Chronological Parochialism (Dreher)

Had I encountered the classics as a student, I imagine that I would have grasped the relativism of our own worldview. I mean, I would have been a lot more questioning and skeptical of the worldview we receive from the supposedly wise men and women of our own time and place. We suffer from what I call chronological parochialism -- that is, the idea that we, being modern, know better than everybody who came before us. If the past is an undiscovered country, our modern prejudices tell us that we don't have anything to learn from the people who live there. But Homer knew the human heart better than most contemporaries, and Dante knew the human soul more penetratingly than many of us do.

Words of Wisdom: Rod Dreher on Reading The Odyssey for the First Time.  CiRCE Institute http://www.circeinstitute.org/blog/words-wisdom-rod-dreher-reading-odyssey-first-time

My good friend, Eric Nelson, introduced me many months ago to the writing and insightful commentary of Rod Dreher.  My wife introduced me to the valuable resources from CiRCE a couple years ago, and especially after attending the CiRCE conference last summer.  Put these two influences together, and there is a powerful synergy!

Never met a true bishop (Basil)

All that I have that you can confiscate are these rags and a few books. Nor can you exile me, for wherever you send me, I shall be God's guest. As to tortures you should know that my body is already dead in Christ. And death would be a great boon to me, leading me sooner to God." Taken aback the prefect said that no one had ever spoken to him thus. Basil answered "Perhaps that is because you have never met a true bishop."

--------------------

Quoting St. Basil, one of the Cappadocian Fathers.

The Story of Christianity Vol 1., Justo Gonzalez

proof of Hebrew Scriptures (Origen)

For before the advent of Christ it was not altogether possible to exhibit manifest proofs of the divine inspiration of the ancient Scripture; whereas His coming led those who might suspect the law and the prophets not to be divine, to the clear conviction that they were composed by (the aid of) heavenly grace.

De Principiis, Origen

http://ref.ly/o/anf04/1775133 via the Logos Bible Android app.

Fascinating.  While I clearly understood promise and fulfillment between OT and NT, I had not previously thought of the fact that the fulfillment in the person of Jesus is what proved the Divine inspiration of the OT, and that outside of this fulfillment the inspiration of the OT could be in doubt.

The Rule of Faith (Tertullian)

Now, as to this rule of faith—that we may from this point acknowledge what it is that we defend—it is, you must know, that which prescribes the belief that there is one only God, and that he is none other than the Creator of the world, who produced all things out of nothing through his own Word, first of all sent forth; that this Word is called his Son, and, under the name of God, was seen in divers forms by the patriarchs, ever heard in the prophets, at last brought down by the Spirit and Power of God the Father into the Virgin Mary, was made flesh in her womb, and, being born of her, lived as Jesus Christ; thenceforth he preached a new law and a new promise of the kingdom of heaven, worked miracles, was crucified, and rose again the third day: he was caught up into the heavens, and sat down at the right hand of the Father; he sent instead of himself the Power of the Holy Ghost to lead such as believe; he will come with glory to take the saints to the enjoyment of everlasting life and of the heavenly promises, and to condemn the wicked to everlasting fire, after the resurrection of both these classes shall have happened, together with the restoration of their flesh. This rule, as it will be proved, was taught by Christ, and raises amongst ourselves no questions except those which heresies introduce, and which make men heretics.

Tertullian, De Praescriptione Haereticorum, 13

http://ref.ly/o/neweusebius/433557