On the latest episode of Deep in History, Marcus Grodi and Msgr. Jeffrey Steenson dig into Book 1 of Against Heresies by St. Irenaeus of Lyons.

One of the reasons some people find the writings of St. Irenaeus so difficult is because he spends a lot of time explaining the particular type of Gnosticism he’s trying to refute. Part of the draw of that kind of Gnosticism was that it appealed to a “secret” knowledge, that only an elite class of believers could ascend to.

Ultimately, St. Irenaeus reminds us that the Gospel is not some mysterious secret only available to a few enlightened people, but a means of salvation for all who would believe. Marcus and Msgr. Steenson look at why Gnosticism was so appealing in the time of St. Irenaeus, why it’s still appealing to some Bible scholars today, and why it has been repeatedly refuted by St. Irenaeus and other great minds in the history of the Church.

Read Against Heresies by St. Irenaeus of Lyons here.