PATRISTIC SPIRITUALITY

INTRODUCTION
The etymology of “Patristic” is from the Latin word Pater which means
Father. Patristic refers to the thought and writings of the “Fathers” of the Church,
who flourished between the ends of the apostolic age (ca. 100 A.D) and the death of
Pope Gregory the Great in West (600) or of John Damascene in the East (749).
Patristic Spirituality means the spirituality of the early fathers which based on
Biblical interpretation (especially gospel), Doctrines and Liturgical mystagogy. The
period of patristic spirituality has three phases:
i. The Beginnings (2nd ‒ 3rd centuries)
ii. Golden Age of Patristic thoughts (4th – 5th centuries)
iii. Late Patristic Period (6th ‒ 7th centuries)
WHY THERE IS CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY?
Since spirituality involves the search of bringing to light integral witness of
tradition in Christian experience to the whole concrete reality in the life of Christ as
the Whole. Thus, there is only one spirituality and Christ as the criterion. (John
10:10)
There is Christian spirituality, since that life of Christ has passed through
history, thus, there is development from Judeo-Christian Spirituality to
Contemporary Spirituality. Where by, Judeo-Christian Spirituality is the
combination between religious experience of Jews and religious experience of
Christians and Christian Spirituality has the elements from Jesus with the Bible as
the source of principles of life (Old Testament & New Testament). Therefore, there
is Christian Spirituality which is centered on Gospels of Christ i.e. Christocentric,
Theocentric, Liturgical and Communal centered.
After ascension of Christ to heaven, Christians began to put into practice what
Jesus taught them. And they passed through different social, political and cultural
situations that led to particular spirituality. Christian spirituality is one by the style,
the ways, and the modes of living are particular. Examples, Benedictines spirituality,
Franciscan spirituality, Augustinian spirituality.

WHY DID CHRISTIANS GO FOR MARTYRDOM AND PERSECUTIONS?

From the early document, a letter from Pliny, a Roman governor, to the
emperor Traisan (ca. 112 A.D), reveals that Christians were liable to be executed
simply for confessing their faith in Christ. Martyrdom was seen as a way of coming
close to Christ.
In the Roman eyes, Christians were guilty of “obstinancy” which means a
refusal to obey and acknowledge the authority of Roman Empire in religious matters.
Not only that, but they were accused of treason for disobeying political authorities
and thus deserved capital punishment.

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 From Christian’s point of view the issue was more religious than political.
They rejected Idolatry and any trace of emperor worship. Followed the example of
Christ even to death.
SPIRITUALITY OF 2ND AND 3RD CENTURY
This spirituality base on the commitment to Christ by following the example
of Christ even to death. Martyrdom was seen as a way of becoming close to Christ.
The Christians were liable to be executed simply for their faith in Christ.
Christian’s martyrdom was viewed as a sacrifice to God in a manner
analogous to Christ’s sufferings.
a) Clement of Rome
He was the first Apostolic Father of the Church. He wrote letter to the Church
of Corinth, simply his letter is called 1 Clement. He was imprisoned and later he was
martyred by being thrown into the sea with an anchor chained around his neck.
As the apostles were martyred, Clement in his letter to Corinthians,
encouraged the Church to trust in the leadership the apostles helped establish. He
was against the worship of pagan gods, sacrilege, impiety, and obedience to Imperial
edicts.
b) Ignatius of Antioch
He exclaimed on a letter on his way to martyrdom that, “Come fire, cross,
battling with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of limbs, crushing whole of
my body, cruel tortures of the devil, only let me get to Jesus Christ.” His letter is
called, Letter to Romans, Chapter 6.
c) Polycarp
He was martyred at the age of 86. Christianity was seen as a sacrifice to God
in a manner analogous to Christ’s own sufferings.
d) Perpetua and Felicity
Martyrdom to them was seen a direct combat with the devil.
e) Origen
Considered that to take one’s cross and follow Jesus and implicit in the
baptismal vow, thus readiness for martyrdom was considered necessary part of lives
of Christians.
Also spirituality of the 2nd and 3rd centuries was communal. This was seen in
communal prayers, breaking of bread and helping the poor. St. Justin the martyr,
explained that, there was communal prayers and offerings is distributed to orphans
and widows, the sick, prisoners and guests in the community (First Apology, 61).
In prayers, Cyprian of Carthage comments on Lord’s Prayer, that Christians
must say “Our Father” and not “My Father” since Our Father is public and common,
it is not individualistic. When we pray we pray as community, whole people as one.

