Re: Patristic One-Liners: Marcion
Posted: Fri Feb 01, 2019 11:35 am
And note what is generally agreed in Patristic scholarship:
So the story about Polycarp coming to Rome likely gave birth to Irenaeus being so called. He brought 'peace' to the canon. He brought 'peace' to the churches. The example he cites to Victor however is the visit of 'Polycarp' (Joseph/Hegesippus) to Anicestus. Victor would clearly be impressed by Anicetus's role in the story. But the fact that Irenaeus's story came from Polycarp - not Anicetus - offered the first reflection of the possibility that the churches COULD all get along. That's why it was necessary to set a limit on the 'accommodation' of Polycarp. The Roman Church probably was Marcionite in the time of Anicetus. But Irenaeus blocks that inference by making up a story about Polycarp meeting and condemning Marcion.Eusebius picked up on this meaning with his comment that “Irenaeus, who was truly well-named, became a peacemaker in this matter, exhorting and negotiating on behalf of the peace of the churches.”