Christian Doctrine and Christian

Christian doctrine evolved to contain a variety of philosophical perspectives and theological analyses. Early shapers of Christian thought and discourse included Irenaeus, Clement, Tertullian, and Origen. Each of these figures shaped Christian discourse and changed the doctrine of the religion indelibly. Because each came from a different historical and cultural milieu, and used different languages to express their ideas, Christianity became a complex and even diverse faith.

Irenaeus's theodicy provided the fundamental features for how Christians would address the problem of evil: how an omniscient and benevolent God would simultaneously allow, condone, or even seem to encourage evil. The importance of theodicy to the evolution of Christianity cannot be underestimated, as subsequent Christian theologians have built upon the teachings of Irenaeus to better resolve the problem of evil. John Hick in particular has provided modern Christians with a sound theodicy built on the foundation of Irenaeus's teachings. However, it was not just for the theodicy that Iraneous has entered the canon of Christian doctrine. His teachings provided the core argument against Gnosticism, and preached in favor of a "catholic" or universal message of Christianity, which became one of the central features of the religion. One of his most notable writings is Against Heresies, and by heresies he meant Gnosticism.

Clement of Alexandria used Greek methods of rhetorical analysis to teach Christian faith. He presented Christianity as the Truth, with Christ as the Word of God. His primary goal was converting pagans to Christianity, and as his audience primarily drew from Greek places, it was crucial that he frame Christian concepts using Greek epistemology. Unlike Irenaeus, Clement embraced Gnosticism for the simple reason that Gnosticism meant knowledge-teaching, and Clement appreciated the use of reasoned arguments when presenting Christianity to the pagan communities in which he worked. His writings included Exhortation to the Greeks, in which he speaks directly to his Greek audience.

Tertullian operated in a different cultural and historical atmosphere than Irenaeus or Clement. When Tertullian preached in Carthage, he preached to a Roman community whose leaders were hostile to the faith. Tertullian's life reveals the power Christianity had as a political force, threatening to undermine the authority of the Roman social hierarchies. One of the most important contributions Tertullian made to Christianity was that he brought Christian teachings to a Roman pagan audience, using the Roman language instead of Greek. Because Rome's eventual adoption of Christianity as its state religion became the pivotal moment of early Christian history, Tertullian's role cannot be understated; if it was not for Tertullian, Rome may never have become Christian. His writings included texts On Baptism, and On Prayer, showing how he remained concerned with the pragmatic as well as theological issues central to the faith.