Folia Theologica 18. (2007)
László Perendy: The Outlines of Systematic Theology in the Ad Autolycum of Theophilus of Antioch
THE OUTLINES OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY 177 catechistic teaching [...] To imply, as do most patristic scholars, that all three texts are apology is to place his thought into such a narrow category that one might lose touch with his larger agenda as well as the focus of his theological work."30 Having described other attempts to categorize Theophilus, he concludes that "it is much more useful to call him simply a theologian who produced material of didactic nature."31 Earlier in his work Rogers calls our attention to the fact that both Eusebius and Jerome call the three books as 'elementary'. Jerome also says that - together with other works of Theophilus - they are "well fitted for the edification of the church"32. Rogers suggests a "theory regarding the rhetorical development of his three books"33 He accepts the expressions used by Theophilus for the literary genres: ógiXía, CTÚyypa|iga, ÚTTÓ[ivTitra, respectively. He observes a certain rhetorical development within the three books, which "reflects a growth in Theophilus' readership over a period of time, one which demanded his literary shift in purpose, and his willingness to add theological information appropriate for a maturing audience."34 Rogers later gives a thorough analysis of what he defines as protreptic theology. So far the catecheses of St. Cyrill of Jerusalem35 have been regarded as the first series of catechetical lectures to survive to our days. Actually, three steps can be distinguished also in this series: one procatechesis, eighteen catecheses proper (before baptism to the ct>üm£ó|xevoi), and five mystagogical catecheses (after baptism to the veo(t>tÓTiaToi). Cyrill follows the creed of his own church, so all the main points of Christian theology (doctrine of God, Christol- ogy, pneumatology, sacramentology, eschatology, ecclesiology are presented). Cyrill starts all the catecheses with reading from the Old and New Testaments, and also inside the catecheses he con30 R. ROGERS, Theophilus of Antioch. The Life and Thought of a Second-Century Bishop, Lanham/Maryland, 2000, 20. 31 Ibid. 21. 32 Jerome, Lives 25. 33 ROGERS, op. c., 21. 34 Ibidem, 25. 35 A recent work on Cyril: J. W. DRIJVERS, Cyril of Jerusalem. Bishop and city (SVC 72), Leiden 2004.
