Meaning of patristics (what is it, concept and definition)

What is Patrística:

Patristics is the study of the thought, doctrines and works of Christianity developed by the Fathers of the Church, who were its first authors during the 1st and 8th centuries AD. The patristic word derives from the Latin patres , which means 'father'.

Patristics was the first attempt to unify the knowledge of the Christian religion and establish the dogmatic content of it together with philosophy, in order to give a logical explanation of Christian beliefs and defend them against pagan dogmas and heresies.

Development of patristics

Patristics began its first period of formation during the 1st and 3rd centuries, until the celebration of the Council of Nicaea, to which the first apologists and defenders of the Christian faith belong, who were disciples of the apostles.

This first period of patristics took place both in the cultures of the East (Greece) and the West (Rome), each with important representatives of the Christian faith.

Then, it became a second boom period that lasted until the 8th century. During this time, the Fathers of the Church adapted the thoughts of Greek philosophy to Christian beliefs. Its main exponents were Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Origen.

Eastern Patristics

The patristics of the East was dedicated to the study of the existence of God and his particularities. Likewise, the Greek Fathers of this patristics elaborated the bases of Christian philosophy and theology starting from the thoughts of Platonism and Neoplatonism, and also supported themselves by the terms moral and ethical.

The Greek patristics founded four schools, which are the School of the Apologetic Fathers, the School of Alexandria, the School of Cappadocia and the School of Byzantium.

Patristics of the West

The patristics of the West, represented by the Latin Fathers, was developed by Saint Augustine, who formulated the first Christian philosophy in search of truth and knowledge. In this same sense, Saint Augustine set out to demonstrate the existence and essence of God.

However, it should be noted that Western patristics, although it displaced the Greek language by the Latin one, was characterized by being influenced by the Greek culture and Plato.

Characteristics of patristics

Below are the main characteristics of patristics.

• It puts Christian beliefs before and defends pagan dogmas. It considers the Christian faith as the only truth and knowledge. It unifies Greek philosophical thoughts with Christian beliefs. It is based on philosophy to rationally explain the Christian faith. God as a spiritual and not material being, considers that God is the only truth and guide of man, according to Saint Augustine.