Patrology: 4 Vol. Set. (Paperback)

by Johannes Quasten (Author) "In the preceding volume attention has been drawn to the important position which Alexandria in Egypt occupies in the history of Christian thought..." (more)
Key Phrases: catenae fragments, sermo maior, new crit, Holy Spirit, Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
For the student of early Church History as well as of the development of Christian doctrine, Quasten's work is an outstanding contribution. Indeed one may confidently predict that it will be the standard work in the field for many years to come.

Product Description
The monumental classic collection that studies the ancient Christian writers and their teachings about the early church.

Product Details

• Paperback: 2210 pages
• Publisher: Christian Classics (September 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870611410
• ISBN-13: 978-0870611414
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #472,009 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The definitive introduction to Patrology, January 26, 2000

By	W.R.Pearse (the United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Quasten reviews the life and works of every Christian writer from the apostolic fathers to the end of the Patristic period. An extensive bibliography is given, containing editions of the work, translations and studies. Attention is also paid to manuscript traditions for the works. The detail is fullest for the earlier writers - later ones are still treated in a lot of detail, but volume constrains the data somewhat.

Vol I - From the Apostolic Creed to Irenaeus.

Vol II - The Ante-Nicene Literature after Irenaeus.

Vol III - The Golden age of Greek Patristic Literature.

Vol IV - The Golden Age of Latin Patristic Literature.

The first three volumes date to the mid-1950's - the last to 1986. Consequently the bibliography for the earlier volumes needs to be updated by reference to a comprehensive bibliography such as L'Annee Philologique for each author and work.

The work is a triumph of detail and essential as a starting point and reference for anyone interested in the Fathers. It is easily the quickest way to discover what works were written by which father, and where to get an edition/translation of it. Even for specialists, it will be useful as a first point of investigation. A book to return to again and again. Recommended, with the only qualification being the age of the first 3 volumes.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authoritative for Patristics, June 28, 2004

By	Patrick More "Patrick Moore" (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Patrology, Vol. 2: The Ante-Nicene Literature After Irenaeus (Paperback)

This Amazon page is about Volume 2 of Quasten's Patrology, a four-volume scholarly survey of writings by the church fathers in the first several centuries of the Christian era. Some reviews give the impression that the Patrology is an anthology of those writings. In fact, it is a survey that includes many excerpts (in English), often a page in length, to give a fair idea of what the author under discussion is like. The bibliographies are also extensive. Like the Literary History of England, it's more of a reference book than something you would sit and read straight through.

On the plus side, the Patrology is thorough and well written and has an excellent reputation. On the minus side, it is expensive (for a softcover) and needs to be supplemented for the study of heresies that have come to light since 1970. The texts discovered at Nag Hammadi, for example, are very important for the study of Irenaeus.

Something of such enduring value as Quasten's Patrology deserves to be published in hardcover. It should be on the short list of must-haves for the library of any seminary or university that teaches church history, patristics, theology, or philosophy.

Quasten's Patrology is a four-volume set. If you are considering buying any of them, you may find the following ISBN numbers handy: 0870610848, Patrology v1, Beginnings from Apostles' Creed; 0870610856, Patrology v2, Ante-Nicene after Irenaeus; 0870610864, Patrology v3, Golden Age Greek; 0870611275, Patrology v4, Golden Age Latin (from Nicea to Calcedon); 0870611410, set of four volumes. When ordering online, confirm the volume by ISBN number. Online vendors get the volumes confused with each other. Some are identified by the series title alone; others by the volume title; the cover art displayed may be for the wrong volume; and so on.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fifth volume is also now available, February 29, 2008

By	W.R.Pearse (Ipswich, Suffolk United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I reviewed this originally in 2000, and the work has been a constant help to me ever since. However readers may wish to know that further volumes now exist in Italian, edited by Angelo di Berardino (who did vol. 4).

Most excitingly the first of these is now available in English: Patrology: The Eastern Fathers from the Council of Chalcedon (451) to John of Damascus (750). This is 'volume 5' of Quasten.

A further volume exists only in Italian, covering further Latin fathers.

Neither of the additional volumes are of the same quality as vol. 4, but anyone who wants all 4 volumes of Quasten probably wants vol. 5 also. That takes the story of the Eastern fathers up to John Damascene (ca. 750 AD).