Christian Apologists and Early Heresies

A video essay on the earliest Christian heresies and Christian apologists such as Origen.

My books (affiliate links):

[aristotle]

It is ironic that Origen was deemed heretical by the later church yet he was an apologist against the heresies of his day.

[drumguy]

It's a decent rule of thumb that if a group claims to know the day of the return of Christ they are probably a cult. That said, from reading the writings of the early church it seems, at least to me, that they also believed that they at least stood a fair chance of being alive to see Christ's return.

For a sense of time scale, Christianity is older now than Judaism was at the time of Christ. The Mosaic law itself was only ~1300 years old at the time and modern Rabbinic Judaism didn't even exist yet. Even if you take the Orthodox Jewish position that Moses was the first Rabbi, Judaism was still younger then than Christianity is now. It would seem logically unlikely that they would expect his return to take so long. The messianic movement, in fact, only really caught on in the 1st or 2nd century BCE, almost directly in response to the Roman occupation of Palestine and Judea. It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect him to return in time to end the Roman occupation. They didn't have the benefit of hindsight that we do. They couldn't have had any idea that eventually the whole Empire would become Christian.

I think the admonition that, "No man knows the day or the hour ..." was less a warning against cult figures trying to predict the Messiah's return (though there were other warnings about false Messiahs), but more a warning to be ever vigilant because they believed it was imminent.

[paulfarrehi]

These are some of the best, if not the best, history videos I've ever seen. All of them Dr Reeves are just terrific. Congratulations. Well done. and Thank you for posting

[paulstrength]

Alot of this is over my head but I really enjoy all the videos.

[redscape]

Dr. Reeves, thanks for the lecture. I was guided to your channel through the enduring light of the Silmarils, and ended up listening to this. Though I'm not a Christian, I find Church history fascinating, and your presentations are informative and enjoyable. Thanks, again.

[DHTC]

Wow you have great videos! Been watching them at bedtime all week. Big fan you're my favorite right now.

[uppitywhiteman]

Working my way thru history and the Christian faith. Thank you very much for the very well done presentation. A lecture series that is certainly done properly.

[bobsaturday]

Once again it's refreshing to hear from someone who actually knows what they're talkin about
Keep em comin Ryan ! Thanx

[jenna]

Justin Martyr's error was that he never compared Gen 5:1 with Gen 5:3. Adam alone was made in the image of YHVH; Seth was made in the image of Adam. Marcion's error was that of not recognizing Yahshua in the OT--as the one who walked with Adam in the garden, for instance (John 6:46).

[manfromthegap]

It is also interesting to note that Tertullian became sympathetic of the Montanist movement

[AsStatedBefore]

First of all thank you for your excellent church history videos!
My question is about modalism. Why makes the orthodox vision about the trinity more sense than the modalistic view?
Isn't GOD talking to HIMSELF in the orthodox view also?
"Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence" says the Athansian Creed.
If GOD is one in Essence isn't HE talking to HIMSELF, despite not confounding the Persons?
The Trinity in my opinion is a total mystery and modalism is not going to solve that but it makes a simplistic effort to explain how something can be "three" and at the same time "one".
I like the 'liquid water', 'ice water' and 'steam water' metaphor and use it often to show muslims how 'three' can be 'one' and at the same time 'three'.

[mattcrump]

Your videos are an excellent resource. Thank you.

[tylermassey]

14:29 In all seriousness, is there a time when mocking your opponent wasn't a common tactic?

[iwilltrytotry]

hey Ryan! i love your videos! truthfully, i am an atheist at the end of the day, but i am still fascinated with the study of religions. i am also an avid lover of history (particularly roman history), so your videos have provided me with hours of thought compelling entertainment! keep it up!

p.s. you misused the word "vociferous" ;)

[seeker]

judging from how people misinterpret people's opinions now a days it's hard to say anything about celsus without his own work to speak for him.

[Kralle]

I wonder if Origines citations of Celsus 'lost' works are that accurate...

[fr.mhiggins]

Interesting to hear about some of the early apologists of the Catholic Church.

[robertarmitage]

Interesting video, though calling Celsus a jerk, at the start, painted a negative impression of him before we heard what he had to say. He lived during the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, who also opposed Christianity, but no one calls him a jerk.

[blainem]

Book of Matthew starts with Jesus' lineage through his father Joseph to solomon, David, and Abraham before (who Elohim promised to make his dynasty kings) . So how do evangelicals reconcile that with a 'virgin birth' ?

[raymondchandler]

Really puzzled you chose Tertullian over Ireaneus.