Doctor of the Church

Doctor of the Church (Latin doctor, teacher, from Latin docere, to teach) is a title given by a variety of Christian churches to individuals whom they recognize as having been of particular importance, particularly regarding their additions to theological or doctrinal matters.

1 Roman Catholicism
- 1.1 List of Doctors of the Church in the Catholic Church
2 Eastern Orthodoxy
3 Armenian Church
4 Assyrian Church of the East
5 Lutherans
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

Roman Catholicism

In Roman Catholicism, this title is given to a saint from whose writings the whole Christian Church is held to have derived great advantage and to whom "eminent learning" and "great sanctity" have been attributed by a proclamation of a pope or of an ecumenical council. This honor is given rarely, only posthumously, and only after canonization. No ecumenical council has yet exercised the prerogative of proclaiming a Doctor of the Church.

Isidore of Seville, depicted with a book, common iconographical object for a doctor.

Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, and Pope Gregory I were the original Doctors of the Church and were named in 1298. They are known collectively as the Great Doctors of the Western Church. The four Great Doctors of the Eastern Church, John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, and Athanasius were recognized in 1568 by Pope St. Pius V. Although the revered Catalan philosopher Ramon Llull was dubbed "Doctor Illuminatus," he is not officially considered a Doctor of the Church.

The Doctors' works vary greatly in subject and form. Some, such as Pope Gregory I and Ambrose were prominent writers of letters and short treatises. Catherine of Siena and John of the Cross wrote mystical theology. Augustine and Bellarmine defended the Church against heresy. Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People provides the best information on England in the early Middle Ages. Systematic theologians include the Scholastic philosophers Anselm, Albertus Magnus, and Thomas Aquinas.

Until 1970, no woman had been named a Doctor of the Church, but since then three additions to the list have been women.

Traditionally, in the liturgy, the Office of Doctors was distinguished from that of Confessors by two changes: the Gospel reading, Matthew 5:13-19, "Vos estis sal terrae" ("You are the salt of the earth"), and the eighth Respond at Matins, from Ecclesiasticus 15:5, "In medio Ecclesiae aperuit os ejus, * Et implevit eum Deus spiritu sapientiae et intellectus. * Jucunditatem et exsultationem thesaurizavit super eum." ("In the midst of the Church he opened his mouth, * And God filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding. * He heaped upon him a treasure of joy and gladness.")

The Roman Catholic Church has to date named 33 Doctors of the Church. Of these, the 17 who died before the formal Eastern Schism in 1054 (marked * in the list below) are also venerated by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Among these 33 are 25 from the West and 8 from the East; 3 women; 18 bishops, 29 priests, 1 deacon, 2 nuns, 1 lay woman; 24 from Europe, 3 from Africa, 6 from Asia.

