Reading the Early Church Fathers : From the Didache to Nicaea

An overview of early Christian documents up through the fifth century. Introduction How to Read Early Christian Texts Chapter 1: THE CHURCH IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE What Do We Mean by Church? Relations with Judaism Relations with the Romans and the Beginning of Persecution The Martyr Documents Chapter 2: THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS The Didache Clement of Rome Second Clement Ignatius of Antioch Polycarp of Smyrna The Martyrdom of Polycarp Papias of Hierapolis The Epistle of Barnabas The Shepherd of Hermas Chapter 3: THE APOLOGISTS The Apology of Aristides The Epistle to Diognetus Justin Martyr The Martyrdom of Justin Tatian Melito of Sardis Athenagoras Theophilus of Antioch Clement of Alexandria Chapter 4: THE CHURCH IN THE SUBAPOSTOLIC AGE The Development of the Hierarchy Worship and the Sacraments Christology and Theology in the Subapostolic Age From Apology to Theology Chapter 5: THE THEOLOGIANS Irenaeus of Lyons Tertullian Hippolytus Origen Novatian Chapter 6: THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON Stages of Development of the New Testament Patristic Exegesis The History of Patristic Exegesis Chapter 7: THE CHURCH IN THE THIRD CENTURY Christology and Theology in the Third Century The Episcopacy and the Emerging Primacy of Rome Persecution in the Third Century The Controversy over Baptism and Rebaptism What, Then, Is the Church? Chapter 8: THE CHURCH AND THE EMPIRE The Great Persecution The First Christian Emperor The Arian Controversy Unity through Standardization Chapter 9: ONGOING THEMES Anthropology Ecclesiology Christology Soteriology Conclusions Charts and Tables Appendix: The Primary Sources Notes Subject Index