Lactantius: The Minor Works
Overview
Lactantius lived through one of the greatest turning points in the history of Europe. It has been aptly described as the moment when the old world of paganism was in travail, when against its will it gave birth to the Christian Empire. The writings of this author are, together with those of Eusebius, the principal sources for the period of the great persecution of Diocletian and for the first years of the peace of the Church after the Edict of Milan. For the period of the Council of Nicaea, there is somewhat more abundant source material, but for the years 312–324 reliance must be made upon Eusebius and Lactantius. Both may be considered to have written with considerable bias. They are too extravagant in praise of Constantine; Lactantius especially manifested an odium theologicum toward Galerius and the persecutors. Their works are still of high value, however, as historical sources. From the time of the studies of Maurice, moreover, the evidence of numismatics has verified the historical accounts of these contemporary sources.
The writings of Lactantius, therefore, were composed in one of the most eventful epochs of ecclesiastical history. The Church, after suffering the most severe of despotic persecutions, was suddenly received under state protection and began to enjoy, not merely tranquility and legal status, but even a considerable portion of political influence. The fourth century saw the great fusion of the Christian Church with the Roman state and Hellenistic culture, the fusion which was to spell out Western civilization and determine its achievements.
Perhaps no other writer is more completely revealing of his own times. As pagan rhetoricians were abandoning the schools and the philosophers, the culture of the world was bring saved in the very Church that was charged with its destruction. Lactantius is a sharer of Minucius Felix’s attitude toward traditional culture. He believed that it possessed a vitality, that its treasure should be preserved, that the “spoils of the Egyptians could become the pride of the despised Galilaeans.” In the very act of despoiling them, however, he assigned himself the task of addressing those Egyptians and, in a number of essential features, accepted their own literature and learning. In this way, he saved much of their culture for the Church and became thereby one of the founders of Christian humanism.
For The Fathers of the Church series in its entirety, see Fathers of the Church Series (127 vols.).
Key Features
- Contains the writing of a Christian author who highly valued pagan literature
- Filled with interesting insights about the time in which Lactantius lived
- One of 127 published volumes in a well-respected series on the Church Fathers
Top Highlights
“He who orders us to be angry, therefore, Himself surely gets angry; He who charges us to become appeased rather quickly, certainly He is Himself placable.” (Page 109)
“He Himself orders men to make peace before the sun sets,3 but the divine wrath endures forever against those who continue in their sin. So God is appeased, not by incense, not by sacrifice, not by precious gifts, all of which are corruptible, but He is appeased by an improvement of one’s way of life, and he who puts a stop to his sinfulness makes God’s anger mortal.4 And for this reason, He does not punish each offender at the time of the offense so that man may have the opportunity of recovering and correcting himself.” (Pages 109–110)
“The Stoics and some others are thought to have had a somewhat better notion about divinity, in holding that kindness resides in God but not anger.” (Pages 67–68)
“God, however, is angry, and not for the present moment, since He is eternal and has perfect virtue and is never angry unless rightly.” (Page 108)
“because, on one hand, to love the good comes from hatred of evil, and to hate the evil rises from love of the good.” (Page 69)
- Title: Lactantius: The Minor Works
- Author: Lactantius
- Series: The Fathers of the Church
- Volume: 54
- Publisher: Catholic University of America
- Print Publication Date: 1965
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Pages: 251
- Era: era:Contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Theology › Early works to 1800
- Resource ID: LLS:MINORWORKS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:21:11Z