The doctrine of Sacred Tradition in the works of the Holy Spirit. Irenaeus of Lyon and Sschmch. Hippolytus of Rome

Divine Revelation is traditionally inextricably linked with such a phenomenon as Holy Tradition, the development of the teaching about which attracts attention in the context of the study of patristic writing. How the Holy Tradition was thought in the pre-Nicene era of the history of the Church of Christ can be assessed by consistently studying the works of church writers of that time. As part of this speech, we will try to compare the teaching about the Holy Tradition of the Hieromartyrs Irenaeus of Lyons and Hippolytus of Rome. St. Irenaeus (born about 130 A.D.) was the bishop of the city of Lyon and was educated in Asia Minor. His works testify to the good education of the author, his knowledge of ancient poets, philosophers, and all modern opinions. St. Polycarp, St. Irenaeus was sent to Gaul, where at that time there was a lack of preaching by one saint. Pofina. 1 St. Irenaeus was installed as Bishop of Lyon in 178. The famous Frankish historian Gregory of Tours testified: “In a short time, through preaching, he transformed the entire city into a Christian city.” 2 At that time, the followers of Valentine brought with them heretical teachings to the banks of the Rhone. It was then that St. Irenaeus wrote his work “Condemning the False Reason” or “Five Books against Heresies” The doctrine of Sacred Tradition in the work of St. Irenaeus is revealed as a refutation of the teachings of Gnosticism, its private representative Valentinus. In books against heresies of St. Irenaeus outlined quite thoroughly the circle of objects included in the Tradition. As is known, he denounced the heresy of Gnosticism, the essence of which can be expressed as follows: the Gnostics believed that the Lord Jesus Christ imparted an imperfect teaching to some, and a more perfect one to others, depending on the level of their perception. He vouchsafed His disciples the highest knowledge (gnosis). Heretics were denounced for dualism, arbitrary interpretation of Holy Scripture, and incongruous moral practice: the custom of demanding money for the sacraments. Here St. Irenaeus gave the example of Simon the Magus, who offered money to the Apostle Peter for the sacraments (Acts 8:9–11). From him “all heresies originated” 3, wrote St. Irenaeus. True Tradition, according to sschmch. Irenaeus is characterized primarily by such features as apostolate, churchliness and unity. According to Irenaeus, “the apostles, like a rich man in a treasury, completely put into it (that is, into the Church) everything that relates to the truth, so that everyone who wants to takes from it the drink of life” (“Against Heresies” III 4. 1). 4 Church tradition is considered as one throughout the Universe (Ecumene). This unity is expressed in apostolic succession. Here sschmch. Irenaeus follows schmch. Clement of Rome, who talks about the succession of ministers. St. Clement uses in the “first letter to the Corinthians” about a certain law (Επινομη), which the apostles left. That is, they made an order so that the service of some would be bequeathed to others. 5 In view of this, St. Irenaeus lists the primates of the Roman Church. It is indicated that it was the apostles who founded and organized it and entrusted the ministry to Linus, the first pope, with the exception of the Apostle Peter. After Linus, Anacletus took the bishopric, after him Clement, and besides them St. Irenaeus lists other successors to the Roman See. With the succession of the see, the apostles, according to St. Irenaeus, accepted the “faith” and “tradition from the apostles” (“Against Heresies” III 3:3). 6 If the external condition of the unity of Sacred Tradition in the Church, according to St. Irenaeus, the succession of episcopacy and priesthood from the apostles serves, then the internal condition is the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Those who are not involved in the Church “take their own lives,” writes St. Irenaeus, “for where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God” (“Against Heresies” III 24:1). 7 Tradition, according to the teachings of St. Irenaeus, remains unchanged in different churches. The preaching of truth (as St. Irenaeus sometimes means Tradition) is compared to the sun, which “is the same throughout the world, so the preaching of truth shines everywhere and enlightens all people who want to come to the knowledge of the truth” (“Against Heresies” I 10:2). The unity of Church Tradition is opposed to the diverse traditions of heretics who have “inconstancy of opinions.” 8 In the work of St. Irenaeus Sacred tradition is designated as one of two sources of faith. Sacred Tradition complements and explains Sacred Scripture. But first there was Tradition, because the apostles did not immediately write the Gospel. This idea can be traced in all passages of St. Irenaeus, where he talks about Tradition. St. Irenaeus points out that the apostles preached first orally, and only then “the dispensation of salvation... according to the will of God, was conveyed... in the Scriptures... as a pillar of our faith” (“Against Heresies” III, I:I). 9 Moreover, Saint Irenaeus in his work suggests that Scripture might not have existed. But this would not diminish the truth. It would be necessary to turn to “the most ancient Churches, to which the apostles addressed themselves” (“Against Heresies” III 4:1). 