History of the Græco-Roman Church during the
Second and Third Centuries (A.D. 70-323).
§ 20. CONTENT, DISTRIBUTION AND BOUNDARIES OF THIS PERIOD.
(1) The Post-Apostolic Age.
(2) The Age of the Old Catholic Church.
(3) The Point of Transition from the One Age to the Other.
I. THE RELATIONSHIP OF EXTRA-CHRISTIAN PAGANISM AND
JUDAISM TO THE CHURCH.
§ 21. THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY.
§ 22. PERSECUTIONS OF THE CHRISTIANS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE.
(1) Claudius, Nero and Domitian.
(2) Trajan and Hadrian.
(3) Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.
(4) Septimius Severus and Maximinus Thrax.
(5) Decius, Gallus and Valerian.
(6) Diocletian and Galerius.
(7) Maximinus Daza, Maxentius and Licinius.
§ 23. CONTROVERSIAL WRITINGS OF PAGANISM.
(1) Lucian’s Satire _De Morte Peregrini_.
(2) Worshippers of an Ass.
(3) Polemic properly so-called.
§ 24. Attempted Reconstruction of Paganism.
(1) Apollonius of Tyana.
(2) Neo-platonism.
§ 25. Jewish and Samaritan Reaction.
(1) Disciples of John.
(2) The Samaritan Heresiarchs.
a. Dositheus.
b. Simon Magus.
c. Menander.
II. DANGER TO THE CHURCH FROM PAGAN AND JEWISH
ELEMENTS WITHIN ITS OWN PALE.
§ 26. GNOSTICISM IN GENERAL.
(1) Gnosticism.
(2) The Problems of Gnostic Speculation.
(3) Distribution.
(4) Sources of Information.
§ 27. THE GENTILE CHRISTIAN GNOSTICISM.
(1) Cerinthus.
(2) The Gnosticism of Basilides.
(3) Irenæus’ Sketch of Basilideanism.
(4) Valentinian Gnosticism.
(5) Two Divisions of the Valentinian School.
(6) The Ophites and related Sects.
(7) The Gnosis of the Ophites.
(8) Antinomian and Libertine Sects.
a. The Nicolaitans.
b. The Simonians.
c. The Carpocratians.
d. The Prodicians.
(9) Saturninus.
(10) Tatian and the Encratites.
(11) Marcion and the Marcionites.
(12) Marcion’s Disciples.
(13) Hermogenes.
§ 28. EBIONISM AND EBIONITIC GNOSTICISM.
(1) Nazareans and Ebionites.
(2) The Elkesaites.
(3) The Pseudo-Clementine Series of Writings.
a. Homiliæ XX Clementis.
b. Recognitiones Clementis.
c. Epitomæ.
(4) The Pseudo-Clementine Doctrinal System.
§ 29. MANICHÆISM.
(1) The Founder.
(2) The System.
(3) Constitution, Worship, and Missionarizing.
III. THE DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENT AND APOLOGETICAL
ACTIVITY OF THE CHURCH.
§ 30. THE THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE OF THE POST-APOSTOLIC AGE,
A.D. 70-170.
(1) The Beginnings of Patristic Literature.
(2) The Theology of the Post-Apostolic Age.
(3) The so-called Apostolic Fathers.
a. Clement of Rome.
(4) b. Barnabas.
c. Pastor Hermas.
(5) d. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch.
(6) e. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna.
f. Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis.
g. Epistle to Diognetus.
(7) The Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles.
(8) The Writings of the Earliest Christian Apologists.
(9) Extant Writings of Apologists of the
Post-Apostolic Age.
a. Justin Martyr.
(10) b. Tatian.
c. Athenagoras.
d. Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch.
e. Hermias.
§ 31. THE THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE OF THE OLD CATHOLIC AGE,
A.D. 170-323.
(1) The Theological Schools and Tendencies.