Lesson 4 - The Early Church: Theologians and Persecutions

Today we will continue to review how the early church began the stabilizing process of defining orthodox beliefs and arguing against the variety of heresies that appeared in the first and second centuries. Aberrant theology and pagan philosophies forced the early church to more clearly define the biblical understanding of who Jesus was as both human and divine. Meet the “apostolic fathers” like Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others as the church’s first pastors and theologians gained prominence. Learn how the New Testament was fully recognized by the fourth century. And meet the martyrs who died during the times of persecution.