Doctor of the Church Totally Explained

Everything about Doctor Of The Church totally explained

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.

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. 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 isn't 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

Year Born	Died	Promoted	Ethnicity	Post
540 (ca.)	March 12,604	1298	Italian	Pope
340 (ca.)	April 4, 397	1298	Italian	Bishop of Milan
354	August 28, 430	1298	Numidian	Bishop of Hippo
347 (ca.)	September 30,420	1298	Dalmatian	priest, monk
347	407	1568	Syrian	Archbishop of Constantinople
330	January 1,379	1568	Cappadocian	Bishop of Caesarea
329	January 25,389	1568	Cappadocian	Archbishop of Constantinople
298	May 2,373	1568	Egyptian	Patriarch of Alexandria
1225	March 7, 1274	1568	Italian	Priest, Theologian, O.P.
1221	July 15,1274	1588		Minister General, Theologian, O.F.M.
1033 or 1034	April 21, 1109	1720	Italian	Archbishop of Canterbury O.S.B.
560	April 4, 636	1722	Spanish	Bishop of Seville
406	450	1729	Italian	Archbishop of Ravenna
400	November 10,461	1754	Italian	Pope
1007	February 21/22,1072	1828	Italian	Cardinal Bishop of Ostia, monk, O.S.B.
1090	August 21, 1153	1830	French	priest, O.Cist.
300	367	1851	French	Bishop of Poitiers
1696	August 1,1787	1871	Italian	Bishop of Sant'Agata de' Goti, C.S.S.R. (Founder)
1567	December 28,1622	1877	Swiss	Bishop of Geneva
376	June 27,444	1883	Egyptian	Patriarch of Alexandria
315	386	1883	Jerusalem	Bishop of Jerusalem
676	December 5,749	1883	Syrian	priest, monk
672	May 27,735	1899	English	priest, monk
306	373	1920	Syrian	deacon
1521	December 21,1597	1925	Dutch	priest, S.J.
1542	December 14,1591	1926	Spanish	priest, mystic, O.C.D. (Founder)
1542	September 17,1621	1931	Italian	Archbishop of Capua, theologian, S.J.
1193	November 15,1280	1931	German	Bishop, Theologian, O.P.
1195	June 13,1231	1946	Portuguese	Priest, O.F.M.
July 22,1559	July 22,1619	1959	Italian	Priest, Diplomat, O.F.M. Cap.
March 28,1515	October 4,1582	1970	Spanish	Mystic, O.C.D. (Founder)
March 25,1347	April 29,1380	1970	Italian	Mystic, O.P.
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.

Assyrian Church of the East

The Assyrian Church of the East recognizes as Doctors of the Church Eliseus, Diodore of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and Nestorius.

Lutherans

The Lutheran calendar of saints doesn't use the full term doctor of the church, but it does refer to Martin Luther by the term "doctor".

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