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Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live." View all posts by Jimmy Akin
Why is antiquity a criterion for being a Father?
Fathers are at the beginning of a family (as opposed to sons and daughters). The family analogy–*in this context* (though not in all; cf. “pope,” “patriarch,” calling priests “Father”)–has led the Church to speak of the older witnesses to the Christian faith as the Church Fathers.
It could have been otherwise, but this is the way the terminology evolved, based on one aspect of the fatherhood metaphor (*other* aspects influenced the development of the terms “pope” and “patriarch” and calling living priests “father”).
Not trying to start something–just wondering–were there Church Mothers recognized by the Church as well? I’d like to have them recognized within an orthodox context, if so.
While it was commonly believed by later writers that Tertullian left the Catholic Church, the book Tertullian and the Church by David Rankin (Cambridge U Press, 1995) argues against that view asserting that in Tertullian’s day North African Montanism was still a movement within the church.
Following up on my previous question, is there any difference in teaching authority between Fathers and subsequent theologians? I just wonder what the word “Fathers” means in terms of the teaching of theology over time, authoritative sources, etc.
Another way of thinking about this: what are the practical consequences of saying the Patristic Age has ended (which seems to be a consequence of the antiquity requirement)?
A modern teacher is a doctor of the Church. Their teaching is less close to the early Church, so they are able to build on a pre-existing body of doctrine in a way the Church Fathers couldn’t.
No Church Mothers – some philosophical, but few theological writings by women exist during the period. Women were not allowed to preach in Churches, remember.
The Chicken
+JMJ+
The three women doctors of the Church are St. Catherine of Siena, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Therese of Lisieux, (The Little Flower), if that helps any.