Was Irenaeus Derived from 'Peace' or 'Fraud'?

[Stephan Huller]

I was questioning Joe Wallack's assumptions about 'irony' (εἰρωνεία) in the gospel. Did the ancients really use the term in our modern sense (i.e. that 'irony' could be unintentional)? I don't think so. But then I started digging through the Greek use of the term and then it reminded me about some of the things that Hall ascribed to 'Irenaeus' via Tertullian's Against Praxeas. Stuart George Hall, professor of ecclesiastical history at King's College London developed an interesting theory about a lost reference to Irenaeus a work called Against Praxeas among the writings of Tertullian. Hall argued that Praxeas means 'fixer' or 'fraud' and that it may be a nickname Tertullian invented to disguise Irenaeus. Apparently, Tertullian was angry that Irenaeus had actively worked to make his own sectarian tradition heretical in the eyes of the bishop of Rome. He writes "Praxeas at Rome managed two pieces of the Devil's business: he drove out prophecy and introduced heresy; he put to flight the Paraclete and crucified the Father" (Prax. 1 — NE 168).

The name Irenaeus (Εἰρηναῖος) as it is now preserved clearly derives from the Greek word for 'peace.' But were there some who identified the name as being rooted in εἰρωνεία - deception or a 'dissembler' i.e. someone who hides his real motives? What is so striking is that εἰρωνεία not only so perfectly fits Hall's understanding of the pseudonym 'Praxeas' but also the unexplained reference to the orthodox tradition by the Marcionite Megethius in De Recta in Deum Fide. Of course can one go from a Greek ω to a Latin ae? I was under the assumption the latter had an 'a' sound.

[Stephan Huller]

MEG. And you people say you belong to the Catholic43 Church, so you are not Christians, either!
AD. If we possessed the surname of some human being, then you would be right. But if we are called "Catholic" because we have a truly catholic existence44 is this wrong? You must show, therefore, that it is proper to carry the name of a human being. I will show that it is not only improper to bear the name of a bishop, but also that of an apostle. Who was the greater — Marcion or Paul?
MEG. Paul.
AD. Then listen, if you will, to the more distinguished Paul, when he demands, "It has come to my hearing", he says "through Chloe's folk, that there is wrangling among you: one of you says, b 'I belong to Paul,' or 'I belong to Apollos,' or 'I belong to Cephas." Has Christ been divided up? [Surely Paul was not crucified for you? Surely you were not baptized into the name of Paul?]"45
MEG. You gave me a name, but actually I am called a follower of Christ, and there are some here who are called Sokratianoi (followers of Socrates)
AD. I refuse the name of Socrates, for I do not acknowledge him47.
EUTR. If you are giving one another names, you must both refuse them.
AD. I do not acknowledge Socrates. Does Megethius also refuse Marcion.
MEG: Marcion was my bishop.

[Stephan Huller]

On the Eiron figure in Greek comedy:

The eirôn developed in Greek Old Comedy and can be found in many of Aristophanes' plays. For example, in The Frogs after the God Dionysus claims to have sunk 12 or 13 enemy ships with Cleisthenes (son of Sibyrtius), his slave Xanthias says 'Then I woke up.'

The philosopher Aristotle names the eirôn in his Nicomachean Ethics, where he says: "in the form of understatement, self-deprecation, and its possessor the self-deprecator" (1108a12).[3] In this passage, Aristotle establishes the eirôn as one of the main characters of comedy, along with the alazôn.

Irony[edit]
The modern term irony is derived from the eirôn of the classical Greek theatre. Irony entails opposition (not mere difference) between the actual meaning and the apparent meaning of something.[4]

[Stephan Huller]

On the Eiron figure in Greek comedy:

The eirôn developed in Greek Old Comedy and can be found in many of Aristophanes' plays. For example, in The Frogs after the God Dionysus claims to have sunk 12 or 13 enemy ships with Cleisthenes (son of Sibyrtius), his slave Xanthias says 'Then I woke up.'

