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

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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.

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.

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!

This book has very good introductions before each selection of a Church Father. For those not knowing much about the author or his writings these intros were informative and aided in understanding the text. There is also some commentary about the text which again is very helpful. This book attempts to capture a representative sampling of the Early Christian literature and it does so well. A must read for any student of Early Christian history.

This book is an excellent text for those who are solely interested in the topic for pure curiosity and for those who are interested in doing a little research. The author, Richardson, has put together an excellent compilation of letters, and journal entires of various prominent early Christians. There are letters from the famous St. Polycarp, to the early Bishop St. Ignatius (not the Jesuit Ignatius) depicting the events and thoughts leading up to their martyrdoms. There are also letters from the early Popes illustrating the various problems the early church faced. All in all an excellent read for the beginner and for the far advanced. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in biographical information pertaining to the Early Chirstian Fathers.

This collection from the early fathers is outstanding. I don't know how to describe it except to say that the translator shows himself to be a master of the languages: sheer genius. When going back to these seminal masterpieces of the early Church, this edition is my preferred choice. Thank God it's back in print! While most of the texts are complete, the choice of selections from longer works (i.e., Irenaeus and Justin) are generous and judicious. It includes the critical texts of Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Justin the Martyr, Athenagoras, as well as the Didache and a few other things. Paragraph numbering is useful to the academic reader. Each text is supplied with a critical introduction and valuable textual notes. These intro's are also, for the most part, real gems. Probably the only disappointment is the lack of Shepherd of Hermas. My advice: get this masterpiece on your bookshelf.

"Of special interest to the scholar is the extensive book list included in the volume." Concordia theological



Fathers of the Church:
Who could rightly be called an 'Early Church Father'? Keep in mind that a 'Father of the Church' is not an ecclesiastically conferred distinction for which the Eastern Orthodox or the Roman Catholics have an undisputed list, as is the case of its teachers 'Doctor of the Church.' Early Church Fathers is a title that came to be applied to few early Christian role models who led by their truthful faith, holy living, and orthodox teaching, that the ancient churches of Alexandria, Antioch and Rome gradually accepted them as practical interpreters of Christianity. Their qualification would seem to fit the apostles, along with early Christians of the New Testament like Timothy, who is never referred to as Early Church Father. On the other hand, there are some of those regarded as "Fathers of the Church," whose generally orthodox teaching was marred by some doctrinal controversy (e.g. Origen), or whose lives were far from being exemplary (e.g. Hippolytus).

Early Fathers Writings:
The Writings of those early Christian writers produced in the first and second centuries, were referred to as the Apostolic Fathers. Ante Nicene writings of the Fathers from Clement of Rome to Athanasius cover the period from the close of the New Testament writings down to the Council of Nicea (AD 325). The authors of these writings were considered to be the next generation of Apostles and as a result were named The Apostolic Fathers. Perceived by many scholars to be the most important collection of post-New Testament writings, a number of these texts were in fact considered for the Canon of the New Testament but dropped later. A good example was Dydimus the blind, eminent dean of Alexandrine Didascalia, reverence for 'The Shepherd of Hermas' considering as one of the most inspired of all writings, and it is included in the Sinaiticus Codex.

Cyril Richardson work:
This is one of the best books on the "Early Church Fathers" of the second century, essential for understanding the thought and exegetical writings of the Church Fathers, who lived and wrote during the founding time of the early church. This first volume of The Library of Christian Classics, long acclaimed for its quality translations, contains most of the basic Christian writings of the first two centuries of the Christian Church, with the exception of the Epistle of Barnabas, and the Shepherd of Hermas. These patristic guides are very helpful, providing introductions, explanatory notes, and indices. The series ensures that modern English translations of some of the most significant Christian works are available for scholars and students, allowing searching readers to better understand the early Christian church. Describing this representative work as introductory overlooks the fact that, for the reader to appreciate the writings, he should have a knowledge of Early Church History, as narrated by H. Chadwick, or even some exposure to the Fathers thought in Historical Theology, as exposed by J. Danielou, translated into English by eminent Patristic RPC Hanson.
Cyril Richardson work is partly complemented with Lightfoot's classic 'The Apostolic Fathers', recently revised by M. Holmes.
Those novice readers who want to read selections from the fathers writings, in order to determine the turning points in Church doctrine are thus advised to explore H. Bettenson's The early Christian fathers (Clement of Rome to Athanasius) since the latter was the first of the fathers who dramatically influenced Christian thought beyond Nicea.

This book gives very readable translations of most of the 2nd-century's most important Christian documents (the earliest writings of the outside of the New Testament). In fact, a couple of the documents may even slip into the late 1st century. It's a fascinating look at theology, church politics, and the current events that were being dealt with by the early church. The introductions to the pieces are excellent, giving clear commentary on the historical background of each piece of literature without trying to push a single interpretation of dating or authorship.

My only disappointment was the lack of inclusion of Shepherd of Hermas. As early, unique, and influential as that writing was, it really deserved a place here. Otherwise the selected material wonderfully covers the spectrum of Christian writing that we know of from that era.

Catholics and Protestants both tend to see their distinctive doctrines reflected not only in Scripture, but also in the early Church fathers. Richardson tends to steer in the middle: He presents various doctrines as being in germ-form, or developmental in nature.

Consider, for example, the papacy. Richardson avoids the extremes of seeing the papacy directly traceable to Christ and the papacy as a centuries-later invention. With reference to Clement, he comments: "This implies more than a casual relation with other churches; and while this should not be pressed to vindicate much later papal claims, it does indicate that the Roman community took most seriously its responsibility as a sister church for the welfare of other congregations. Here, in germ, is that exercise of authority which was to become the papal primacy." (p. 36).

In like manner, Richardson takes a middle view of the validity of apostolic succession. He believes that the Greek of Clement's first letter is compatible with either an "episcopal" or a "presbyterian" interpretation of early church government (pp. 63-64).

Richardson treats other doctrines in much the same manner. All in all, the reader can appreciate Richardson's fairness and objectivity.

I have had this book in my library for many years and wanted it in the Kindle format. I bought it and was less than satisfied when I found it has no linked table of contents. The hardback that I have is over 400 pages and the only way to get to any page is by turning them one at a time.

Do not waste your money on this one, get a better one.

Frank