The complete text of "Against the Heresies," with fragments of other writings. Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons wrote his "Against Heresies" ca. A.D. 180 to uphold against Gnosticism the Christian rule of faith that he had received. To vindicate the Incarnation of God in human flesh, Irenaeus described and attacked their principal doctrine, the evil origin of the natural world. Affirming the unity of Old and New Testaments, the goodness of the Creator and the created world, and finally the mystery of divinization whereby human beings are elevated into the divine life, the saint produced an outstanding example of early Christian biblical theology. For Irenaeus, as for the other early Church fathers, the doctrines of Christianity safeguard the confession of God's saving love revealed through His Incarnation as Jesus Christ. Of such work there is no better example than Irenaeus, disciple of Polycarp, disciple of John the Evangelist. Unlike other reprints, this version is completely re-typeset, while preserving original page-numbering.