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22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A contemporary rendition of a set of Christian classics, August 12, 2006
This review is from: The Apostolic Fathers, Volume I: I Clement. II Clement. Ignatius. Polycarp. Didache (Loeb Classical Library) (Hardcover)
How did the New Testament come to be formed? What books were left out? What did some of those books say? These are some of the questions on the minds of many curious people today. Too often, local congregations ignore these questions, to the detriment of the church. But these questions about Christian origins are very, very real in the hearts and minds of many people today.
Now, from one of the most significant writers about Christian origins today comes a completely new edition of the Apostolic Fathers -- the letters of Clement, the letters of Ignatius, the letter of Polycarp, the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the Didache, the Epistle of Barnabas, the fragments of Papias and Quadratus, the Epistle to Diognetus, and the Shepherd of Hermas. These were early Christian writings that are generally attributed to church leaders of the late first and early second centuries CE (and, in most cases, are probably authentic). Clement, for example, was an early leader in Rome (circa 96 CE); Ignatius wrote a number of letters to churches in various cities (circa 110 CE), sort of following in the footsteps of Paul.
This two-volume set replaces the classic edition of the Apostolic Fathers in the Loeb Classical Library edited by Kirsopp Lake nearly a century ago. As with all books in the Loeb Classical Library, the original (in this case, Greek) text is presented on the left-hand pages, and an English translation is presented on the right. The text is extremely readable, and the introductions to each of the books are clear, succinct, and to the point.
Some of these books almost made it into the New Testament! The epistles of Clement are found in some early New Testament manuscripts and were widely read in the early churches. The Shepherd of Hermas may have been the most widely read book by early Christians. Several of these books were probably written before some of books in the New Testament. In an age in which people are asking questions about the origins of Christianity and the authority of the scriptures, it is crucial that we have at least a basic understanding of our early history. In my mind, a decent familiarity with the Apostolic Fathers -- as well as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi library -- is essential.
This two-volume set is extremely valuable. Ehrman's critical textual work, his contemporary translations, and his up-to-date introductions are a welcome addition to current literature. The trained scholar will delight in having a new critical edition of the Greek text . . . but an ordinary lay reader could also profit tremendously from reading some of these early Christian writings that were not deemed to be sufficiently close to the first generation of apostles to make the cut into the New Testament.
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57 of 84 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Greek text is unobjectionable, but the commentary is no longer based on Christian faith, July 22, 2006
This review is from: The Apostolic Fathers, Volume I: I Clement. II Clement. Ignatius. Polycarp. Didache (Loeb Classical Library) (Hardcover)
The Apostolic Fathers, the collection of writings historically ascribed to the generation immediately after the apostles and the writing of the New Testament, have long been available in the Loeb Classical Library in an edition by Kirsopp Lake. A new 2003 edition by Bart Ehrman gives a contemporary translation and strikingly different commentary. This first volume contains the general introduction, the first and second writings of Clement, the letters of Ignatius, the epistle to the Philippians and the martyrdom of Polycarp, and the Didache.
The typesetting is quite different from the Lake edition. The Greek text is now set in ZephGreek, a typeface similar to, though not identical with, that of UBS's Greek New Testament. Those who thought the Greek text of the Lake edition too dark may find this easier on the eyes. However, I was rather unhappy to see that footnotes are now used in lieu of margin notes, which I feel interferes with the smooth flow of text.
Unfortunately, Bart Ehrman's commentary on these writings is very disappointing. Ehrman is one of those contemporary scholars who believes that Christianity was originally a diverse scene of competing and equally valid philosophies, until an orthodox form won out. He suggests that Marcion and other notorious heretics were unfairly condemned, and doesn't view the history of the Church as the maintenance and defence of a tradition handed down by Christ himself but rather mere accident. People who know Ehrman's notorious earlier work such as THE ORTHODOX CORRUPTION OF SCRIPTURE know exactly what to expect in his remarks on the provenance and context of these writings. Here's what he says about the collection: "These are 'Apostolic Fathers' bcause they were written and read by Christians who advocated views roughtly similar to those embraced by the Christians of later times who collected the twenty-seven books of the New Testament into a canon and developed the creedal statements that eventually came to be construed as orthodoxy"
If all you need is the English text, as an Orthodox Christian, I'd recommend the editions of these writings published by church presses. If you want the Greek, find a copy of the earlier Loeb version by Kirsopp Lake, which has a dependable commentary. Still, if all you can get is this, the Greek text is still better than nothing.
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2.0 out of 5 stars
I would seek elswhere, October 22, 2011
This review is from: The Apostolic Fathers, Volume I: I Clement. II Clement. Ignatius. Polycarp. Didache (Loeb Classical Library) (Hardcover)
First off I wold like to say that I have no opinion on the translation or Ehrman's Greek text which I have not checked over and probably never will. The only actual strength (perhaps I would also endorse the readable translation, but would not dare to unless I critically checked it against the Greek) I see to these two volumes (the two Apostolic Fathers books by Ehrman) of the Loeb collection is that it has the Greek running on the opposite page. But how many will even use or be able to use this? My main problems with the work are the scarce introductory material and almost complete lack of commentary on the text. Another reviewer here expresses his disappointment with the commentary. I would ask, "What commentary?" Besides the introductions, I see only a few lines and a couple of paragraphs for the entire book of I Clement! I think expert commentary on the Apostolic Fathers is not only helpful but entirely necessary. Otherwise, the reader is left to figure out the works by himself/herself. There is a ton of information necessary for understanding or even making an attempt at this so that without this the student will be left with a gaping hole from the lack of useful and necessary information. Probably out of print but still somewhat available (at least some of the volumes) is the series called "The Apostolic Fathers: A Translation and Commentary." This is a six part series. Below is the link to the second volume that covers 1 and 2 Clement so you have an idea. The first volume to my recommended series is an introduction to the works. The introduction by Ehrman here is "adequate." The bibliographies are pretty good, but reference certain German works and some in English that would be hard to find or unavailable. So my conclusion is that unless you simply must have a critical edition of the Greek text, or this is merely an addition to a strong library on the Apostolic Fathers you should pass. Even so, although Ehrman is an expert in textual criticism, I would want another critical text for comparison. First and Second Clement: Volume 2 [The Apostolic Fathers: A New Translation and Commentary]
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