[fortheDeclaration]

"So the notion that the 'church fathers' were all against what is being argued for by the Baptists and Protestants is simply nonsense." Sorry. You quotes from +Theodore and Theodoret have little or nothing to do with "pow, you're saved". Like I said not one Father ever taught that.

And like I said, we have no Eastern church fathers before the 3rd century.

Moreover, justification by faith alone was not the key theological issues that was facing the early church, they were battling other heresies, like gnosticism, Arianism, Sabellianism etc.

By the way, Theodoret is, or at least can be, a very tricky, even dangerous fellow to quote, but of course he can be proof texted!

Well, that goes for most of the 'Fathers' who can be cited, that is why we make our final appeal to the scriptures.

[Kolokotronis]

" And like I said, we have no Eastern church fathers before the 3rd century"

You've lost me here. What about +Ignatius or +Polycarp just for starters?