The Doctors of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church gives the title “Doctor of the Church” to their very greatest teachers of theology or doctrine. Here are the current 37.
PATRISTIC ERA
33 to 590 AD
APOSTLES
33 to 100 AD
No Doctors of the Church
MARTYRS
100 to 311 AD
Irenaeus of Lyon (died 202 AD)
Title: Doctor of Unity
Lived 130 to 202 AD
EMPERORS
311 to 590 AD
Hilary of Poitiers (died 368)
Title: “Doctor of the Divinity of Christ”
Lived 300 to 367 AD
WROTE:
De Trinitate
Athanasius of Alexandria (died 373)
Title: “One of the four Great Greek Fathers”
Lived 298 to 373 AD
WROTE:
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers
On the Incarnation
Ephrem the Syrian (died 373)
Title: none
Lived 306 to 373 AD
Deacon
WROTE:
On the Diatessaron
Basil the Great (died 379)
Title: “One of the four Great Greek Fathers”
Lived 330 to 379 AD
Cappadocian theologian, Father of Monasticism in the East.
WROTE:
Contra Eunomium
On the Holy Spirit
Cyril of Jerusalem (died 386)
Title: none
Lived 315 to 386 AD
Bishop
WROTE:
Catechesis
Gregory Nazianzen (died 389)
Title: “One of the four Great Greek Fathers”
Lived 329 to 389 AD
Bishop of Constantinople
Ambrose of Milan (died 397)
Title: “One of the four Great Latin Fathers”
Lived circa 340 to 397 AD
Opposed Arianism
WROTE:
On Virginity
John Chrysostom (died 407)
Title: “One of the four Great Greek Fathers”
Lived 347 to 407 AD
Renown preacher, Bishop of Constantinople, greatest of the Greek Fathers
WROTE:
Bible Commentary (multi-volume series)
Jerome (died 420)
Title: “One of the four Great Latin Fathers”
Lived circa 347 to 420 AD
Father of Biblical Science, controversialist
Augustine of Hippo (died 430)
Title 1: “One of the four Great Latin Fathers”
Title 2: “Doctor gratiae (Doctor of Grace)”
Lived 354 to 430 AD
WROTE:
Confessions
City of God
Bible Commentary (multi-volume set)
Sermons (multi-volume set)
Cyril of Alexandria (died 444)
Title: “Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation)”
Lived 376 to 444 AD
Bishop
WROTE:
On the Gospel of John
Peter Chrysologus (died 450)
Title: none
Lived 406 to 450 AD
WROTE:
Sermons
Leo I the Great (died 461)
Title: “Doctor unitatis Ecclesiae (Doctor of the Church’s Unity)”
Lived 400 to 461 AD
Pope
WROTE:
The Tome of Leo
Letters
Sermons
MEDIEVAL ERA
590 to 1417 AD
MISSIONARIES
590 to 1049 AD
Gregory I the Great (died 604)
Title: “One of the four Great Latin Fathers”
Lived circa 540 to 604 AD
Pope
WROTE:
40 Gospel Homilies
The Book of Morals
Isidore of Seville (died 636)
Title: none
Lived 560 to 636 AD
WROTE:
Etymologiae
Bede the Venerable (died 735)
Title: “Anglorum doctor (Doctor of the English)”
Lived 672 to 735 AD
WROTE:
On the Song of Songs
Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Homilies on the Gospels
John of Damascus (died 749)
Title: none
Lived 676 to 749 AD
Also known as John Damascene
WROTE:
On Divine Images
Fountain of Wisdom
Gregory of Narek (died 1003)
Title: none
Lived 951 to 1003 AD
Armenian mystical and lyrical poet, monk, theologian
WROTE:
Book of Lamentations
Commentary on the Song of Songs
POPES AND SCHOLARS
1049 to 1294 AD
Peter Damian (died 1072)
Title: none
Lived 1007 to 1072 AD
WROTE:
The Letters of Peter Damian
Anselm of Canterbury (died 1109)
Title 1: “Doctor magnificus (Magnificent Doctor)”
Title 2: “Doctor Marianus (Marian Doctor)”
Lived 1033 or 1034 to 1109 AD
Father of Scholasticism
WROTE:
The Proslogion
The Procession of the Holy Spirit
Bernard of Clairvaux (died 1153)
Title: “Doctor mellifluus (Mellifluous Doctor)”
Lived 1090 to 1153 AD
WROTE:
Sermons
The Steps of Humility and Pride
On Loving God
Hildegard of Bingen (died 1179)
Title: none
Lived 1098 to 1179 AD
Also known as Saint Hildegard and Sibyl of the Rhine.
