1. Steve Morrison and Larry Wessels
Pre-Nicea: Evidence of What Early Christians Taught Part 1 – Introducing the Cast
Steve Morrison and Larry Wessels

2. A Different Kind of Show
Most of our shows are about what is all true or else what counterfeit spiritual groups teach that we believe is wrong. This series of shows is a little different. It is documenting what a group, the consensus of early Christian writers, believed, regardless of whether we agree or disagree.

3. Approach Did you ever wonder what the early Christian church taught?
They lived in a different time, a different culture, and struggled against different issues than many Christians do today, but they had the same truth of the gospel.
We can know what they believed by the over 4,100 pages they wrote that we have preserved. Most of the references are on-line at
We highly also recommend purchasing Ante-Nicene Fathers. volumes 1-10 edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. Hendrickson Publishers, For most writers the page numbers are from this series.

4. How to Tell?
There are 100’s of pages of some writers, and less than a page of others
How would you define “generally agreed” early Christian teaching?
Of course Gnostics, Ebionites, Sabellians, and others were separate groups with different doctrines.
But we are focusing on what the Christian Churches agreed upon, but what is agreement?

5. The Problem with Subjectivity
How can we show objectively what the early church taught, and not, consciously of unconsciously, just be projecting back on them our own beliefs and biases?
Specifically, should we include the eccentric views of a single guy, especially if we agree with him?
On the other hand, if ten or more early Christian writers taught something, and none denied it, we would be right to ignore it?

6. Methodology
Of the 82 or so Christian writers prior to the 325 A.D. Council of Nicea, I called it generally agreed if four or more writers taught it and none denied.
Prior to 325 A.D., they had a generally agreed consensus of over 325 topics that Christians today we agree.
They also had a consensus on at least 28 topics many Christians today would disagree with.

7. Reasons to Study
While they were not perfect, we can look at what they taught, test it against the Bible, and perhaps discover truths in God’s word that we may have neglected.
We can also discover things people took for granted were taught by a consensus of early church writers, but in fact were not.
Sometimes it is difficult to count, and I am sure some of the numbers are slightly off. However, I believe are total for each category is accurate within 4%.

8. Who’s Who
There were many admirable people during the time of the early pre-Nicene church, but there were some real characters too. Before we get into what they taught, we are going to introduce briefly a “who’s who” of some of the people. We will hear some alternate viewpoints too.

9. Heresy Church Writer Persecution/ Reference or Disciple Bible manuscript
Clement of Rome 97/98
Ignatius c
Didache -before 125
Aristides 125,
Quadratus 126
to Diognetus c.130
Letter of Barnabas
2 Clement c.150
Polycarp
Papias
Justin Martyr
Shepherd of Hermas c.160
Evarestus c.169
Dionysius of Corinth 170
Christians of Vienna & Lugdunum 177
Athenagoras 177
Claudius Apollinaris 177,
Hegesippus
Melito of Sardis
Domitian 95/96
Simon Magus
(Acts)
Trajan
Menander
Carpocrates
Nicolaitanes
Hadrian 118 & 134
Cerinthus
Bar Cochba 135
Cerdo
Marcion c.170
p46 70% of Paul &
Hebrews
Valentinus
& Heracleon
Lucian
p66 92% of John c
Sethians
Prepon
Tatian, Encratite
Gnostic, died 172
Marcus Aurelius 162/ X

10. Marcion X
Melito of Sardis
Rhodon 180
Theophilus of Antioch /188
Irenaeus
Scillitan Martyrs
Maximus of Jerusalem
Polycrates of Ephesus 196
Caius, Muratorian Canon
Serapion of Antioch
Minucius Felix 210
Apollonius of Ephesus c.210
Clement of Alexandria /220
Asterius Urbanus c.232
Hippolytus /6
Commodianus c.240
Julius Africanus
Alexander of Cappadocia
Apelles
Colorbasus X
Ophites
Ebionites
Marcus
Basilides
Ptolemy
Septimus Severus 202
Justin
p45 4 gospels + Acts
833 verses
Cainites
Theodotus X
Sabellians
Montanists:
Tertullian
Probably Theodotus
Peretae X
Maximim
Naassani X
Bardesan
/232
Decius & Gallus
Elchasaites

11. Anonymous Treatise Against Novatian 254-256
Origen
Novatian 250/
Anonymous Treatise Against Novatian
Anonymous Treatise on Rebaptism c
Cyprian of Carthage c
Roman church leaders
Lucian
Caldonius to Cyprian
Celerinus to Lucian
Moyses, et al. to Cyprian 250
Cornelius to Cyprian c
Maximus, et al. to Cyprian c
Firmilian of Caesarea to Cyprian 256
Nemesianus, et al. to Cyprian
Lucius and the brethren to Cyprian
Felix & the rest of the martyrs to Cyprian
Seventh Council of Carthage (85 bishops) 258 A.D.
Pontius’ The Life and Passion of Cyprian >258 A.D. X
Novatian 250/
Valerian

12. Theognostus of Alexandria 260 Gregory Thaumaturgus 240-265
Origen …
Theognostus of Alexandria 260
Gregory Thaumaturgus
Dionysius of Alexandria
Dionysius of Rome
Malchion 270
Pierius of Alexandria 275
Archelaus
Anatolius of Alexandria
Theonas of Alexandria
Adamantius -debated gnostics c.300
Arnobius
Victorinus of Pettau - martyred 304
Council of Elvira (12 canons) 306/7
Phileas of Thmuis - beheaded 307
Pamphilus - martyred 309
Peter of Alexandria
Valerian X
Aurelian 270
Paul of
Samosata
Manes
Diocletian 280,
p47 31% of Revela-
tion c
p72 All of 1, 2 Peter,
Jude ca.300 X
Meletius
c.306
Diocletian & Gallus
284,

13. Methodius (corrected Origen’s followers) 260-312 Council of Ancyra 314
Arnobius …
Methodius (corrected Origen’s
followers)
Council of Ancyra 314
Council of Neocaesarea c.315
Theophilus’ Martyrdom of Habib
the deacon events c.315
Athanasius (prior to Nicea)
Alexander of Alexandria
Lactantius c.303-c.325
Council of Nicea 325
Licinius
(persecution
in the east only)
Persian
Persecution
of Christians
Arians c
Constantine legalizes Christianity
and non-violently closes
synagogues and pagan temples
325 -

14. Early Christian Theology Roadmap
Bible
(17)
People &
the Fall
(13)
Salvation
(10)
God
(17)
Working
of God
(12)
Ultimate
Things
(32)
Experience & Practice
Holy
Spirit
(13)
Jesus
(52)
Doctrine
See this info at

15. Early Christian Theology Roadmap
Family (13)
Church
(23)
Specific Indivi-duals (24)
Money &
Content-
Ment (11)
Govern-
ment (10)
Experience & Practice
Experi-encing God (20)
Practic-ing Love (20)
Evangel-
ism
(52)
Doctrine
See this info at