In Ignatius's letters to the churches of Asia Minor, he repeats several themes, such as the importance of unity, the purity of belief, and the acceptance of the clerical hierarchy. Discuss each of these themes, referring to Ignatius's letters whenever possible. How do these letters help scholars reconstruct the rise of proto-orthodox Christianity?

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The Answer is Students should refer to the excerpts from Ignatius's letters found in the accompanying reader. In general, each of these themes safeguards "right belief." If churches are unified, they will accept the same teachings as correct. The clergy serve as guides for the churches as they develop more detailed statements of belief. Ignatius's letters were primarily written to combat heresy and to guard against churches slipping into heretical beliefs. His letters provide a stronger statement of the importance of the clergy than anything found in the New Testament.

In Ignatius's Letters to the Churches of Asia Minor, He