by St. Hippolytus of Rome

Our father Hippolytus was one of the most prolific writers of the early Church, and was distinguished by his learning and eloquence. He was born in Rome in the mid-100s, and Origen of Alexandria, while still a young man, heard him preach. St. Photius describes him in his Bibliotheca (cod. 121) as a disciple of St. Irenaeus of Lyons, who was himself a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna. He died a martyr, being dragged to death by wild horses at Ostia.

1. Good, yea, very good, are all the works of our God and Savior— all of them that eye sees and mind perceives, all that reason interprets and hand handles, all that intellect comprehends and human nature understands. For what richer beauty can there be than that of the circle of heaven?

And what form of more blooming fairness than that of earth’s surface? And what is there swifter in the course than the chariot of the sun? And what more graceful car than the lunar orb? And what work more wonderful than the compact mosaic of the stars? And what more productive of supplies than the seasonable winds? And what more spotless mirror than the light of day? And what creature more excellent than man? Read more

by St. Hippolytus of Rome

Our father Hippolytus was one of the most prolific writers of the early Church, and was distinguished by his learning and eloquence. He was born in Rome in the mid-100s, and Origen of Alexandria, while still a young man, heard him preach. St. Photius describes him in his Bibliotheca (cod. 121) as a disciple of St. Irenaeus of Lyons, who was himself a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna. He died a martyr, being dragged to death by wild horses at Ostia.

The treatise of St Hippolytus On the Refutation of All Heresies: ‘The word made flesh makes us divine’

“Our faith is not founded upon empty words; nor are we carried away by mere caprice or beguiled by specious arguments. On the contrary, we put our faith in words spoken by the power of God, spoken by the Word himself at God’s command.

God wished to win men back from disobedience, not by using force to reduce him to slavery but by addressing to his free will a call to liberty. Read more