Ioannis Karavidopoulos, Irenaeus Bishop of Lyon, Demostration of Apostolic Preaching. (Introduction – Translation – Comments) by Ioannis Karavidopoulos, Thessaloniki 1965, pp. 89.

Ioannis Karavidopoulos with this work presents for the first time a Greek translation and commentary of the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus, Bishop of Leiden. The translation was based on newer European translations of the Armenian text, discovered in the beginning of the 20^th century and which in turn is a translation of the – lost – original in Greek.

            The translation of the Demonstration is preceded by an extensive three-part introduction by Ioannis Karavidopoulos. The first part includes a presentation of the personality and the writings of Irenaeus. In the beginning there is reference to his biographical information and a list of his writings, salvaged and lost and finally, influences on his theological thinking.

            The second part of the introduction analyses the theology of Irenaeus. In this context, the author highlights his main positions on the Holy Gospel and Tradition, on God, Trinitarian theology, anthropology, Christology, redemption and eschatology, as they are projected through his only two surviving works, the Demonstration and the Control and Negation of Forged Knowledge.

            The third and last part of the introduction refers wholly to the Demonstration. Initially there is reference to the Armenian translation’s discovery. Then the author describes briefly the aim, structure and character of the work, Irenaeus’ intended readers and the time of writing, as well as evidence determining its authenticity and genuineness. Another point emphasised by the author is the use of the Holy Gospel in the text of the Demonstration. The introduction concludes with a presentation of existing translations and publications of the Armenian text and refers the French and English translations used by the author. In this context there is an explanation of the difficulty of the translation in Greek.

            After the introduction there is the Greek translation of the Demonstration text, while commentary, definitions of biblical passages referred to and all the relevant explanations are in footnotes by John Karavidopoulos, located underneath the main body of the text.