The Bio of St. Irenaeus and his work Against Heresies
It is uncertain as to the exact year that St. Irenaeus was born, but he was born in or around one of the surrounding provinces of Proconsular Asia in the first half of the second century (between 115-142 AD). When Irenaeus was very young, he saw and heard the Bishop Polycarp at Smyrna (around 155 AD). The Bishop Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John, by whom the teachings were passed down to Irenaeus.
Irenaeus became a priest of the church at Lyons during the time of persecution of Marcus Aurelius. Around this time, Irenaeus replaced the martyr Saint Pothinus as Bishop of Lyons. While peace from religious persecution then came at the death of Marcus Aurelius, the now new bishop began dividing his services and time as a pastor and as a missionary. It is, much like his birth, uncertain as to the exact year of his death, which must have occurred at or around the turn of the third century.
All of Irenaeus’ writings were, for the most part, directed against the Gnosticism of his day (You can find some similarities to false teachings today). Gnosticism was the heresy that was then spreading in what is now France and elsewhere. In his book, Adversus Haereces or, “Against Heresies”, which is compiled of five books, Irenaeus points out the heretical Gnostics, and defends what he calls the “Apostolic Tradition”. In Book I, Irenaeus talks about the Valentinian Gnostics and their predecessors, who go as far back as the magician Simon Magus. In Book II he attempts to provide proof that Valentinianism contains no merit in terms of its doctrines. In Book III Irenaeus purports to show that these doctrines are false, by providing counter-evidence gleaned from the Gospels. Book IV consists of Jesus' sayings, and here Irenaeus also stresses the unity of the Old Testament and the Gospel. In the final volume, Book V, Irenaeus focuses on more sayings of Jesus plus the letters of Paul the Apostle.
Irenaeus became a priest of the church at Lyons during the time of persecution of Marcus Aurelius. Around this time, Irenaeus replaced the martyr Saint Pothinus as Bishop of Lyons. While peace from religious persecution then came at the death of Marcus Aurelius, the now new bishop began dividing his services and time as a pastor and as a missionary. It is, much like his birth, uncertain as to the exact year of his death, which must have occurred at or around the turn of the third century.
All of Irenaeus’ writings were, for the most part, directed against the Gnosticism of his day (You can find some similarities to false teachings today). Gnosticism was the heresy that was then spreading in what is now France and elsewhere. In his book, Adversus Haereces or, “Against Heresies”, which is compiled of five books, Irenaeus points out the heretical Gnostics, and defends what he calls the “Apostolic Tradition”. In Book I, Irenaeus talks about the Valentinian Gnostics and their predecessors, who go as far back as the magician Simon Magus. In Book II he attempts to provide proof that Valentinianism contains no merit in terms of its doctrines. In Book III Irenaeus purports to show that these doctrines are false, by providing counter-evidence gleaned from the Gospels. Book IV consists of Jesus' sayings, and here Irenaeus also stresses the unity of the Old Testament and the Gospel. In the final volume, Book V, Irenaeus focuses on more sayings of Jesus plus the letters of Paul the Apostle.