The philosopher Aristotle names the eirôn in his Nicomachean Ethics, where he says: "in the form of understatement, self-deprecation, and its possessor the self-deprecator" (1108a12).[3] In this passage, Aristotle establishes the eirôn as one of the main characters of comedy, along with the alazôn.

Irony[edit]
The modern term irony is derived from the eirôn of the classical Greek theatre. Irony entails opposition (not mere difference) between the actual meaning and the apparent meaning of something.[4]

From Encyclopedia:

The term irony has its roots in the Greek comic character Eiron, a clever underdog who by his wit repeatedly triumphs over the boastful character Alazon. The Socratic irony of the Platonic dialogues derives from this comic origin. Feigning ignorance and humility, Socrates goes about asking silly and obvious questions of all sorts of people on all sorts of subjects, only to

[andrewcriddle]

Tertullian's opponent Praxeas appears to have been not only an opponent of Montanism but also a modalist (holding an extreme version of the unity of the Trinity).

Irenaeus may have been hostile to Montanism but he does not seem to have been a modalist in the way Praxeas apparently was.

Andrew Criddle

[perseusomega9]

How do Asiatic christians end up in Gaul that early, as Bishops of the area? Why was 'Polycarp' ordaining and sending Bishopsto Gaul? I guess things weren't as peacefully worked out between Peter and John's Sees as tradition tells us.

[DCHindley]

How do Asiatic christians end up in Gaul that early, as Bishops of the area? Why was 'Polycarp' ordaining and sending Bishopsto Gaul? I guess things weren't as peacefully worked out between Peter and John's Sees as tradition tells us.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

No, I'm not having an argument with my wife ...

Presumably you are referring to Irenaeus, Bishop of Lugdunum, capital of the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis (modern day Lyons, France, and second most important city behind Rome itself), who claims to have sat at the feet of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna in the Roman province of Asia (modern day eastern Turkey).

I do not get the impression from Irenaeus' own works that he was commissioned by Polycarp, but was elected by the Presbyters (elders) of his own city.

There were two ways to become a bishop in the first couple centuries CE:
1) either be confirmed into the role by at least two other bishops who will publically lay their hands upon the new bishop-to-be while saying some prayer; or
2) be elected by the city's Elders.
The election route was probably earlier than the other, but in the end the former method was adopted by most Christians, often combined in some way with the latter method.

It was an east (Achaia/Greece and east) versus west (Rome, Africa, Hispania) empire kind of thing. Gaul was influenced by both Latin and Greek language culturally. Greek maybe because of the Gallic peoples settled in Galatia in Roman Asia. But being such an important transport route for Legions fighting in Germany and points east, it is not surprising that things Latin also influenced things Gallic.

DCH

[perseusomega9]

IN the link provided, the Bishop who Ireneaus succeeded (by election) was sent by Polycarp.

[DCHindley]

IN the link provided, the Bishop who Ireneaus succeeded (by election) was sent by Polycarp.

The source you linked to has a very high estimation for the authenticity of a letter quoted by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., v. 4) in which it is stated that

Irenaeus was, while yet a presbyter, sent with a letter, from certain members of the Church of Lyons awaiting martyrdom, to Eleutherus, bishop of Rome; and that (v. 5) he succeeded Pothinus as bishop of Lyons, probably about a.d. 177.

There is nothing certain about anything Eusebius says, or the authenticity of the letter even. The ANF editors speak of this tradition as if it is fact, but add disclaimers at the same time that the matter is hotly contested. The appointment of bishops via the laying on of hands (i.e. "apostolic succession") was Eusebius' POV, not necessarily Irenaeus', who seemed to follow eastern traditions (such as when to observe Easter).

DCH

[Ulan]

Gaul was influenced by both Latin and Greek language culturally. Greek maybe because of the Gallic peoples settled in Galatia in Roman Asia.

Or maybe just because the Greek had settled and traded in Gaul for half a millennium. Marseille is just down the river from Lyon. Cesar claimed he found Greek texts with the Helvetii (up the river from Lyon), and all coins in Gaul until 50 BC were Greek.