The Early Church

The generation after the apostles — and who knew whom

Awaiting theological review

d. c. 99 · Rome
Clement of Rome
Bishop of Rome
An early bishop of Rome whose letter to the church in Corinth is one of the oldest Christian writings outside the New Testament.
d. c. 107–110 · Antioch (today Antakya, Turkey) — Rome
Ignatius of Antioch
Bishop and martyr
Bishop of Antioch who, taken under guard to Rome to die, wrote seven letters to the churches on the way.
c. 69 – c. 155 · Smyrna (today İzmir, Turkey)
Polycarp of Smyrna
Bishop and martyr
Bishop of Smyrna who had known the apostle John, and who handed on what he heard to the next generation.
c. 100 – c. 165 · Born in Flavia Neapolis (today Nablus) — taught in Rome
Justin Martyr
Philosopher and apologist
A philosopher who found in Christ the truth he had been searching for, and defended the faith in writing before the emperor.
c. 130 – c. 202 · Smyrna — Lyon (France)
Irenaeus of Lyon
Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church
A disciple of Polycarp who became bishop of Lyon and defended the apostolic faith against Gnosticism.

Who knew whom?

How teaching passed from person to person. Dashed links are asserted by later tradition but cannot be confirmed.

1. Jesus
2. ScriptureJohn
3. Early Christian sourcePolycarp of Smyrna
4. Early Christian sourceIrenaeus of Lyon
1. Jesus
2. ScripturePeter
3. Early Christian sourceMark
1. Peter
2. Early Christian sourceClement of Rome
1. Paul
2. ScriptureLuke
3. ScriptureTimothy
4. ScriptureTitus
5. ScriptureBarnabas
1. John
2. TraditionIgnatius of Antioch
3. Early Christian sourcePolycarp of Smyrna
1. Saint Monica
2. Early Christian sourceAmbrose of Milan
3. Early Christian sourceAugustine of Hippo