This work is not to be found in the online collection of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. Long thought lost, it is in fact extant only in a single 9th century Armenian manuscript, and was discovered there at the beginning of the 20th century. Once again the work of Irenaeus in Greek is lost; but fortunately the Armenian is a fairly literal version, evidently intended as a 'crib' in an era when fluency in Greek had already departed. The work was divided (by Harnack) into 100 chapters for ease of reference. Since Armenian is not a widely-known language of scholarship, the text has been difficult of access to scholars.

This edition is extremely valuable to those unable to read earlier work in German. It has copious notes on the text, a lengthy and useful introduction, and a very readable translation. As is usual with the series, the notes are oriented towards points of philology rather than theology.

Irenaeus puts forward the teaching of the apostles (he knew Polycarp, the disciple of John, personally) on matters disputed by the gnostics, heretics who attempted to corrupt Christianity with contemporary pop-paganism. In so doing he outlines the teaching on God, the Father, the Son and the Spirit, and without using the word gives a splendid outline of the doctrine of the Trinity. While deriding some of the gnostic ideas, Irenaeus concentrates on expounding the apostolic preaching, and on showing that the Old Testament in fact preaches the same deity in three persons as the New.

The book will be useful to everyone interested in the second-century Fathers. In view of the interest in gnosticism in our day, it will also be useful as a reminder to those who choose to forget that those with personal contact with the apostles and their appointees did not regard gnosticism as a legitimate form of Christian belief. Recommended.

Note: the only previous English version of this work is: Robinson, J.A. (trans.) St. Irenaeus: The Demonstration of the Apostolic Teaching. London & New York: SPCK, 1920.

The book begins with forty-four pages of worthy introduction about Irenaeus, his time, the context, the text, and theology overview.

Magnificent look at the rule of faith, and is continuous in its pointed condemnation of Gnosticism, e.g. "so this world too was created by God." Continues from beginnings through the end, with refutation of false teachers, and recommendtion to continue in the apostles' teachings.

Great apologetic which shows Christ as fulfillment of OT prophecy.