CLEVE ANDRE G. ERO REV. FR.
ALDWIN NARTEA
Student Professor, Patrology/Patristic Writings
The Church Fathers: Authoritative Witnesses
The Church Fathers are towering pillars in the annals of Christianity, representing a type of witness
whose credibility in the proclamation is absolutely unrivaled. The interrelationship between the
communication of God's word and Christian witness is relevant per se, for it constitutes the foundation
for the Church's evangelizing mission. The Church's proclamation is credible only when the witness that
comes from the believers is authentic, according to Pope Benedict XVI. Not only can the Word of God
not simply be pronounced, but it has to be lived, thus changing into concrete reality which others can
experience. This word-witness interplay is the only factor that makes for effective evangelization;
otherwise, without lived experience, teachings can very easily come off as ideals that are too far away
and very distant from the common life of believers.
The Church Fathers are particularly revered for their role in preserving and articulating the
Apostolic Tradition. They were not only defenders of the purity of this tradition, but also active
participants in its transmission by which, with full certainty, they passed on to generations to come the
teaching of the apostles. Their homilies and writings, which expounded on the mysteries of faith, are
deepening the Church's understanding of the Gospel and thus have become an integral part of Holy
Tradition. The Church especially celebrates the Fathers for their roles in the Ecumenical Councils, in
which they articulated what the Church has always, everywhere, and by all held—the very phrase
underlining the universality and continuity of the faith throughout history.
The authority and credibility of the Church Fathers derive from both their personal holiness and
the truthfulness of their teaching. The Church has always acknowledged those who preached the Gospel
with integrity and holiness as Holy Fathers, a title which is not honorary but expressive of spiritual
leadership and teaching, much like how the apostle Paul saw himself in relation to his followers as a
father in faith. The writings of the Church Fathers are a continuing point of reference for Catholic
theology. A tradition that is so multiform in its liturgical and theological expressions finds unity in faith.
Their existence and activity thus become eloquent testimony to the perennial validity of the Gospel, to
make them credible witnesses whose proclamation does not end with their death but continues through
the ages.
Moreover, the Church Fathers present an indispensable linking of communication of God's word
with Christian witness. This strong witness to the faith through a commitment to living life according to
the teachings of the Gospel in an everyday manner intertwined with deep theological insights into God
further makes the Fathers witnesses of the faith. The example of the Church Fathers, in this sense, is
more than timely in a Church continuing her mission of evangelization, for it reminds her that the
credibility of her proclamation is rooted in the authenticity of her witness—a witness to be lived and not
just spoken.
