Quick points to show church fathers were catholic

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Shaolen

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I may get into a discussion sometime soon about the early church fathers. I’d like to get some simple points on why they matter and why they’re catholic. If anyone can give passages from clement, Ignatius, Justin martyr etc that shows their catholicity that would be great.
 
Shaolen said:
Wow this is great! Do they have this for other issues like authority, baptism etc?
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In the Tracts Library of Catholic Answers there are usually tracts with quotes from the Early Fathers about the various categories, such as this one on Baptism and this one and this one and this one and this one and this one and this one (really) on the authority of the Pope.

It would be nice if the “Fathers Know Best” tracts were also grouped together in their own category. Alas, you must look in each category for Fathers tracts.
 
Why they were Catholic? That’s the easy part…they had no other choices…the Church Fathers all date to before the reformation when all of Christendom was Catholic.
 
So now let me ask a question. I never understood how certain protestants are aware of the writings of Fathers but believe they were a minority opinion and did not reflect the actual beliefs of the early Christians. What do they base this argument on?
 
ajcstr said:
So now let me ask a question. I never understood how certain protestants are aware of the writings of Fathers but believe they were a minority opinion and did not reflect the actual beliefs of the early Christians. What do they base this argument on?
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Better yet, where is that argument supposed to lead? Truth is not a question of majority rule. The Early Church Fathers are bishops and theologians, the Magisterium entrusted with the Deposit of Faith. Their works are revered because they are orthodox and ratified by the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit. Not because they were popular or well-received.
 
Polycarp is a great source. There was a Penguin Classics book titled “Writings of the Early Church Fathers” with protestant notes but it converted at least one person I know.

-Tim-
 
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