Editing Polycarp (section)

== Theology ==
[[File:Saint Polycarp. Engraving. Wellcome V0032929.jpg|thumb|Saint Polycarp]]
Polycarp's [[soteriology]] is not clear; he does cite Ephesians 2:8 to say [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]] is by [[Grace in Christianity|grace]] rather than works, though later exhorts his readers to do good works. It is not clear from the text how he views works in relation to salvation as his comments are too little to make a clear conclusion. He could have believed that works are mere results of saving grace or that they are necessary to keep salvation and that they have meritorious value, thus we cannot know if he was a [[Monergism|monergist]] or a [[Synergism|synergist]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cooper |first=Jordan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DZ9JAwAAQBAJ&dq=Polycarp+salvation&pg=PT25 |title=The Righteousness of One: An Evaluation of Early Patristic Soteriology in Light of the New Perspective on Paul |date=27 June 2013 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn=978-1-62189-771-2 |language=en}}</ref>

Polycarp in his letter calls [[Jesus]] the "son of God" and the "eternal high priest" and that "to him all heavenly and earthly things were subjected, whom every breath worships, who comes as a judge of the living and the dead". He also highlighted the sinlessness of Jesus,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Smirne) |first=Policarpo (santo, vescovo di |title=Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians and the Martyrdom of Polycarp: Introduction, Text, and Commentary |date=25 July 2013 |publisher=University Press |isbn=978-0-19-922839-3 |language=en}}</ref> defended the doctrine of the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|Incarnation]] and the death of Christ on the cross, and clearly opposed [[docetism]].<ref name=":0" /> Polycarp outright denied the teachings of [[Marcion of Sinope|Marcion]], claiming he was the firstborn of [[Satan]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Hill |first1=Charles E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rpOMaiU_zNcC&dq=Polycarp+Marcion&pg=PA88 |title=From the Lost Teaching of Polycarp: Identifying Irenaeus' Apostolic Presbyter and the Author of Ad Diognetum |last2=Hill |first2=Charles Evan |date=2006 |publisher=Mohr Siebeck |isbn=978-3-16-148699-9 |language=en}}</ref> Polycarp's statements in the ''[[Martyrdom of Polycarp]]'' also appear to have [[Trinity|trinitarian]] theology.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=P |first1=Gilles Emery, O. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Zfs39-Ux7EC&dq=Polycarp+trinitarianism&pg=PT111 |title=The Oxford Handbook of the Trinity |last2=Levering |first2=Matthew |date=27 October 2011 |publisher=OUP Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-955781-3 |language=en}}</ref>

What we know of Polycarp's eschatology is largely confined to the affirmation of the [[Universal resurrection|resurrection of the dead]] and Christ's [[Second Coming|second coming]] as a judge.<ref name=":0" /> Polycarp was perhaps a [[Premillennialism|premillennialist]]; Polycarp's student Irenaeus was a premillennialist along with his associate Papias, which suggests that Polycarp also held similar views.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=A Brief History of Early Premillennialism |url=https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=pretrib_arch |journal=Scholars Crossing}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Chung |first1=Sung Wook |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AlcXEAAAQBAJ&dq=Polycarp+pre+millenial&pg=PA8 |title=Models of Premillennialism |last2=Mathewson |first2=David L. |date=27 August 2018 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn=978-1-5326-3769-8 |language=en}}</ref>

Polycarp refers to multiple books of the New Testament as scripture, including: [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]], [[First Epistle of John|1 John]], [[Epistle to the Philippians|Philippians]], [[Epistle of Jude|Jude]], [[First Epistle of Peter|1 Peter]], [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]], [[Second Epistle to Timothy|2 Timothy]], [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]] and others.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Luke J. |date=21 November 2021 |title=How Polycarp (And Others) Show The Early Use Of The New Testament |url=https://www.thatancientfaith.uk/home/perma/1637485200/article/polycarp-show-the-early-use-of-the-new-testament.html |access-date=8 May 2022 |website=That Ancient Faith |language=en}}</ref> Polycarp also quotes the deuterocanonical [[book of Tobit]]; however, from his manner of quotation it is not possible to know how much authority he afforded it.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Berding |first=Kenneth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uri9CwAAQBAJ&dq=Polycarp+and+the+book+of+Tobit&pg=PA105 |title=Polycarp and Paul: An Analysis of Their Literary and Theological Relationship in Light of Polycarp's Use of Biblical and Extra-Biblical Literature |date=22 December 2015 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-31327-9 |language=en}}</ref>

Polycarp's letter to the Philippians only mentions presbyters and deacons, which indicates the church at Philippi was led by a plurality of "elder-bishops", which would imply a different ecclesiastical polity than what is found in [[Ignatius of Antioch|Ignatius of Antioch's]] letters. Against this, according to Steinhauser, the letter does not offer concrete evidence that the Philippian church viewed presbyters and bishops as synonyms, though still admitting that the letter still raises questions about the polity of the [[Early Church|early church]]. Steinhauser hypothesized that there was possibly a temporary vacancy in the Philippian church.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smirne) |first=Policarpo (santo, vescovo di |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eZkRAAAAQBAJ&dq=Polycarp+polity&pg=PA97 |title=Polycarp's Epistle to the Philippians and the Martyrdom of Polycarp: Introduction, Text, and Commentary |date=25 July 2013 |publisher=University Press |isbn=978-0-19-922839-3 |language=en}}</ref>

Polycarp was a [[Quartodecimanism|Quartodeciman]]. According to Eusebius, Polycarp claimed that he celebrated Easter on the 14th of Nisan with [[John the Apostle]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Easter Controversy |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05228a.htm |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=www.newadvent.org}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=The Passover-Easter-Quartodeciman Controversy |url=https://www.gci.org/articles/the-passover-easter-quartodeciman-controversy/ |access-date=6 May 2022 |website=Grace Communion International |language=en-US}}</ref> Polycarp appears to make heresy a more serious issue than immorality. Polycarp calls immoral people to repent but called the false teachers "firstborn of Satan."<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Reeves |first1=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3E2oDwAAQBAJ&dq=Polycarp+theology&pg=PT17 |title=Introducing Major Theologians: From The Apostolic Fathers To The Twentieth Century |last2=Maiden |first2=Peter |date=20 March 2015 |publisher=Inter-Varsity Press |isbn=978-1-78359-367-5 |language=en}}</ref> 

Polycarp stated, "I have served him [Christ] eighty-six years and in no way has he dealt unjustly with me." Proponents of infant baptism have argued that this quote shows Polycarp being [[Infant baptism|baptized as an infant]], the argument being that if Polycarp was a servant of Christ for 86 years, he would have been a servant of Christ from infancy, suggesting infant baptism. However, Credobaptists such as Schoedel William have offered a different interpretation of the words of Polycarp, stating that the quote is ambiguous as regards to baptism, and that Polycarp can be understood as meaning by paraphrasing: "I have always served Jesus and I am not going to cease even at the age of 86."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schoedel |first=William R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQPtDwAAQBAJ&dq=Polycarp+infant+baptism&pg=PA65 |title=The Apostolic Fathers, A New Translation and Commentary, Volume V: Polycarp, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Fragments of Papias |date=3 June 2020 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn=978-1-7252-8086-1 |language=en}}</ref>