Saint Irenaeus

<p style="margin: 4pt 0cm 0pt;">Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor, probably between 130 and 135 and went to Lyons as a missionary priest sometime before 177. While he was away in Rome, the persecution against the Church of Lyons mounted and many suffered martyrdom. Later, Irenaeus returned and by 199 he was Bishop of Lyons. Through his writings, we know that he was a disciple of Saint Polycarp, who was himself a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist; thus Irenaeus was in the direct line of the disciples. His writings in refuting heresies helped lay the foundations of Christian theology and give us a window on the early Church. Perhaps his most important contribution was his assertion that creation is not sinful by nature, but rather distorted by sin. As God created us, so God redeemed us: our fallen human nature could only by saved by Christ assuming it in the Incarnation.</p>
<p>©2011 <em>Living with Christ, </em>Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., <strong>http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/</strong&gt;. Reprinted with permission.</p>