List of Doctors of the Church in the Catholic Church

Name Year Born Died Promoted Ethnicity Post St. Gregory the Great* 540(ca.) March 12, 604 1298 Italian Pope St. Ambrose* 340(ca.) April 4, 397 1298 Italian Bishopof Milan St. Augustine, Doctor Gratiae* 354 August 28, 430 1298 Numidian Bishopof Hippo St. Jerome* 347(ca.) September 30, 420 1298 Dalmatianpriest, monk St. John Chrysostom* 347 407 1568 Syrian Archbishop of Constantinople St. Basil* 330 January 1, 379 1568 Cappadocian Bishopof Caesarea St. Gregory Nazianzus* 329 January 25, 389 1568 Cappadocian Archbishop of Constantinople St. Athanasius* 298 May 2, 373 1568 Egyptian Patriarch of Alexandria St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis 1225 March 7, 1274 1568 ItalianPriest, Theologian, O.P.St. Bonaventure, Doctor Seraphicus 1221 July 15, 1274 1588 Italian Cardinal Bishop of Albano, Theologian, Minister General, O.F.M.St. Anselm, Doctor Magnificus 1033or 1034 April 21, 1109 1720 Italian Archbishop of Canterbury O.S.B.St. Isidore* 560 April 4, 636 1722 Spanish Bishopof Seville St. Peter Chrysologus* 406 450 1729 Italian Archbishop of Ravenna St. Leo the Great* 400 November 10, 461 1754 Italian Pope St. Peter Damian 1007 February 21/22,1072 1828 Italian Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, monk, O.S.B.St. Bernard, Doctor Mellifluus 1090 August 21, 1153 1830 Frenchpriest, O.Cist.St. Hilary of Poitiers* 300 367 1851 French Bishop of Poitiers St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor Zelantissimus 1696 August 1, 1787 1871 Italian Bishopof Sant'Agata de' Goti, C.S.S.R. (Founder)St. Francis de Sales 1567 December 28, 1622 1877 Swiss Bishopof Geneva St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor Incarnationis* 376 June 27, 444 1883 Egyptian Patriarch of Alexandria St. Cyril of Jerusalem* 315 386 1883 Jerusalem Bishop of Jerusalem St. John Damascene* 676 December 5, 749 1883 Syrianpriest, monk St. Bede the Venerable* 672 May 27, 735 1899 Englishpriest, monk St. Ephrem* 306 373 1920 Syriandeacon St. Peter Canisius 1521 December 21, 1597 1925 Dutchpriest, S.J.St. John of the Cross, Doctor Mysticus 1542 December 14, 1591 1926 Spanishpriest, mystic, O.C.D.(Founder) St. Robert Bellarmine 1542 September 17, 1621 1931 Italian Archbishop of Capua, theologian, S.J.St. Albertus Magnus, Doctor Universalis 1193 November 15, 1280 1931 GermanBishop, Theologian, O.P.St. Anthony of Padua and Lisbon, Doctor Evangelicus 1195 June 13, 1231 1946 PortuguesePriest, O.F.M.St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor Apostolicus July 22, 1559 July 22, 1619 1959 ItalianPriest, Diplomat, O.F.M. Cap.St. Teresa of Ávila March 28, 1515 October 4, 1582 1970 Spanish Mystic, O.C.D.(Founder) St. Catherine of Siena March 25, 1347 April 29, 1380 1970 Italian Mystic, O.P.St. Thérèse de Lisieux, Doctor Amoris January 2, 1873 September 30, 1897 1997 French O.C.D.(Nun)

In addition, parts of the Roman Catholic church have recognized other individuals with this title. In Spain, Fulgentius of Ruspe and Leander of Seville have been recognized with this title.

The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church has recognized Ambrose, Jerome, Gregory, Augustine, Athanasius, Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom, as well as Ephrem the Syrian, Isaac the Elder, Pope Leo I, John of Damascus, Cyril of Alexandria, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius of Salamis, and Gregory of Nyssa. The Chaldean Catholic Church has recognized Polycarp, Eustathius of Antioch, Meletius, Alexander of Jerusalem, Athanasius, Basil, Cyril of Alexandria, Gregory Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Fravitta of Constantinople, Ephrem the Syrian, Jacob of Nisibis, James of Serug, Isaac of Armenia, Isaac of Nineve, and Maruthas.

Eastern Orthodoxy

The Eastern Orthodox church recognizes five individuals as doctors of the church: Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom, Athanasius of Alexandria, and Cyril of Alexandria.

Armenian Church

The Armenian church recognizes as Doctors of the Church Hierotheus the Thesmothete, Dionysius the Areopagite, Pope Sylvester I, Athanasius of Alexandria, Cyril of Alexandria, Ephrem the Syrian, Basil the Great, Gregory Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa, Epiphanius of Salamis, John Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem, and their own saints Mesrob, Eliseus the historiographer, Moses of Chorene, David the philosopher, Gregory of Narek, Nerses III the Builder, and Nerses of Lambron.