Product Description

The writings in this volume cast a glimmer of light upon the emerging traditions and organization of the infant church, during an otherwise little-known period of its development. A selection of letters and small-scale theological treatises from a group known as the Apostolic Fathers, several of whom were probably disciples of the Apostles, they provide a first-hand account of the early Church and outline a form of early Christianity still drawing on the theology and traditions of its parent religion, Judaism. Included here are the first Epistle of Bishop Clement of Rome, an impassioned plea for harmony; The Epistle of Polycarp; The Epistle of Barnabas; The Didache; and the Seven Epistles written by Ignatius of Antioch – among them his moving appeal to the Romans that they grant him a martyr’s death.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #97963 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

About the Author
Maxwell Staniforth also edited Marcus Aurelius' Meditations for the Penguin Classics. Andrew Louth is Professor of Byzantine studies in the Department of Theology at the University of Durham. Maxwell Staniforth also edited Marcus Aurelius' Meditations for the Penguin Classics. Andrew Louth is Professor of Byzantine studies in the Department of Theology at the University of Durham.

Customer Reviews

Who?
Most of us don't know anything about the early Church except that St Paul was around at some point. But we should do.

Those well grounded in the faith, and prone to reading the scriptures, could perhaps complement their spirituality with this work, which contains writings from Ss Clement, Polycarp, Barnabas and Ignatius. We often don't hear of these people, who were as important in keeping the Church alive in this bloodstained years as were their forefathers.

It also contains the Didache in the back, which is quite useful in placing early Christianity in the context of the contemporary Jewish religion and practice.