tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post6501806806795005277..comments2024-03-27T17:15:37.606-04:00Comments on Triablogue: “One God almighty” in IrenaeusRyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17809283662428917799noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-71612049888202626592013-08-23T09:46:35.987-04:002013-08-23T09:46:35.987-04:00Thanks Danny -- he responded to me over there, and...Thanks Danny -- he responded to me over there, and I've put up this response: <br /><br /><i>I do see a difference — the Hermas quote (itself full of Scripture) is set apart (as I said above) from the rest of the section. It introduces it. It is a “writing”, not “Scripture”. This is not a hard distinction to make, You are fond of saying what a person was “aware of” and “not aware of”. Irenaeus is certainly aware of the distinction between what is Gospel and what is not; that’s the whole point of what he’s arguing. “Writing” here a summary, after which he then begins “Among the prophets…” and another distinction “the Apostle also says…” and thus begins his citations of the New Testament writings.<br /><br />You are not foolish enough to think that Irenaeus did not know that Hermas was his near contemporary, whereas, as Kruger notes, the apostolic writings are much older and clearly attested to be the Apostles.<br /><br />The “powerful letter” 1 Clement certainly does not have the authority of either the Hebrew Scriptures nor the Apostolic writings. There is no claim of authority other than that Clement was in a line of succession. (A line which I’ve argued is not a line of “bishops” as the CTC gang would say).<br /><br />There is another distinction, which you are missing, when you say “the entire argument in AH 3.3 hinges on 1Clement being authoritative in a way that other writings about the demiurge are not”.<br /><br />It is true that “other writings about the demiurge are not” authoritative. He clearly thinks they are ridiculous. The fact that the writings of Clement and Hermas are on the same side of the “ridiculous/not-ridiculous” divide as is Scripture does not give them the authority of Scripture.</i>John Bugayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17728044301053738095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6789188.post-17194595861239558332013-08-23T09:18:22.990-04:002013-08-23T09:18:22.990-04:00Good stuff, John. Keep up the good work, brother.Good stuff, John. Keep up the good work, brother.DannyMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11539247340940041068noreply@blogger.com