Alex Fogleman provides a historical theological investigation into early Christian epistemology through the lens of catechesis in the Latin West (predominantly Italy and North Africa) and its relationship with ancient pedagogy. Proceeding roughly chronologically and focusing upon the union of practice and knowledge, he demonstrates that early Christian catechesis was influenced by the ancient educational institutions in the context in which it arose, but that, while preserving elements of continuity, Christianity transformed this inheritance in a meaningful way because of its theological commitments and historical circumstances.
After an initial chapter providing an overview of ancient education, Fogleman proceeds to consider pre-Constantinian catechesis, focusing on how catechesis arises during the transition from a “school” Christianity to the monepiscopate. First, he shows how Irenaeus casts himself in the role of a teacher in the context of the transition to the monepiscopate and how his aesthetic approach to knowledge functioned to teach catechumens to perceive the relationship between God and creation. Irenaeus uses the Rule of truth to teach the unity between Scripture and economy so that he does not merely teach Christians how to understand Scripture but also how to order their knowledge of the faith.
With Tertullian, the focus shifts to the role of simplicity in ritual for forming Christian knowledge. Contrasting with the confusingly complicated rituals of pagans and heretics, Tertullian shows how the simplicity of orthodox Christian ritual leads one to the knowledge of God. He presents the connection between the simple speech of Christians in prayer and God’s simple power and omnipresence. Tertullian also argues against Monarchianism for the simplicity of trinitarian theology on the basis of the simplicity of the Rule of Faith. Fogleman stresses that Tertullian aims to provide means (simplicity and faith) of knowing God, not just instruction in beliefs or morals.
Examining writings associated with Hippolytus, specifically the Traditio apostolica, Commentarium Canticum Canticorum, and De Christo et antichristo, Fogleman places stress on the tension between openness and hiddenness in catechesis. He discusses how the tension between the esoteric and exoteric received new significance in the context of the transition in early third-century Rome from independent churches to the monepiscopate. The gradual initiation depicted in the Traditio apostolica points to a desire to present the Christian community as like ancient philosophical schools, while its openness about the initiatory rituals, even as it hides points of doctrine, suggests a desire to prevent suspicion about hidden elements of initiation.
Coming to the last of his pre-Constantinian authors, Fogleman shows how Cyprian makes use of common ancient philosophical and rhetorical techniques so that the Christian acquires a new metaphorical geography and a new memory. Fogleman also demonstrates how, in the midst of the controversies over the practice of rebaptizing, the church (and the orthodox bishop) is seen by Cyprian as necessary for knowledge of God, an emphasis that continues to grow in catechesis after Cyprian.
Beginning with Ambrose of Milan, Fogleman’s consideration of post-Constantinian catechesis, which responds to scholars who argue for a sharp break after Constantine, strives to show the continuity with pre-Constantinian catechesis amid development. Fogleman’s examination of Ambrose’s catechetical works focuses on the theme of the spiritual senses and how Ambrose trains catechumens and the newly baptized to perceive the spiritual through the material, both creation in general and the sacraments in particular. He highlights how Ambrose’s emphasis on the spiritual senses arises in part from the new pro-Nicene theological landscape in which God came to be seen as more immediately present to creation and thus capable of playing a powerful revelatory role.
Fogleman demonstrates the continuity of the catechetical tradition in Northern Italy, as well as the variations arising from circumstances, by examining four more Northern Italian authors. Zeno of Verona and Gaudentius of Brescia’s focus on “cosmological knowing” shows the true meaning of time and the natural order in response to pagan understandings of nature and time, in continuity with earlier catechesis (e.g., Irenaeus). His examination of Rufinus of Aquileia and Peter Chrysologus focuses on their use of apophaticism as an initial step toward ultimately coming to the knowledge of God.
Returning to North Africa, Fogleman examines love in Augustine’s catechetical epistemology, as well as Augustine’s understanding of knowledge, which is influenced by Platonic theories of illumination but transformed through the presentation of Christ as the inner teacher. While preachers share the message with everyone, Christ’s inner illumination of the memory is necessary for knowledge to occur.
Fogleman next shows how Augustine’s successors (Quodvultdeus and anonymous authors of sermons) in North Africa built upon his catechetical epistemology while responding to the new world in which they found themselves after the Vandal invasions and the Arian theology that came with the Vandals. These authors emphasize ways of perceiving God and the world that place focus on apocalyptic ways of understanding history.
There are a couple of aspects of the book that a reader might wish were otherwise. Fogleman tries to split the difference in terms of focus by examining a range of authors, but, for the most part, only those connected to Italy and North Africa. This at times means that he cannot give as much attention to any one author as might be desirable. The ascription of the texts considered to the genre of catechetical literature (and, in the case of those ascribed to Hippolytus, authorship and provenance) is uncertain. Nevertheless, Fogleman is very clear about these difficulties and provides sufficient reasons for including these texts in catechetical literature. Ultimately, these are small quibbles with what is an excellent study of early Christian epistemology and catechetical literature that will be of interest to historians of early Christianity and theologians alike. Particularly interesting for historians will be Fogleman’s contextualization of catechesis within the broader early Christian discourse.
