Reading early church fathers

[NewCreation435]

I am just now deciding to weigh in on this topic as i don't have a lot of experience or knowledge with early christian writers outside of the Bible. I have read some of Augustine but honestly found it hard going to read and didn't understand a lot of it. If you were just starting out in reading or looking at early church history writings where would you start? I don't want to buy a lot of books that are just going to get dusty and not be read at all. Nor do I want to muddle through something that is archaic and hard to read. For those who read a lot of the early church fathers what would you recommend.

 

[JRT]

I am just now deciding to weigh in on this topic as i don't have a lot of experience or knowledge with early christian writers outside of the Bible. I have read some of Augustine but honestly found it hard going to read and didn't understand a lot of it. If you were just starting out in reading or looking at early church history writings where would you start? I don't want to buy a lot of books that are just going to get dusty and not be read at all. Nor do I want to muddle through something that is archaic and hard to read. For those who read a lot of the early church fathers what would you recommend.

The Church Fathers are difficult for the modern Christian too understand because they are gentiles who have largely rejected the Jewish roots of Christianity and whose thought processes are rooted in Greek philosophy. It doesn't mean that they are so much as that they are irrelevant today.

 

[JRT]

The Church Fathers are difficult for modern Christian to understand because they are gentiles who have largely rejected the Jewish roots of Christianity and whose thought processes are rooted in Greek philosophy. It doesn't mean that they are right or wrong so much as that they are irrelevant today.

 

[Andrew]

I am just now deciding to weigh in on this topic as i don't have a lot of experience or knowledge with early christian writers outside of the Bible. I have read some of Augustine but honestly found it hard going to read and didn't understand a lot of it. If you were just starting out in reading or looking at early church history writings where would you start? I don't want to buy a lot of books that are just going to get dusty and not be read at all. Nor do I want to muddle through something that is archaic and hard to read. For those who read a lot of the early church fathers what would you recommend.

This is a must have, easy to navigate and understand


A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs: A Reference Guide to More Than 700 Topics Discussed by the Early Church Fathers
By David Bercot


"Interest in the ways of the early church has never been more intense. What did early Christians believe about the divinity of Christ? What did they think about resurrection? How did they regard John the Baptist? What were the beliefs of those who sat at the feet of Jesus' disciples? Now, for the first time, a unique dictionary has been developed to furnish ready answers to these questions and others like them. David W. Bercot has painstakingly combed the writings of these early Christian leaders and categorized the heart of their thinking into more than 700 theological, moral, and historical topics to create this book.


Wonderfully suited for devotional or thematic study as well as sermon illustration, this resource offers a window into the world of the early church and affords a special opportunity to examine topically the thoughts of men like Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Polycarp, who were students of the original apostles, as well as the thoughts of other great lights in the life of the early church such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian. For anyone interested in historic Christianity, this book cannot be overlooked. This book features:


Relevant comments on key Christian concepts from prominent figures such as Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Clement of Rome, and Hippolytus



Key biblical verses associated with each topic





Brief definitions of unfamiliar terms or concepts





A "Who's Who" of Ante-Nicene Christianity to put in context the ancient Christian writers





Discussion of more than 700 key theological, moral, and historical topics





Strategic cross-references to related topics





A topical index to the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers"

A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs

Interest in the ways of the early church has never been more intense. What did early Christians believe about the divinity of Christ? What did they think about resurrection? How did they regard John the Baptist? What were the beliefs of those who sat at the feet of Jesus' disciples? Now, for the...

www.christianbook.com

 

[Andrew]

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[NewCreation435]

This is a must have, easy to navigate and understand


A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs: A Reference Guide to More Than 700 Topics Discussed by the Early Church Fathers
By David Bercot


"Interest in the ways of the early church has never been more intense. What did early Christians believe about the divinity of Christ? What did they think about resurrection? How did they regard John the Baptist? What were the beliefs of those who sat at the feet of Jesus' disciples? Now, for the first time, a unique dictionary has been developed to furnish ready answers to these questions and others like them. David W. Bercot has painstakingly combed the writings of these early Christian leaders and categorized the heart of their thinking into more than 700 theological, moral, and historical topics to create this book.


