OK, this I didn't know (although I found quite a few websites that called Origen a Father). In any event, as I indicated to Diva, I was specifically thinking of Origen, and to some extent Augustine. New Advent appears to back you up:
Great bishops and saints like Dionysius of Alexandria, Gregory Thaumaturgus of Pontus, Firmilian of Cappadocia, and Alexander of Jerusalem were proud to be disciples of the priest Origen. The bishop Cyprian called daily for the works of the priest Tertullian with the words "Give me the master". The Patriarch Athanasius refers for the ancient use of the word homoousios, not merely to the two Dionysii, but to the priest Theognostus. Yet these priest-teachers are not yet called Fathers, and the greatest among them, Tertullian, Clement, Origen, Hippolytus, Novatian, Lucian, happen to be tinged with heresy; two became antipopes; one is the father of Arianism; another was condemned by a general council. In each case we might apply the words used by St. Hilary of Tertullian: "Sequenti errore detraxit scriptis probabilibus auctoritatem" (Comm. in Matt., v, 1, cited by Vincent of Lérins, 2.4). (emphasis added)
While this seems to say that they were not technically Fathers, I still find it interesting how much influence they DID have over actual Fathers, even though they were "tinged with heresy". :)
Catholic or Orthodox sites? If so, they are sadly mistaken.
While this seems to say that they were not technically Fathers, I still find it interesting how much influence they DID have over actual Fathers, even though they were "tinged with heresy"
Not so, FK. Orgien was orthodox for about half of his life as a priest. The same with Tertullian and Montanus, and others. Many of their early works were every which way orthodox. It is only when they slipped into heresy (for instance Origne taught Gnostic pre-existence of the souls as he slipped ever deeper into Gnostic error). Whole churches slipped into such errors (the Copts for instance) because of these men. How can they be orthodox Fathers of the (Holy catholic and apostolic Church?)
Most of the Fathers of the Church I am aware of are the ones quoted in Catholic Prayer books or books on theology. I always assumed the Fathers of the Church would also have to be declared Saints. Guess I'm wrong. Is there a criteria for determining who is and isn't? I would think they all had to be from the 6th century or earlier and of course writers, teachers, theologians and probably priests, bishops or monks.