10 According to St. Irenaeus Tradition and Scripture, as equivalent sources of Christian truth, are preserved in the Church. But the Church from its very beginning had a living apostolic word. St. Irenaeus points out in his work that Holy Tradition alone, as the apostolic word, can be a full-fledged source of truth. After all, many Churches of the 1st, 2nd and subsequent centuries did not have the Holy Scriptures, but were led by the Holy Spirit (“Against Heresies” III 4:2). 11 Indeed, not all peoples converted to Christianity knew how to write and read, however, they could already think correctly. As for the Holy Scriptures, they were available only in Greek. At St. Irenaeus had not yet formed the canon of Holy Scripture. The first person to think about “the number and order” of the Holy Books is called Melito of Sardinia. The historian Eusebius of Caesarea Eusebius testifies to this fact in his “Ecclesiastical History” 12. The first translation into the Gothic language was made no earlier than the 4th century. In the 4th century, Ulfilas, a Gothic bishop, began to translate Scripture. 13 But, of course, Holy Scripture is the source of truth that cannot be replaced by anything. Tradition and Scripture are not interchangeable, but express the truth in different ways. “The Holy Scripture,” in the words of St. Irenaeus, “is the foundation and pillar of our faith (“Against heresies” III 1:1) 14 Tradition is the key to the correct understanding of Scripture, in which the truth is often expressed covertly, “in parables and riddles.” Scientists highlight in the work of St. Irenaeus two groups of Traditions. Some Traditions are general Church, others are not. Both bear the seal of apostleship. No matter how we say it, in churches, both in the time of the apostles and now, traditions and traditions can be different. It is known that St. Irenaeus took part in the Easter dispute between East and West, taking a conciliatory position. He said that both traditions of celebrating Easter have the right to exist. But there are rules of truth (regula veritatis) confessed at baptism. These are symbols of faith. They are of a church-wide nature. The truth of faith in symbols is the same. It was received from the apostles. However, there was more than one symbol of faith in the Ancient Church. As is known from history, such baptismal symbols were different in form in different Churches. St. Irenaeus sees the symbols as having a biblical basis. The four Gospels affirm churchliness and apostolate. In the Church, the apostles are only preachers, “publishers” of teaching. Translation 70 is consistent with the Apostolic Tradition (for example, reading Is. 7:14). Another group of Traditions also has apostolic origin, transmitted through bishops. This is what St. testifies. Irenaeus. But this group is not and cannot be a church-wide group. This group includes the doctrine of chiliasm, accepted by St. Irenaeus. As well as the statement about the ten-year ministry of Christ the Savior (“Against heresies” II. 22:5) 15 In the church history of Eusebius of Caesarea it is indicated that St. Hippolytus was one of the most famous students of St. Irenaeus of Lyons. 16 He lived in the 3rd century; we do not have exact information about his birth and origin. From the history of the Church it is known that St. Irenaeus was the first antipope under Pope Callistus. Bishop Zephyrinus (201–218) was the predecessor of Bishop Callistus (219–223). Both bishops, according to the testimony of Hippolytus himself, stubbornly defended the heresy of Noetus, a monarchian. 17 It is St. Hippolytus became a staunch defender of Orthodoxy against the threat of the monarchist heresy. In the context of polemics with Noetus and his followers, in his well-known work “Conversation against the heresy of a certain Noetus,” Saint Hippolytus of Rome sets out his vision of Sacred Tradition. In polemics with the monarchians - modalists, St. Hippolytus makes it quite briefly, but very clearly, that the Church is the true custodian of Tradition. In the Church, truth is preserved through apostolic succession. Here we see a striking similarity in the teachings of St. Hippolyta with the teaching on the Tradition of St. Irenaeus. In the first chapter of the conversation against Noetus, it is narrated that the heretic, calling the Son - the incarnate Father, Who suffered and died in time. The blessed elders, when they heard about this, called him and tested him “in the face of the Church.” 18 They did this according to the commandment given in the Epistle to Titus (Titus 3:9-10). Noet at first did not admit his thoughts, but later he gathered like-minded people around him and wanted to defend his teaching. Then the elders again denounced him. However, Noet persisted, saying that he was “glorifying Christ.” The elders responded with a short creed and cast Noetus out of the Church. So, according to the theologian Ponomarev, St. Hippolytus reveals the concept, firstly, about the teaching of the Church, preserved not by anyone else, but precisely by the blessed presbyters and, secondly, about the activities of the elders in the name of this church teaching... 