Early Church Fathers Poem

Early Church Fathers Poem

By: Deacon Nate Harburg

Deacon Nate Harburg recently posted this Poem at Harburgian Haikus I thought it was great so I asked him if we could cross-publish it.

ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH (c.50-c.110)

Brought to Rome’s arena, he was all bound up in fetters,

On the way he zealously preached Christ in seven letters,

Known for calling Euch’rist medicine for immortality,

He became “pure bread of Christ” for lions, his fatality!

ST. JUSTIN MARTYR (c.100-c.165)

His “Apology” was meant to stop the bloody persecution,

It set out to show the Church to be a peaceful institution,

Pagan gods were “demons,” no he wasn’t metaphorical,

Christ fulfilled as “Logos” every ancient bible oracle!
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ST. IRENAEUS OF LYONS (c.120-c.202)
Countering the heresies he truly laid the smack down,
Thus disciples of the gnostic Valentinus did frown,
He taught Christ as “second Adam” and as truly God-man,
“Mary-Eve” typology shows verily our God’s plan!
Valentinus said salvation lies in secret “gnosis”,
Irenaeus taught that Gnosticism was atrocious,
“Anakephalaiosis” expialidocious,
Jesus recapped everything and that is the TRUE GNOSIS!
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TERTULLIAN OF CARTHAGE (c.160-c.220)
This man named Tertullian abandoned paganism,
Cath’lic he became but then accepted Montanism,
He said that the blood of martyrs is seed for the Church,
His view of the two natures of Christ helps for research!
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ST. CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE (d.258)
Cyprian said don’t wait, but get baptized very quickly,
Eucharist does re-present Christ’s sacrifice of Calv’ry.
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ORIGEN OF ALEXANDRIA (c.185-c.254)
St. Jerome called Origen father of Arianism,
Arius was no church father but fomented schism,
Origen said there’s no time when Christ Jesus was not,
Think of him as heretic? No certainly you must not!
Origen was very influential and prolific,
His work “De Principiis” is really just terrific!
Origen sought martyrdom but mom emptied his dresser,
Principal at two schools and a very smart professor,
Theologic’lly he surely was no dumb regressor,
Later tortured for his faith, and died a brave confessor!