St. Irenaeus

Irenaeus is a 2nd Century Christian who helped define the doctrines of the early Christian church. He was the 4th Bishop of Rome following in the footsteps of the apostle Peter. During the very early church, Gnosticism (attempts to fuse Christianity with Greek philosophy, pagan rites and mythology) threatened the church, for which Irenaeus stated: "Myth and Christianity are opposed on every point. Myth seeks the ascent of man to spirit; the Word of God seeks descent into flesh and blood. Myth wants power; revelation reveals the true power of God in the most extreme powerlessness. ... Myth tears God and world apart by trying to force them into a magical unity; the revelation of God's Word unites God and world by sealing the distance between them in the very intimacy of their communion."