Apostles in the context of "Irenaeus of Lyon"

Irenaeus (/ɪrɪˈneɪəs/ or /ˌaɪrɪˈniːəs/; Ancient Greek: Εἰρηναῖος, romanized: Eirēnaîos; c. 125 – c. 202 AD) was a Greek bishop noted for his role in guiding and expanding Christian communities in the southern regions of present-day France and, more widely, for the development of Christian theology by opposing Gnostic interpretations of Christian Scripture and defending orthodoxy. Originating from Smyrna, he had seen and heard the preaching of Polycarp, who in turn was said to have heard John the Evangelist.

Chosen as Bishop of Lugdunum, now Lyon, Irenaeus wrote his best-known work Against Heresies around 180 as a refutation of gnosticism, in particular that of Valentinus. To counter the doctrines of the gnostic sects claiming secret wisdom, he offered three pillars of orthodoxy: the scriptures, the tradition said to be handed down from the apostles, and the teaching of the apostles' successors. He is the earliest surviving witness to regard all four of the now-canonical gospels as essential.

His (Royal) Apostolic Majesty was a styled title used by the Kings of Hungary, in the sense of being latter-day apostles of Christianity.

The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) or Neo-Apostolicism is a Christian supremacist theological belief and controversial movement associated with the far right that combines elements of Pentecostalism, evangelicalism, and the Seven Mountain Mandate to advocate for spiritual warfare to bring about Christian dominion over all aspects of society and end or weaken the separation of church and state. NAR leaders often call themselves apostles and prophets. The movement is heavily associated with C. Peter Wagner, who coined the term and founded the movement's characteristic networks. Wagner himself described the NAR as "the most radical change in the way of doing church since the Protestant Reformation."

Long a fringe movement of the American Christian right, it has been characterized as "one of the most important shifts in Christianity in modern times". With the 2008 publication of Wagner's Dominion! How Kingdom Action Can Change the World, the movement began a greater focus on gaining political influence—through spiritual warfare—in order to effect societal change. The NAR's prominence and power have increased since the 2016 election of Donald Trump as US president. Theology professor André Gagné, author of a 2024 book on the movement, has called it "inherently political" and said it threatens to "subvert democracy". Religion scholar Julie Ingersoll has said the movement is "often...now the public face of Christian Nationalism."