1710 - Irenaeus Confronts Gnosticism: The Landmark Massuet Edition of Against Heresies
Saint Irenaeus (c. 130 – c. 202 CE) stands as a pivotal figure in the history of the early Christian Church. Serving as the Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon, France), he was a prominent theologian during a critical period of doctrinal formation. Tradition holds that he was a disciple of Polycarp, who in turn was said to have known the Apostle John, thus positioning Irenaeus as a vital link to the apostolic era. His writings aimed to unify the Church around a core set of beliefs derived from scripture and apostolic tradition, combating interpretations he viewed as divisive or erroneous and solidifying his role as a key defender of emerging Christian orthodoxy.
This work, Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies), formally titled Detection and Overthrow of Falsely So-called Gnosis, is Irenaeus's magnum opus, likely completed around 180 CE. Comprising five books, its primary goal was to systematically document and refute the teachings of various groups collectively termed "Gnostics," whose complex cosmologies, interpretations of scripture, and claims of secret knowledge challenged the developing mainstream Christian framework. In arguing against these groups, Irenaeus articulated foundational aspects of orthodox Christian doctrine, including the authority of the four canonical Gospels, the importance of apostolic succession for safeguarding correct teaching, the inherent goodness of the material creation (against Gnostic dualism), and the unified plan of salvation history culminating in Christ.
Despite its vehemently anti-Gnostic stance, Against Heresies remains an indispensable text for students of Western Esotericism. Paradoxically, Irenaeus's detailed descriptions of the beliefs and practices of groups like the Valentinians provide one of the most comprehensive surviving accounts of early Gnostic thought from antiquity, preserving information crucial for understanding the historical roots and diversity of these influential spiritual currents. Studying this work offers critical insight into the worldview and arguments of the burgeoning orthodoxy, illuminating the historical and theological context against which Gnostic and other alternative spiritual systems were defined and often suppressed. It serves as a vital, albeit hostile, primary source for how these "heterodox" views were perceived and countered, revealing the dynamics that shaped early Western spirituality and the very construction of "orthodoxy" versus "heresy."
Irenaeus, Saint, Bishop of Lyon. Sancti Irenæi Episcopi Lugdunensis et Martyris, Detectionis et Eversionis falso cognominatæ Gnoseos, seu Contra Hæreses libri quinque. Against Heresies / Adversus Haereses. Paris: Joannis Baptistæ Coignard, Regis Architypographi ac Bibliopolæ ordinarii… [1] 222 [1]. Large Folio edition. Bookplates and some marginalia. Includes an engraved title page vignette. Some foxing. Repairs and cracking to lower spine. Corners bumped. Excellent condition overall.
Saint Irenaeus (c. 130 – c. 202 CE) stands as a pivotal figure in the history of the early Christian Church. Serving as the Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon, France), he was a prominent theologian during a critical period of doctrinal formation. Tradition holds that he was a disciple of Polycarp, who in turn was said to have known the Apostle John, thus positioning Irenaeus as a vital link to the apostolic era. His writings aimed to unify the Church around a core set of beliefs derived from scripture and apostolic tradition, combating interpretations he viewed as divisive or erroneous and solidifying his role as a key defender of emerging Christian orthodoxy.
This work, Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies), formally titled Detection and Overthrow of Falsely So-called Gnosis, is Irenaeus's magnum opus, likely completed around 180 CE. Comprising five books, its primary goal was to systematically document and refute the teachings of various groups collectively termed "Gnostics," whose complex cosmologies, interpretations of scripture, and claims of secret knowledge challenged the developing mainstream Christian framework. In arguing against these groups, Irenaeus articulated foundational aspects of orthodox Christian doctrine, including the authority of the four canonical Gospels, the importance of apostolic succession for safeguarding correct teaching, the inherent goodness of the material creation (against Gnostic dualism), and the unified plan of salvation history culminating in Christ.
