Episode 181 Ignatius and Jesus with Jonathon Lookadoo

Jonathon Lookadoo joined David Capes on The Stone Chapel Podcasts to discuss his recent book, The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch. This book is part of a series of books entitled Studies in Early Christology, a series edited by Michael Bird, David Capes, and Scott Harrower. 

Who Is Jonathon Lookadoo?

Jonathon is an assistant professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea.  He was born in America and studied abroad. 

He did his PhD at the University of Otago in New Zealand.  While there, he met and married his wife who is from South Korea.  She is a linguist. 

Ignatius and Jesus

After some introductory remarks, Jonathon talks about Ignatius and his significance as a theologian, writer, and martyr in the early second century AD.

Ignatius is best known for letters he wrote to churches on the way to his martyrdom in Rome.  Exactly, why he is going to martyrdom is not clear. 

Is it part of a general persecution happening at the time across the Roman Empire (perhaps under Trajan), or something else? But Ignatius’ letters apparently get into circulation early on because he is quoted by the likes of Polycarp and Origen. 

Ignatius is concerned about the prevalence of false teachers in and around the churches.  He is also adamant that the churches band together in unity around the leadership of the bishop. 

But this podcast deals primarily with the Christology of Ignatius, that is, his understanding of the significance of Jesus for the Church. 

How is the church to regard Jesus’ humanity, for example?  How is it to think about his divinity?  

Some of the false teaching likely had to do with a diminished view of Jesus. Either disregarding his humanity or downplaying his divinity.  As Lookadoo explains, Ignatius is probably the next step in the development of the Church’s Christology.

Resources

For Lookadoo’s book, The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch, click here.

To learn more about the series, Studies in Early Christology (Cascade Books),  go to www.studiesinearlychristology.com

Click here for a transcript of this podcast.

More Resources

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