Pre-Nicene Differences on Marriage and Celibacy Grid – May 2026

 

 

Legend for Cells

Mc1. Christians should not marry unbelievers (2-0)

Mc7. Church tax on priests with kids (0)

W = wrote explicitly on this

Mc2. It is OK for clergy to be married (1-1)

Mc8. Catholics should not marry non-Catholics (0)

I = Implied

Mc3. Presbyters and deacons cannot get married (2-0)

 

m = Mixed or Inconsistent

Mc4. Catholic marriage is invalid if not by a priest (0)

 

P = partial

Mc5. Holy Spirit leave room during marital relations (0)

 

- = no reference found

Mc6. A lengthy marriage could be annullab (0)

 

X = Disagree

Rows: white=Christian writer, orange=schism, pink=strange writer

Christian writer

< Pages

Date A.D.

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

 

 

 

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

 

 

 

 

Clement of Rome (wrote 1 Clement)

16.25

96/98

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Papias of Hierapolis, disciple of John

2

95-110

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

“Presbyters” (Papias?)

0.5

-95-117

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Ignatius disciple of John (shortest version)

13

c.100-117

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Didache (=Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)

4.75

c.60-120

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Apology of Aristides (Greek version)

4

125-161

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Quadratus of Athens fragment (apologist)

.125

126

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Epistle of Barnabas

12.5

c.70-130

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

2 Clement (anonymous writer)

5.75

120-140

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Polycarp to the Philippians

3.5

100-155

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Mathetes to Diognetus – teaching a disciple

5.25

c.130-200

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Apostolic fathers totals: all symbols except P

67.5

-155

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

 

 

 

 

Shepherd of Hermas (= Hermas, = The Pastor)

46.5

c.115-155

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Justin Martyr, philosopher, apologist

116.5

c.138-165

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Evarestus Martyrdom of Polycarp

5

c.169

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Tatian's Diatessaron

86

c.172

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Christians of Vienna and Lugdunum (Lyons)

6.5

177

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Athenagoras (apologist)

33.5

177

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Melito/Meleto of Sardis (Quartodecimian)

11

170-177

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Hegesippus (chronicler)

2.5

170-180

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Theophilus of Antioch (to Autolycus)

32

168-181/188

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Irenaeus of Lyons, disciple of Polycarp

284.75

182-188

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs -died 180 A.D.

0.75

180-202

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Caius and the Muratorian Canon (Latin)

3

190-217

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas

7

c.201/205

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Serapion of Antioch -against Marcion, Montanists

1.333

191/200-210

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

The Octavius of Minucius Felix

25

210 A.D.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Clement of Alexandria

389

193-202

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Tertullian

891

198-220

W

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Hippolytus, pupil of Irenaeus (undisputed)

218

222-235/236

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Theodotus the probable Montanist

7.75

ca.240

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Instructions of Commodianus

16

ca.240

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Julius Africanus (undisputed writings)

9

232-245

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Martyrdom of the Holy Martyrs

1.5

< 250

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Origen (heterodox teacher)

1005.15

225-253/254

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Novatian (his schism lasted over 200 years)

38.5

250/254-257

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Treatise Against Novatian

6.5

254-256

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Treatise on Rebaptism

11

c.250-258

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Cyprian of Carthage (against Novatian)

250.5

c.246-258

W

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Roman church leaders (letters 2,29,30)

1+4.75

250-251

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Lucian et al. (letters 16, 21)

.875

250-251

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Moyses, et al. to Cyprian (letter 25)

2.5

250

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Maximus, et al. to Cyprian (letter 49)

0.25

c.246-256

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Firmilian of Caesarea to Cyprian (letter74)

7.25

256

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Seventh Council of Carthage (85 bishops)

7.25

258

-

X

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Pontius’ The Life and Passion of Cyprian

7.5

258

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Theognostus of Alexandria (Origenist)

0.5

260

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Gregory Thaumaturgus (undisputed works)

28.5

240-265

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Dionysius of Alexandria (Origenist)

39.5

246-265

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Malchion (Against Paul of Samosata)

0.25

270

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Pierius of Alexandria (fragment)

0.5

275

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Adamantius Dialog on the True Faith in God

42

c.300

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Arnobius Against the Heathen (undisputed)

126.5

297-303

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Victorinus of Petau, Austria –commentator

18.5

-304

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Council of Elvira (21 undisputed canons)

1

306-207

P

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Pamphilus disciple of Pierius (Origenist)

2.75

309

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Creed of Lucian of Antioch

0.3

c.300-311

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Peter of Alexandria (undisputed)

8.5

306-311

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Hesychius [Egypt],Pachomius,Phileas,Theodorus

1

-311

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Methodius (corrected Origen’s followers)

79.5

270-311/312

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Council of Ancyra (Marcellus & 11 other bishops)

3.333

Spring 314

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Council of Arles I, France. 26-44 bishops.

0.333

Aug. 314

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Council of Neocaesarea (Basil and c.19 others).

1.333

c.315

-

-

W

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Martyrdom of Habib the Deacon by Theophilus

5.5

event c.315

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Athanasius Against the Heathen & Incarnation

56

318

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Lactantius, tutor of Constantine’s son

305.5

303-325

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Alexander of Alexandria-Origenist, undisputed

11.5

313-326

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

Eusebius of Caesarea

1055.4

318-325

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

23 others that do not have references.

44.77

170-325

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

92 Christian writer totals: all symbols except P’s + Eusebius of Caesarea prior to 325 A.D.

4425+

1055.4

up to 325:

2-0

1-1

2-0

0

0

0

0

0

 

 

 

 

Christian writer

Pages

Date A.D.

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

Mc

 

 

 

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

 

 

 

 

.www.Biblequery.org/History/ChurchHistory/PreNiceneDifferencesOnMarriageandCelibacyGrid.html.

References at www.Biblequery.org/History/ChurchHistory/DifferencesInWhatChristiansTeach.html.

by Steven M. Morrison, PhD. If you find what you think are any omissions or errors, please email webmaster@biblequery.org