Despite its vehemently anti-Gnostic stance, Against Heresies remains an indispensable text for students of Western Esotericism. Paradoxically, Irenaeus's detailed descriptions of the beliefs and practices of groups like the Valentinians provide one of the most comprehensive surviving accounts of early Gnostic thought from antiquity, preserving information crucial for understanding the historical roots and diversity of these influential spiritual currents. Studying this work offers critical insight into the worldview and arguments of the burgeoning orthodoxy, illuminating the historical and theological context against which Gnostic and other alternative spiritual systems were defined and often suppressed. It serves as a vital, albeit hostile, primary source for how these "heterodox" views were perceived and countered, revealing the dynamics that shaped early Western spirituality and the very construction of "orthodoxy" versus "heresy."
Irenaeus, Saint, Bishop of Lyon. Sancti Irenæi Episcopi Lugdunensis et Martyris, Detectionis et Eversionis falso cognominatæ Gnoseos, seu Contra Hæreses libri quinque. Against Heresies / Adversus Haereses. Paris: Joannis Baptistæ Coignard, Regis Architypographi ac Bibliopolæ ordinarii… [1] 222 [1]. Large Folio edition. Bookplates and some marginalia. Includes an engraved title page vignette. Some foxing. Repairs and cracking to lower spine. Corners bumped. Excellent condition overall.
Saint Irenaeus (c. 130 – c. 202 CE) stands as a pivotal figure in the history of the early Christian Church. Serving as the Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul (modern-day Lyon, France), he was a prominent theologian during a critical period of doctrinal formation. Tradition holds that he was a disciple of Polycarp, who in turn was said to have known the Apostle John, thus positioning Irenaeus as a vital link to the apostolic era. His writings aimed to unify the Church around a core set of beliefs derived from scripture and apostolic tradition, combating interpretations he viewed as divisive or erroneous and solidifying his role as a key defender of emerging Christian orthodoxy.
This work, Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies), formally titled Detection and Overthrow of Falsely So-called Gnosis, is Irenaeus's magnum opus, likely completed around 180 CE. Comprising five books, its primary goal was to systematically document and refute the teachings of various groups collectively termed "Gnostics," whose complex cosmologies, interpretations of scripture, and claims of secret knowledge challenged the developing mainstream Christian framework. In arguing against these groups, Irenaeus articulated foundational aspects of orthodox Christian doctrine, including the authority of the four canonical Gospels, the importance of apostolic succession for safeguarding correct teaching, the inherent goodness of the material creation (against Gnostic dualism), and the unified plan of salvation history culminating in Christ.
Despite its vehemently anti-Gnostic stance, Against Heresies remains an indispensable text for students of Western Esotericism. Paradoxically, Irenaeus's detailed descriptions of the beliefs and practices of groups like the Valentinians provide one of the most comprehensive surviving accounts of early Gnostic thought from antiquity, preserving information crucial for understanding the historical roots and diversity of these influential spiritual currents. Studying this work offers critical insight into the worldview and arguments of the burgeoning orthodoxy, illuminating the historical and theological context against which Gnostic and other alternative spiritual systems were defined and often suppressed. It serves as a vital, albeit hostile, primary source for how these "heterodox" views were perceived and countered, revealing the dynamics that shaped early Western spirituality and the very construction of "orthodoxy" versus "heresy."
Irenaeus, Saint, Bishop of Lyon. Sancti Irenæi Episcopi Lugdunensis et Martyris, Detectionis et Eversionis falso cognominatæ Gnoseos, seu Contra Hæreses libri quinque. Against Heresies / Adversus Haereses. Paris: Joannis Baptistæ Coignard, Regis Architypographi ac Bibliopolæ ordinarii… [1] 222 [1]. Large Folio edition. Bookplates and some marginalia. Includes an engraved title page vignette. Some foxing. Repairs and cracking to lower spine. Corners bumped. Excellent condition overall.