German Benedictine abbess, writer, composer, philosopher, Christian mystic, visionary, and polymath.
Anthony of Padua and Lisbon (died 1231)
Title: “Doctor evangelicus (Evangelical Doctor)”
Lived 1195 to 1231 AD
Thomas Aquinas (died 1274)
Title 1: “Doctor angelicus (Angelic Doctor)”
Title 2: “Doctor communis (Common Doctor)”
Lived 1225 to 1274 AD
WROTE:
Summa Theologiae
Summa Contra Gentiles
Bonaventure (died 1274)
Title: “Doctor seraphicus (Seraphic Doctor)”
Lived 1221 to 1274 AD
WROTE:
A Life of St. Francis
Albert the Great (died 1280)
Title: “Doctor universalis (Universal Doctor)”
Lived 1193 to 1280 AD
Also known as Albertus Magnus
PAPAL SCHISMS
1294 to 1417 AD
Catherine of Siena (died 1380)
Title: none
Lived 1347 to 1380 AD
WROTE:
Dialogue
REFORMATION ERA
1417 to 1648 AD
PRE-REFORMATION
1417-1517 AD
No Doctors of the Church
REFORMATION
1517-1648 AD
No Doctors of the Church
COUNTER-REFORMATION
1545 to 1648 AD
“The Empire Strikes Back”
John of Ávila (died 1569)
Title: none
Lived 1500 to 1569 AD
Spanish priest, preacher, scholastic author, religious mystic
Teresa of Jesus (died 1582)
Title: “Doctor orationis (Doctor of Prayer)”
Lived 1515 to 1582 AD
Also known as Teresa of Ávila
WROTE:
Way of Perfection
Meditations on the Canticle
The Foundations
Visitation of the Discalced Nuns
John of the Cross (died 1591)
Title: “Doctor mysticus (Mystical Doctor)”
Lived 1542 to 1591 AD
WROTE:
The Ascent of Mt. Carmel
The Spiritual Canticle
Peter Canisius (died 1597)
Title: none
Lived 1521 to 1597 AD
Lawrence of Brindisi (died 1619)
Title: “Doctor apostolicus (Apostolic Doctor)”
Lived 1559 to 1619 AD
Robert Bellarmine (died 1621)
Title: none
Lived 1542 to 1621 AD
WROTE:
Controversies
The Art of Dying Well
Francis de Sales (died 1622)
Title: “Doctor caritatis (Doctor of Charity)”
Lived 1567 to 1622 AD
WROTE:
Introduction to the Devout Life
The Love of God
MODERN ERA
1648 to 1962 AD
ENLIGHTENMENT
1648 to 1789 AD
Alphonsus Liguori (died 1787)
Title: “Doctor zelantissimus (Most Zealous Doctor)”
Lived 1696 to 1787 AD
WROTE:
Theologiae Moralis
REVOLUTION
1789 to 1870 AD
No Doctors of the Church
INTRANSIGENCE
1870 to 1962
Thérèse of Lisieux (died 1897)
Title: none
Lived 1873 to 1897 AD
Also known as the Little Flower of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.
Mystic
WROTE:
POSTMODERN ERA
1962 AD to present
No Doctors of the Church
CHURCH HISTORY
The Patristic Era (33 to 590 AD)
The Medieval Era (590 to 1417 AD)
The Reformation Era (1417 to 1648 AD)
The Modern Era (1648 to 1962 AD)
The Postmodern Era (1962 AD to present)
The Doctors of the Catholic Church
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