Early Christian Fathers (Library of Christian Classics (Paperback Westminster)) [Paperback]

Cyril Richardson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Library of Christian Classics (Paperback Westminster) | Publication Date: December 1, 1995

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cyril C. Richardson was for many years Washburn Professor of Church History at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 415 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (December 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684829517
• ISBN-13: 978-0684829517
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #47,348 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Orthodoxy
  • #82 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > History

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to 2nd century Christian writings and idea, July 30, 2001

By 

Brian Gamel - See all my reviews

This review is from: Early Christian Fathers (Library of Christian Classics (Paperback Westminster)) (Paperback)

An attempt to present the early church fathers in a more user-friendly book, Early Christian Fathers is readable and useful as both a tool and a reference. This book covers the writings of Clement of Rome, Igantius, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Athenagoras, Diognetius, Ireneaus and the Didache in a author-by-author context introducing the background, authorship, and texts of each writing. The book is introduced with a good but brief overview of 2nd century Christianity and the development of its thought up until that point.

The translations are very readable and the footnotes, while sometimes distracting, help to keep the context in mind. For me, however, the introductions to each writing is almost worth as much as the actual translated letters as it provides the whole theme of the letter in concise and simple treatment. So whether it is the background or the actual letters you desire to read this book has it.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Introductory Text for Early Patristic Writers, November 8, 2005

By 

Mark Lee (Woodruff, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Early Christian Fathers (Library of Christian Classics (Paperback Westminster)) (Paperback)

This is the best single-volume introduction to the "Early Church Fathers" (early Patristic Writers) of the 1st and 2nd centuries. I have a library of the Ancient Christian Writers series of many more Patristic authors, and have studied unabridged versions of their works, but I found myself looking for something accessible for a friend recently. After researching the matter, I bought two copies of this work - one for my friend and one for me.

Richardson and company take the earliest and best non-canonical Christian literature and present it, edited, in a handy volume that contains not only preforatory material for each letter, but also helpful footnotes and study aids.

Many people don't know that before the close of the age of the Apostles that Clement of Rome was penning a letter to the Corinthians (AD 95 or so), the same group that had given Paul so many headaches 40 years earlier. This letter starts of this work. Next, we move on to the kind, gentle Bishop Ignatius of Antioch. About AD 110, as he was being transported to Rome for his execution as a Christian, he wrote letters to Churches along the way exhorting them to continue in faithfulness. About the middle of the second century, Bishop Polycarp of Smyrna - a disciple of John the Apostle - wrote a letter to the Phillipians. That letter is in here. Next, his martyrdom is recounted in another early Christian document.

And on it goes. The Didache (or The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) probably contains material from both the first and second centuries AD. It's a sort of manual on what Christian worship, procedure and organization should be. The so-called Second Letter of Clement follows that in which second century Christian living is described.

The second century Apologists are represented in the letter of "Mathetes" to Diognetus. This horatory letter is a Christian justification of the faith to a friendly pagan. Next, Justin (surnamed "Martyr" for his later martyrdom) explains Christianity in Greek terms, as does Athenagoras who follows him in this book.

Finally, there's a segment of Irenaeus's "Against Heresies" in which the Bishop of Lyons articulately defends "traditional" Christianity and scripture from abuses of those who possessed, in his words, "knowledge, falsely so-called." In short, Irenaeus combats the Gnostic heresies of his day.

The greatest value of this book is in showing the vitality of early Christianity as it - although persecuted - handled the business of not just surviving, but appealing to the hearts and minds of the citizens of the Roman Empire and Greek culture of its time.

For additional, scholarly works, see Quasten's Patrology or the Ancient Christian Writers series from Newman Press.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Selected Writings From Early Christians, January 2, 2003

By 

K.H. - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Early Christian Fathers (Library of Christian Classics (Paperback Westminster)) (Paperback)

Cyril C. Richardson has edited a beautiful book with writings of the "early christian fathers." Unlike many Introductions in other books, Cyril's is to the point and informative. It is a must read to get a better understyanding on the letters from these early Christians.

He has laid out the book in a nice, easy format that consists of each chapter with an:

Introduction that gives the historical and theological backdrop of the letter.

A list of books used as resources.

The letter by the early author.

The different chapters cover such items as the "Letters in Crises", "The Way of Martyrdom", "In Defense of the Faith" and so on. Letters are written by some of Christians greatests men such as Ignatius, Polycarp, and Clement.

This is a great book for all Christians - a must read!