Below is a chronological list of major Christian teachers (after the Book of Revelation) who explicitly taught, practiced, or theologically articulated “calling upon the name of the Lord” (vocative prayer, invocation of the Name, short prayer, Jesus Prayer, etc.).

I group them by historical periods, give representative quotations, and briefly note how each understood the practice.

This is not a devotional list, but a historical–theological lineage.

I. Apostolic Fathers & Early Church (2nd–3rd c.)

1. Ignatius of Antioch

(c. 35–110)

“Be deaf, therefore, when anyone speaks to you apart from Jesus Christ.”

(Letter to the Trallians)

Contribution

Christ’s name as the center of confession and prayer.
Early emphasis on verbal confession of Jesus as Lord.

2. The Didache Community

(late 1st–early 2nd c.)

“Let grace come, and let this world pass away.

Hosanna to the God of David.”

Contribution

Liturgical invocation of the Lord’s name.
Early evidence of short, repeated, communal calling.

3. Irenaeus of Lyons

(c. 130–202)

“Those who call upon the name of the Son of God receive life.”

Contribution

Soteriological understanding: calling = participation in life.
Strong continuity with Romans 10 theology.

II. Desert Fathers & Eastern Tradition (4th–7th c.)

4. Anthony the Great

(c. 251–356)

“Let the remembrance of Jesus be united to your breathing.”

Contribution

Proto–Jesus Prayer.
Calling becomes unceasing and embodied.

5. Evagrius Ponticus

(c. 345–399)

“Prayer is the putting aside of thoughts and the calling upon God.”

Contribution

Interiorization of invocation.
Name as means of guarding the mind (νοῦς).

6. John Cassian

(c. 360–435)

“Let this verse cling to your heart:

‘O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me.’”

Contribution

Western transmission of short, repeated invocation.
Bridge between East and West.

7. Pseudo-Macarius

(4th c.)

“The heart itself must cry out continually to the Lord.”

Contribution

Pneumatological focus.
Calling as heart-cry, not mere liturgy.

III. Byzantine & Hesychast Tradition (7th–14th c.)

8. John Climacus

(c. 579–649)

“Let the remembrance of Jesus be present with every breath.”

Contribution

Explicit theology of continuous invocation.
Name = spiritual weapon.

9. Gregory of Sinai

(c. 1260–1346)

“Invoke the name of Jesus more often than you breathe.”

Contribution

Fully developed Jesus Prayer theology.
Calling as participation in divine energies.

10. Gregory Palamas

(1296–1359)

“The grace of the Name brings the power of God into the heart.”

Contribution

Theological grounding (essence–energies distinction).
Invocation = real participation, not symbolism.

IV. Medieval Western Christianity (12th–15th c.)

11. Bernard of Clairvaux

(1090–1153)

“The name of Jesus is honey in the mouth, melody in the ear, joy in the heart.”

Contribution

Affective devotion to the Name.
Calling as love-driven invocation.

12. The Cloud of Unknowing

(anonymous, 14th c.)

“Let a naked intent unto God be your only prayer.”

Contribution

Reduction of prayer to single word / Name.
Apophatic yet vocative.

V. Reformation & Post-Reformation (16th–17th c.)

13. Martin Luther

(1483–1546)

“To call upon the name of the Lord is nothing else than to believe.”

Contribution

Calling interpreted as faith in action.
Retains Romans 10 emphasis.

14. John Calvin

(1509–1564)

“Prayer is the chief exercise of faith.”

Contribution

Invocation rooted in covenantal confidence.
Less mystical, more doctrinal.

15. The Puritans (e.g., John Bunyan)

(1628–1688)

“Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart.”

Contribution

Heart-focused calling.
Emphasis on sincerity over form.

VI. Pietism & Evangelical Awakening (18th–19th c.)

16. Count Zinzendorf

(1700–1760)

“Preach the Lamb and call upon His name.”

Contribution

Christocentric invocation.
Corporate and missionary application.

17. John Wesley

(1703–1791)

“The name of Jesus is the refuge of the soul.”

Contribution

Assurance tied to calling on the Lord.
Experiential salvation.

VII. Modern Era & Holiness / Charismatic Streams (19th–20th c.)

18. Andrew Murray

(1828–1917)

“The power of prayer rests in the name of Jesus.”

Contribution

Practical theology of invoking the Name.
Union-with-Christ emphasis.

19. Brother Lawrence

(1614–1691)

“I make it my business only to persevere in His holy presence.”

Contribution

Continuous inward calling.
Ordinary-life spirituality.

20. Watchman Nee (倪柝声)

(1903–1972)

“To call on the name of the Lord is to breathe spiritually.”

Contribution

Explicit recovery of Romans 10 practice.
Calling as:
- Regeneration
- Fellowship
- Spiritual breathing

21. Witness Lee (李常受)

(1905–1997)

“Calling on the name of the Lord is the simplest and deepest way to enjoy Christ.”

Contribution

Systematic integration:
- Spirit
- Name
- Word
Ecclesiological application (church life).

VIII. Theological Summary Table

Period	Emphasis
Early Church	Confession & salvation
Desert Fathers	Continuous invocation
Hesychasm	Participation in grace
Medieval West	Affective devotion
Reformation	Faith expressed vocally
Pietism	Experience & assurance
Modern	Spiritual breathing & enjoyment

IX. One-Sentence Historical Synthesis

Across two millennia, calling upon the name of the Lord moves from confession, to contemplation, to participation, and finally to a recovered practice of experiential enjoyment of Christ.

If you want, I can next:

Create a comparative East–West chart
Analyze Watchman Nee & Witness Lee in dialogue with the Jesus Prayer
Produce a journal-ready historical survey section
Trace objections and controversies surrounding the practice

Just tell me how scholarly or pastoral you want the next step.