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 INFLUENCE OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY (PLATONISM) TO PATRISTIC
SPIRITUALITY
As Christianity spread in Greco-Roman world, the influence of Philosophers
began to be more strongly felt. Foremost was Platonism and Stoicism. Plato’s theory
of Ideas or Forms as Immutable, external and immaterial which is the ground of all
mutable, temporal and material reality was adopted by Christian Apologists.
They used Plato’s doctrine to explain their adherence to one God and their
resection of Idolatry. Plato’s doctrine ascent of soul to love the divine beauty itself
stand behind Christian accounts the stages by which a human person comes to know
God as supreme truth, beauty and goodness.
Therefore, whenever you see something beautiful, good, or with truth in it,
the mind must transcend to God who is the beauty, goodness, and truth itself.

INFLUENCE OF STOICISM TO PATRISTIC SPIRITUALITY

Stoicism was one of the philosophies which Christianity encountered during
its growth and spread in Greco-Roman world.
Christian Spirituality adopted the stoic ethical ideal of freedom from irrational
passions. (Such as gluttony, lust, pride, and envy.) Irrational passions means
Apatheia.
Their doctrine on irrational passions was compatible with Christian moral life.
Since that Christianity insisted on the moderation from the irrational passions and
avoid them at any means, since they lead a Christian to sin.

CONTRIBUTION OF ORIGEN TO THE CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY

By the early 3rd century at Alexandrian in Egypt there were two Christian
thinkers who produced thoroughly Hellenized versions of Christian Spirituality:
Clement and Origen.
Origen was Clément’s successor as the head of Catechetical school of
Alexandria (ca. 185-254 A.D). He was the son of Christian martyr and educated in
philosophy under Neo-Platonist, Ammonias Saccas. He wrote on massive Apology
against Celsus, A Comprehensive System of Theology (On First Principles) and
Biblical Commentaries.
Origen composed first technical discussion of prayer and a treatise of
exhortation to martyrdom. His theology and spirituality were more biblical and
platonic than Clement. Most of his works consisted of sermons and commentaries
on the Bible, and the language and imagery of Bible pervade his thoughts.
In his spirituality, Origen believed that all souls (human souls and demons)
were once pure intellects, contemplating God. Bu one of the spirit turned away from
God in varying degrees. God then created material world as place of salutary
punishment and education for the fallen angels. God, the Son, took human form,
came to the world to reveal more clearly the path of return.

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 Thus, God’s purpose and ultimate end of history is the return of all spiritual
beings to their original state of contemplation to God. This is the point at which
human beings are most like God and have achieved the loving knowledge of God.
In his spirituality; the return of the soul to God as a journey in stages by which
a person departs from vices and practice virtue, and then leave behind corporeal
thoughts and images about God and comes to grasp God as a simple intellect.
This spirituality influenced in the East, the Cappadocian Fathers such as Basil
and Gregory Nazianzen and Gregory of Nyssa. They kept alive much of Origen’s
teachings. The rudiments of his thoughts remained central to spiritual traditions of
East and West.

CONCLUSION
Therefore, Patristic Spirituality helped the early Christians to persevere in
amidst of persecutions, trials and temptations. The Christians were inspired by the
writing and doctrines of the early fathers to defend their faith in Christ at any cost,
even at expense of their lives. This gave them courage to proclaim and being ready
to die for Christ. This spirituality helped the Christians to live communal life by
praying together, breaking of bread, giving alms to the poor and sharing in common
what they had as the Apostles did (Acts 2: 43-47).