Early Christian Writings : The Apostolic Fathers

by Various (Author); Staniforth, Maxwell (Translator); Louth, Andrew (Revised by)

• ISBN13: 9780140444759
• ISBN10: 0140444750
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1987-07-01
• Publisher: Penguin Classics

Summary

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.

Table of Contents

General Introduction	9	(4)
General Bibliography	13	(2)
Note on the Text	15	(2)
The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians	17	(36)
The Epistles of Ignatius:	53	(60)
To the Ephesians	59	(10)
To the Magnesians	69	(8)
To the Trallians	77	(6)
To the Romans	83	(8)
To the Philadelphians	91	(8)
To the Smyrnaeans	99	(8)
To Polycarp	107	(6)
The Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians and The Martyrdom of Polycarp	113	(24)
The Epistle to Diognetus	137	(16)
The Epistle of Barnabas	153	(32)
The Didache	185
Map of Ignatius's route	54