Early Christians had a complete Bible by the 4th century. But that’s not the only thing they were reading to deepen their faith.
In the early Church, there were a lot of great books being passed around🧵
In the early Church, there were a lot of great books being passed around🧵
The Didache, Anonymous, 1st cent.
The Didache is a brief discourse that contains moral and ritualistic teachings—a handbook for a Christian life.
It’s speculated the apostles wrote it, and contains the formulas for baptism and eucharist that are still used today.
The Didache is a brief discourse that contains moral and ritualistic teachings—a handbook for a Christian life.
It’s speculated the apostles wrote it, and contains the formulas for baptism and eucharist that are still used today.
The Shepherd of Hermas, Hermas, 2nd cent.
St. Iranaeus considered it to be canonical scripture. Though it missed the cut, it’s a fascinating work that centers around the life of a former slave who is given mystical visions and parables informing him how to live a faithful life.
St. Iranaeus considered it to be canonical scripture. Though it missed the cut, it’s a fascinating work that centers around the life of a former slave who is given mystical visions and parables informing him how to live a faithful life.
Church History, Eusebius, 4th cent.
Eusebius had access to one of the largest sources of knowledge in the ancient world: the Library of Caesarea. This allowed him to piece together this contentious history of the church through letters, martyrdom accounts, and lists of bishops.
Eusebius had access to one of the largest sources of knowledge in the ancient world: the Library of Caesarea. This allowed him to piece together this contentious history of the church through letters, martyrdom accounts, and lists of bishops.
On the Incarnation, Athanasius, 4th cent.
C.S. Lewis said of it:
“When I first opened On the Incarnation I soon discovered…that I was reading a masterpiece.“
Here Athanasius presents the incarnation as a solution to man's fallen nature, or what he calls the “divine dilemma."
C.S. Lewis said of it:
“When I first opened On the Incarnation I soon discovered…that I was reading a masterpiece.“
Here Athanasius presents the incarnation as a solution to man's fallen nature, or what he calls the “divine dilemma."
Confessions, Augustine, 5th cent.
Augustine's masterpiece is an autobiography where he ponders his troubled youth and eventual conversion to Christianity as he traversed the Roman empire.
It’s a story of the struggle against sin and the metanoia of a future saint.
Augustine's masterpiece is an autobiography where he ponders his troubled youth and eventual conversion to Christianity as he traversed the Roman empire.
It’s a story of the struggle against sin and the metanoia of a future saint.
The City of God, Augustine, 5th cent.
An intellectual tour de force, The City of God depicts the ultimate struggle of the human condition — a war where all must make a choice between the “earthly city” and the “city of God.”
An intellectual tour de force, The City of God depicts the ultimate struggle of the human condition — a war where all must make a choice between the “earthly city” and the “city of God.”
Sayings of the Desert Fathers, various authors, 5th cent.
Ancient wisdom from desert hermits. It’s a collection of wisdom stories and maxims from the desert fathers, who were some of the earliest hermits and ascetics. Early monks looked to these stories for spiritual guidance
Ancient wisdom from desert hermits. It’s a collection of wisdom stories and maxims from the desert fathers, who were some of the earliest hermits and ascetics. Early monks looked to these stories for spiritual guidance
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Any early Christian works that I missed?
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