Adam and Christ in the Theology of Irenaeus of Lyons: An Examination of the Function of the Adam-Christ Typology in the Adversus Haereses of Irenaeus, Against the Background of the Gnosticism of His Time

The Adam-Christ typology is the central point from which Irenaeus' refutation of Gnosticism is examined in the present study. The incarnation of the Word is described as 'recapitulation', that is to say the history of mankind is repeated in concise form and brought to a joyful end. In what way does 'Adam' function in this system as head of the 'old' humanity, and in what way does Christ, the second Adam, function as head of the 'new' humanity? How does Irenaeus handle concepts such as regula fidei, canon and tradition? Why does Irenaeus give a realistic picture of salvation? How does the accepted chiliasm of the period function in his work? In what manner does he link his theology with the Adam-Christ conceptions used by the apostle Paul, particularly with regard to the resurrection of the dead? Are there other writers to be found in the first and second centuries of Christendom who made use of the Adam-Christ typology, or is Irenaeus the first of whom we may posit, having regard to the date so far available, that it was with the Adam-Christ typology that he broke through the dualism and docetism of Gnosticism? These are the questions to which this book seeks an answer. At the end of each chapter a short summary, enumerating the points dealt with, facilitates speedy orientation, while scholarly discussion accompanies the text in footnotes. The book is completed by a considerable bibliography.