Wonderfully suited for devotional or thematic study as well as sermon illustration, this resource offers a window into the world of the early church and affords a special opportunity to examine topically the thoughts of men like Clement of Rome, Ignatius, and Polycarp, who were students of the original apostles, as well as the thoughts of other great lights in the life of the early church such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian. For anyone interested in historic Christianity, this book cannot be overlooked. This book features:


Relevant comments on key Christian concepts from prominent figures such as Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Clement of Rome, and Hippolytus



Key biblical verses associated with each topic





Brief definitions of unfamiliar terms or concepts





A "Who's Who" of Ante-Nicene Christianity to put in context the ancient Christian writers





Discussion of more than 700 key theological, moral, and historical topics





Strategic cross-references to related topics





A topical index to the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers"

A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs

Interest in the ways of the early church has never been more intense. What did early Christians believe about the divinity of Christ? What did they think about resurrection? How did they regard John the Baptist? What were the beliefs of those who sat at the feet of Jesus' disciples? Now, for the...

www.christianbook.com

that looks like a good reference book, but I was thinking more of actual writings

 

[Andrew]

that looks like a good reference book, but I was thinking more of actual writings

Its the entire library but categorized, you can find the entire library online, I will have to find it again but I will share it here when I find it

 

[Josiah]

I am just now deciding to weigh in on this topic as i don't have a lot of experience or knowledge with early christian writers outside of the Bible. I have read some of Augustine but honestly found it hard going to read and didn't understand a lot of it. If you were just starting out in reading or looking at early church history writings where would you start? I don't want to buy a lot of books that are just going to get dusty and not be read at all. Nor do I want to muddle through something that is archaic and hard to read. For those who read a lot of the early church fathers what would you recommend.

It's not as simple as one would hope.... For example, there is no definitive list of who IS and is NOT a "Church Father".... that's nothing more than someone who is quoted a lot. And there are EASTERN Fathers and WESTERN Fathers. And none of them are accepted as wise ALWAYS; indeed some are regarded as both wise and downright heretical.... depends on the subject and when they wrote.


Here's how I look at it..... there have ALWAYS been disagreements (more so in those early centuries!), some very important (some not so much)... some threatening to divide Christianity (some DID). BUT there arose men who proved to be very helpful.... very wise.... and provided a view that (eventually) gained a broad consensus (or even an official declaration). Certain writings of certain men that provided great help in getting through the debate. These were most important in the first 300 years BEFORE there were Church Councils (which to a great degree replaced the importance of Church Fathers - although they continue to this day).


I have a couple of books with snippets of important quotes..... quotes often noted and that proved very helpful. And that's how I study the Fathers.



God's richest blessings to you and yours in this Christmas season...



Josiah




.

 

[NewCreation435]

It's not as simple as one would hope.... For example, there is no definitive list of who IS and is NOT a "Church Father".... that's nothing more than someone who is quoted a lot. And there are EASTERN Fathers and WESTERN Fathers. And none of them are accepted as wise ALWAYS; indeed some are regarded as both wise and downright heretical.... depends on the subject and when they wrote.


Here's how I look at it..... there have ALWAYS been disagreements (more so in those early centuries!), some very important (some not so much)... some threatening to divide Christianity (some DID). BUT there arose men who proved to be very helpful.... very wise.... and provided a view that (eventually) gained a broad consensus (or even an official declaration). Certain writings of certain men that provided great help in getting through the debate. These were most important in the first 300 years BEFORE there were Church Councils (which to a great degree replaced the importance of Church Fathers - although they continue to this day).


I have a couple of books with snippets of important quotes..... quotes often noted and that proved very helpful. And that's how I study the Fathers.



God's richest blessings to you and yours in this Christmas season...



Josiah




.

So maybe I should start by just generally studying church history so I can figure out who I want to read more of? I did read a lot of church history books back in 2005, but that seems like a very long time ago and I don't remember a lot of it

 

[Andrew]

The book I mentioned is composed entirely of writings from the ante nicene church fathers

 

[atpollard]

Most of it is available inline.
Here is a list of ECFs with links to multiple translations for you to browse.

Church Fathers