Book contents
- The Cambridge Companion to the Apostolic Fathers
- Cambridge Companions to Religion
- The Cambridge Companion to the Apostolic Fathers
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Abbreviations
- Introduction Intriguing and Enigmatic
- 1 The Roman Empire in the Era of the Apostolic Fathers
- 2 The Image of Jews and Judaism in the Apostolic Fathers
- 3 Second-Century Diversity
- 4 The Jesus Tradition in the Apostolic Fathers
- 5 The Text of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers
- 6 The Reception of Paul, Peter, and James in the Apostolic Fathers
- 7 Between Ekklēsia and State
- 8 Church, Church Ministry, and Church Order
- 9 The Apostolic Mothers
- 10 1 and 2 Clement
- 11 The Letters of Ignatius
- 12 Polycarp’s Epistle to the Philippians and the Martyrdom of Polycarp
- 13 Didache
- 14 The Epistle of Barnabas
- 15 The Shepherd of Hermas as Early Christian Apocalypse
- 16 The Epistle to Diognetus and the Fragment of Quadratus
- 17 The Fragments of Papias
- Sources Index
- Subject Index
- Cambridge Companions to Religion (continued from page )
- References
11 - The Letters of Ignatius
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 May 2021
- The Cambridge Companion to the Apostolic Fathers
- Cambridge Companions to Religion
- The Cambridge Companion to the Apostolic Fathers
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Abbreviations
- Introduction Intriguing and Enigmatic
- 1 The Roman Empire in the Era of the Apostolic Fathers
- 2 The Image of Jews and Judaism in the Apostolic Fathers
- 3 Second-Century Diversity
- 4 The Jesus Tradition in the Apostolic Fathers
- 5 The Text of the New Testament in the Apostolic Fathers
- 6 The Reception of Paul, Peter, and James in the Apostolic Fathers
- 7 Between Ekklēsia and State
- 8 Church, Church Ministry, and Church Order
- 9 The Apostolic Mothers
- 10 1 and 2 Clement
- 11 The Letters of Ignatius
- 12 Polycarp’s Epistle to the Philippians and the Martyrdom of Polycarp
- 13 Didache
- 14 The Epistle of Barnabas
- 15 The Shepherd of Hermas as Early Christian Apocalypse
- 16 The Epistle to Diognetus and the Fragment of Quadratus
- 17 The Fragments of Papias
- Sources Index
- Subject Index
- Cambridge Companions to Religion (continued from page )
- References
Summary
Writing in the fourth century, Eusebius puts forward what may be regarded as the traditional story of Ignatius of Antioch. Little is said of his birth or early life. Eusebius’ account begins in earnest with the apparent arrest of Ignatius in Syria or, more specifically, in Antioch. Ignatius is then forced to travel with a cohort guarding him overland through Asia. While in Smyrna and Troas, he wrote seven letters: five to nearby communities of believers in western Asia (Ephesians; Magnesians; Trallians; Philadelphians; Smyrnaeans), one to believers in Rome (Romans), and one to a fellow ecclesial leader named Polycarp (Polycarp). In his Letter to Polycarp, Ignatius says that he would like to write more but is unable to do so because he is being forced to sail on to Neapolis (Ign. Pol. 8.1). This is the last that is heard from Ignatius himself. To follow the story to the end we must consult documents that postdate Ignatius’ letters. These end with Ignatius’ death by the beasts that he had earlier hoped would become his tomb (Ign. Rom. 4.2).
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- The Cambridge Companion to the Apostolic Fathers , pp. 208 - 225Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021