ABSTRACT
Someone trained properly in the art of rhetoric plans the conclusion of his speech before he even begins. However, this author has received no such rhetorical training and this conclusion has received no such artful plan. One cannot plan the end of a journey without a full knowledge of what will be discovered along the way. This venture into the theological vision of Irenaeus did not proceed in absolute darkness, but it did begin in the dim light of an early morning fog. Such a fog makes the journey unpredictable; however, the first steps are taken in the fervent hope that as the sun rises the cloudy landscape will acquire some clarity. Standing at the end, one is compelled to look back at the path that was traversed. Was the path straight, clear, and predictable? Does the end meet expectations? Were there any surprising turns to the road? Rather than merely recount the details of this examination of Irenaeus’ writing, this conclusion seeks to dwell upon some of the implications of the ancient bishop’s theological vision. Some of these implications are perhaps predictable and expected; but some, at least for this author, are surprising, unexpected, and therefore, truly enlightening.
