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The '''Epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch''' are seven letters to the Christians of Ephesus, Magnesia, Tralles, Rome, Smyrna, Philadelphia, and to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. They were written on the way to Rome by [[St. Ignatius of Antioch]] (?-107 AD), called Theophorus (God-bearer), the third bishop of Antioch (after St. Peter and Evodius). He was brought to Rome in 107 A.D. under Emperor Trajan (98-117) and exposed to the wild beasts.
The shorter versions of the seven epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch are considered by scholars to be the authentic texts.
:To the Ephesians
:To the Magnesians
:To the Trallians
:To the Romans
:To the Philadelphians
:To the Smyrnaeans
:To Polycarp
The authenticity of the seven letters is guaranteed by Polycarp and Eusebius, who give the content and order of the letters.<ref>From: Patrick J. Hamell, Handbook of Patrology (NY: Alba House, 1968)</ref> The so-called longer versions are thought to be 4th century forgeries.
Ignatius is a particularly important witness to the nature and structure of the Church. Christians all across the world are united in one universal assembly which he calls "the Catholic Church" (Ad Smyrnaeans. 8:2, the earliest instance of this phrase in surviving Christian literature). His letter to the Romans, an important witness to Peter’s presence and leadership in Rome (Ad Romans 4:3), acknowledges that the Roman Church ranks "first in love" (Ad Romans, inscription). The contrast between the salutation and tone of this letter and those of the letters written to the Asian Churches is significant. His special esteem and deference shown to the Church of Rome demonstrates that a basic consciousness of the primacy of the Church of Peter and Paul existed very early in the second century. It is taken for granted that each local Christian community is led by a single bishop assisted by a council of presbyters (priests) and several deacons. According to Ignatius, "you cannot have a church without these”" (Ad Tralles 3:1). Many English [[Puritan]]s rejected the letters of Ignatius as forgeries from a later era precisely because they believed it impossible for this degree of hierarchical structure to have existed at such an early period. Many Protestant Reformers denied the apostolic foundation of different ranks of Christian ministers and accused the Church of later times of inventing such a hierarchy.<ref>See Presbyterian W. D. Killen (1886) ''The Ignatian Epistles Entirely Spurious''. See also John Calvin, ''Institutes'', 1-3. He repudiates entirely the letters which so completely discredit his own views on ecclesiastical government. In general, Catholic and Anglican scholars are ranged on the side of the letters written to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrniots, and to Polycarp; while Presbyterians, as a rule, repudiate everything claiming Ignatian authorship.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
[http://www.nndb.com/people/718/000094436/ NNDB: Ignatius of Antioch] (nndb.com)
[https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/51/Ignatius_of_Antioch_and_the_Faith_of_the_Early_Christian_Martyrs.html The Crossroads Initiative. Ignatius of Antioch and the Faith of the Early Christian Martyrs, By Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.] (crossroadsinitiative.com)
[http://www.ntcanon.org/Ignatius.shtml The Development of the Canon of the New Testament: Ignatius of Antioch] (ntcanon.org)
[http://silouanthompson.net/library/early-church/ignatius/ Silouan: The Letters of Ignatius of Antioch: To the Ephesians, To the Magnesians, To the Philadelphians, To the Romans, To the Smyrnaeans, To the Trallians, To Polycarp, The martyrdom of Ignatius] (silouanthompson.net)
[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/ignatius.html Early Christian Writings: Ignatius of Antioch] (earlychristianwritings.com)
[http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=3836 The Seven Epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch TEXTS] (catholicculture.org)
[http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2009/06/john-calvins-rejection-of-epistles-of.html Sunday, June 07, 2009. John Calvin's Rejection of the Epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch (d. c. 110)] (socrates58.blogspot.com)
[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8908/8908-h/8908-h.htm The Ignatian Epistles Entirely Spurious. A Reply to The Right Rev. Dr. Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham. By W. D. Killen, D.D. Professor of Ecclesiastical History, and Principal of the Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland.] (gutenberg.org)
[[category:Christianity]]
[[category:Apocrypha]]
The shorter versions of the seven epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch are considered by scholars to be the authentic texts.
:To the Ephesians
:To the Magnesians
:To the Trallians
:To the Romans
:To the Philadelphians
:To the Smyrnaeans
:To Polycarp
The authenticity of the seven letters is guaranteed by Polycarp and Eusebius, who give the content and order of the letters.<ref>From: Patrick J. Hamell, Handbook of Patrology (NY: Alba House, 1968)</ref> The so-called longer versions are thought to be 4th century forgeries.
Ignatius is a particularly important witness to the nature and structure of the Church. Christians all across the world are united in one universal assembly which he calls "the Catholic Church" (Ad Smyrnaeans. 8:2, the earliest instance of this phrase in surviving Christian literature). His letter to the Romans, an important witness to Peter’s presence and leadership in Rome (Ad Romans 4:3), acknowledges that the Roman Church ranks "first in love" (Ad Romans, inscription). The contrast between the salutation and tone of this letter and those of the letters written to the Asian Churches is significant. His special esteem and deference shown to the Church of Rome demonstrates that a basic consciousness of the primacy of the Church of Peter and Paul existed very early in the second century. It is taken for granted that each local Christian community is led by a single bishop assisted by a council of presbyters (priests) and several deacons. According to Ignatius, "you cannot have a church without these”" (Ad Tralles 3:1). Many English [[Puritan]]s rejected the letters of Ignatius as forgeries from a later era precisely because they believed it impossible for this degree of hierarchical structure to have existed at such an early period. Many Protestant Reformers denied the apostolic foundation of different ranks of Christian ministers and accused the Church of later times of inventing such a hierarchy.<ref>See Presbyterian W. D. Killen (1886) ''The Ignatian Epistles Entirely Spurious''. See also John Calvin, ''Institutes'', 1-3. He repudiates entirely the letters which so completely discredit his own views on ecclesiastical government. In general, Catholic and Anglican scholars are ranged on the side of the letters written to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, Smyrniots, and to Polycarp; while Presbyterians, as a rule, repudiate everything claiming Ignatian authorship.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
[http://www.nndb.com/people/718/000094436/ NNDB: Ignatius of Antioch] (nndb.com)
[https://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/library_article/51/Ignatius_of_Antioch_and_the_Faith_of_the_Early_Christian_Martyrs.html The Crossroads Initiative. Ignatius of Antioch and the Faith of the Early Christian Martyrs, By Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.] (crossroadsinitiative.com)
[http://www.ntcanon.org/Ignatius.shtml The Development of the Canon of the New Testament: Ignatius of Antioch] (ntcanon.org)
[http://silouanthompson.net/library/early-church/ignatius/ Silouan: The Letters of Ignatius of Antioch: To the Ephesians, To the Magnesians, To the Philadelphians, To the Romans, To the Smyrnaeans, To the Trallians, To Polycarp, The martyrdom of Ignatius] (silouanthompson.net)
[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/ignatius.html Early Christian Writings: Ignatius of Antioch] (earlychristianwritings.com)
[http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=3836 The Seven Epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch TEXTS] (catholicculture.org)
[http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2009/06/john-calvins-rejection-of-epistles-of.html Sunday, June 07, 2009. John Calvin's Rejection of the Epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch (d. c. 110)] (socrates58.blogspot.com)
[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/8908/8908-h/8908-h.htm The Ignatian Epistles Entirely Spurious. A Reply to The Right Rev. Dr. Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham. By W. D. Killen, D.D. Professor of Ecclesiastical History, and Principal of the Presbyterian Theological Faculty, Ireland.] (gutenberg.org)
[[category:Christianity]]
[[category:Apocrypha]]