Friday, September 23, 2005

Well, not likely — I trust J.B. Lightfoot on this one.

Still, I just noted the following text that was recently uploaded to Project Gutenberg:

The Ignatian Epistles Entirely Spurious: A Reply to The Right Rev. Dr. Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham, by W.D. Killen

Here's an excerpt from the Preface:

This little volume is respectfully submitted to the candid consideration of all who take an interest in theological inquiries, under the impression that it will throw some additional light on a subject which has long created much discussion.  ... I [Killen] freely acknowledge the eminent services which Dr. Lightfoot has rendered to the Christian Church by his labours as a Commentator on Scripture, and it is therefore all the more important that the serious errors of a writer so distinguished should not be permitted to pass unchallenged.  All who love the faith once delivered to the saints, may be expected to regard with deference the letters of a martyr who lived on the borders of the apostolic age; but these Ignatian Epistles betray indications of a very different original, for they reveal a spirit of which no enlightened Christian can approve, and promulgate principles which would sanction the boldest assumptions of ecclesiastical despotism.  In a work published by me many years ago, I have pointed out the marks of their imposture; and I have since seen no cause to change my views.  Regarding all these letters as forgeries from beginning to end, I have endeavoured, in the following pages, to expose the fallacy of the arguments by which Dr. Lightfoot has attempted their vindication.

Sounds like Mr. Killen had a problem with Ignatian ecclesiology to me. Haven't read this, don't know if I will — but it will be interesting to see how convincing Killen's argument really is. From the preface, I'd guess he's going to argue that the state of church structure/order indicated by Ignatius' stuff is a later tyranny imposed by the Catholic church in order to justify a highly ordered (read: Pope & Bishops & Cardinals, oh my!) church structure from an early date. Again, I don't know that, but that's what I'd guess at this point.

Lightfoot was a big-time stud (and his arguments make sense); I think I'll go with him over this other guy.

Post Author: rico
Saturday, September 24, 2005 12:50:46 AM (Pacific Daylight Time, UTC-07:00) 

#     |  Disclaimer  |  Comments [1]