome. Irenaeus is mentioned therein as being "full of zeal for the Testament of the Lord" and as "a priest of the Church"' (Cayre 1936: 141). It was probably this trip which saved him from the persecution which took place at Lyon in 177-178, where the victim was Saint Pothinus. When Saint Irenaeus came back from Rome, he was made bishop of Lyon succeeding Saint Pothinus who had just been martyred.

Saint Irenaeus was influenced by Saint Polycarp. As Quasten (1949:288) affirms, 'his thorough acquaintance with ecclesiastical tradition, which he owed to his friendship with Polycarp and with other disciples of the Apostles, was a great asset in his fight against heresies'. Looking at Irenaeus' ...

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Irenaeus gives 'an excellent refutation and critical analysis of the fantastic speculation of Gnosticism. With a comprehensive knowledge of resources, he combines moral seriousness and religious enthusiasm' (Quasten 1949: 288). The works of Saint Irenaeus are as follows: two complete treatises which are the Proof of the Apostolic Preaching and his well known the writing Against Heresies. Besides the two-major works, there are numerous fragments of other writings such as On the Monarch or How God is not the Cause of Evil, which Saint Irenaeus wrote against Florinus, his former friend who had become a Gnostic. Moreover, other minor works include On the Ogdoad; Treatise on Schism which ...

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