doctor of the church

1. (Roman Catholic Church) a title conferred on 33 saints who distinguished themselves through the orthodoxy of their theological teaching (synset 110041836)
   "the Doctors of the Church greatly influenced Christian thought down to the late Middle Ages"
   referred to in: church of rome, roman catholic, roman catholic church, roman church, western church - the Christian Church based in the Vatican and presided over by a pope and an episcopal hierarchy
   is a type of: theologian, theologiser, theologist, theologizer - someone who is learned in theology or who speculates about theology
   specific instances:

   • ambrose, saint ambrose, st. ambrose - (Roman Catholic Church) Roman priest who became bishop of Milan; the first Church Father born and raised in the Christian faith; composer of hymns; imposed orthodoxy on the early Christian church and built up its secular power; a saint and Doctor of the Church (340?-397)
   • aquinas, saint thomas, saint thomas aquinas, st. thomas, st. thomas aquinas, thomas aquinas - (Roman Catholic Church) Italian theologian and Doctor of the Church who is remembered for his attempt to reconcile faith and reason in a comprehensive theology; presented philosophical proofs of the existence of God (1225-1274)
   • athanasius, athanasius the great, saint athanasius, st. athanasius - (Roman Catholic Church) Greek patriarch of Alexandria who championed Christian orthodoxy against Arianism; a church father, saint, and Doctor of the Church (293-373)
   • augustine, augustine of hippo, saint augustine, st. augustine - (Roman Catholic Church) one of the great Fathers of the early Christian church; after a dramatic conversion to Christianity he became bishop of Hippo Regius in North Africa; St. Augustine emphasized man's need for grace (354-430)
   • basil, basil of caesarea, basil the great, st. basil, st. basil the great - (Roman Catholic Church) the bishop of Caesarea who defended the Roman Catholic Church against the heresies of the 4th century; a saint and Doctor of the Church (329-379)
   • baeda, beda, bede, saint baeda, saint beda, saint bede, st. baeda, st. beda, st. bede, the venerable bede - (Roman Catholic Church) English monk and scholar (672-735)
   • gregory, gregory i, gregory the great, saint gregory i, st. gregory i - (Roman Catholic Church) an Italian pope distinguished for his spiritual and temporal leadership; a saint and Doctor of the Church (540?-604)
   • gregory, gregory nazianzen, gregory of nazianzen, st. gregory of nazianzen - (Roman Catholic Church) a church father known for his constant fight against perceived heresies; a saint and Doctor of the Church (329-391)
   • irenaeus, saint irenaeus, st. irenaeus - Greek theologian who was bishop of Lyons and an antiheretical writer; a saint and Doctor of the Church (circa 130-200)
   • eusebius hieronymus, eusebius sophronius hieronymus, hieronymus, jerome, saint jerome, st. jerome - (Roman Catholic Church) one of the great Fathers of the early Christian Church whose major work was his translation of the Scriptures from Hebrew and Greek into Latin (which became the Vulgate); a saint and Doctor of the Church (347-420)
   • john chrysostom, st. john chrysostom - (Roman Catholic Church) a Church Father who was a great preacher and bishop of Constantinople; a saint and Doctor of the Church (347-407)
   same as: doctor

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