19 St. Hippolytus, being a disciple and spiritual son of St. Irenea does not doubt the complete agreement of the teachings of the Church (Tradition) with the Holy Scriptures. This is evident throughout the “Against Noet” conversation. In order to refute the heresy of Noetus, St. Hippolytus cites two passages from Holy Scripture in his conversation. This, for example, is the place from the Gospel of John, where it says: “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17). This Gospel passage, according to St. Hippolyta refutes Noet's opinion that the Son is the Father. Chapter IX, however, says: "There is One God, whom we know, brothers, only from the Holy Scriptures. Just as someone who wants to study the wisdom of this age can satisfy his desire only by reading philosophical teachings, so we all, if we want to be established in the fear of God, will not be established otherwise than on the basis of the words of God." 20 This passage can be regarded as an indication of the Holy Scriptures as the only guide in the Christian life. But from comparisons of this place with other places from the work of St. Hippolyta reveals that St. The Father did not reject the Tradition of the Church. This also follows from the first chapter, where, through the mouth of the presbyters, St. Hippolytus testifies to his faith in Tradition. In the XVII chapter of the same work, St. Hippolytus invites “to believe according to the Tradition of the Apostles” 21. In addition, Chapter XVII says that Scripture has meaning only for those who “believe and are imbued with the truth” (i.e., the teachings of the Church). 22 As for the volume of Tradition, from the first chapter, from the testimony of the blessed elders about their faith: “We truly know one God, we know Christ, we know the Son who suffered... and who rose again on the third day, and who sits at the right hand of the Father, and who comes to judge the living and the dead.” 23, - one can with high probability believe that this is an extract from the ancient symbol of faith, and the following words: “... we say what we have learned,” undoubtedly speak, according to the theologian P. P. Ponomarev, “about the transmission of truth from one elder to another, i.e. about ancient truth.” 24 That is, the truth that, separately from the Holy Scriptures, was passed on from mouth to mouth from the apostles - to bishops, presbyters, etc. Refuting the heresy of Noetus, Bishop Hippolytus of Rome points only to those members of the creed that speak of the dignity of the second Hypostasis - the Word of God and further exhorts the brethren (the Christian Church) to believe “according to Tradition apostles." 25 Other data regarding Sacred Tradition, St. Hippolytus does not list. Thus, according to the two holy fathers, St. Irenaeus and St. Hippolyta, Tradition is that by which the faith and Orthodox teaching transmitted by the Lord through the Apostles are preserved in the Church. Both holy fathers believe that the Christian truth has been transmitted to the Church, which, according to the word of the Apostle Paul, is the “Body of Christ” (Eph. 1:22), “The Pillar and Ground of the Truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The Holy Fathers also agree that Holy Scripture is correctly interpreted only in the Holy Church, and heretics, without turning to Tradition, can misunderstand the truths of faith (for example, Gnostics, Monarchians). The fathers also agree on the issue that if one is not imbued with church truth, then even if someone had the Holy Scriptures, such a person cannot have a solid foundation of faith. This situation is clearly visible in the works of the holy fathers against heresies. And St. Irenaeus says that Sacred Tradition can be a complete source of truth in the Church, led by the Holy Spirit (“Against Heresies” III 4:2). And St. Hippolytus points out in the XVII chapter of his work that Scripture has meaning only for those who “believe and are imbued with the truth” (i.e., the teachings of the Church) and can be correctly interpreted only in the bosom of the Church. The advantage of the work of St. Irenaeus on the work of St. Hippolyta in a more complete disclosure of the concept of Sacred Tradition. We think that this is due precisely to the fact that the holy fathers set different tasks for themselves. St. Irenaeus denounced all the heresies of his time that he knew (“Condemnation of all heresies”). It was necessary to accurately describe how the heretics treated the doctrinal positions existing in the Church and give a theological answer to their errors. In this regard, St. Irenaeus’ concept of Sacred Tradition is revealed in a more complete sense. He introduces many terms inherent in Tradition, clarifies its meaning in the Church, and cites the forms through which tradition is preserved (for example, the symbol of faith). The problem that faced St. Hippolytus was smaller in scale. Therefore, in his work the word Tradition is used only twice. This is due to the fact that the heretic Noetus did not intend to distort the concept of church truth, as the Gnostic heretics wanted, arrogating to himself the dignity of knowledge of the mysteries of God. Noet was mistaken and in his delusion he wanted to captivate others. He wanted his faith to become the faith of the church. Perhaps Noet believed that his faith was apostolic. Thus, St. Hippolytus speaks mediocrely about Tradition, to the extent that it is enough to refute the heresy of Noetus alone. St. Irenaeus purposefully reveals the essence of the concept itself - Christian gnosis (knowledge). 1. 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