Reading Early Christian writers

[Link0126]

I would like to read some stuff by the early Church fathers. Can you suggest a couple things I should start with? Also, if there is way to read it online for free that would be ideal. Also, modern translations would also help. I spent some time reading Confessions of St. Augustine and had a hard time understanding what was going on in parts b/c of the way the translation was written.

thanks.

 

[ChadS]

I would suggest to start with something like “The Didache.” It’s a rather short text that gives a little insight into early church teaching and liturgical practice. It can easily be read in on sitting.

I would also read “On the Incarnation” by St. Athanasius.

You can find this stuff online by going to newadvent.org and clicking on the tab at the top of the page that says “Fathers.” There is also the St. Pachomius Library which gathers many of the same texts.

The translations used on these pages are already in the public domain so that means they are of a certain age and the language doesn’t always seem quite modern. To get a modern translation you might have to actually go and buy a few books – which there are plenty out there that are about the Fathers.

ChadS

 

[Hesychios]

I would like to read some stuff by the early Church fathers. Can you suggest a couple things I should start with? Also, if there is way to read it online for free that would be ideal. Also, modern translations would also help. I spent some time reading Confessions of St. Augustine and had a hard time understanding what was going on in parts b/c of the way the translation was written.

thanks.

I think the Confessions of Augustine were awesome. I respect and appreciate your budding interest in patristics.

For an online resource I would start with this. Although there are some great men whose names start with -A-, like Ambrose and Augustine, don’t read the authors in alphabetical order, find come other criteria, like historical chronology.

Stay away from compendiums if possible, they are often edited and abbreviated to support a particular point of view, and you might miss out on some really important stuff. The only exception I can think of is father John Harden’s massive collection in one volume which he called Treasury of Catholic Wisdom, It includes some early stuff like the Didache.

Some excellent publishers are Paulist Press, Westminster John Knox, Cistercian Publications and CUA Press although for the last two you may have to pick through the titles to find what you need, and for all of them you’ll need some serious coin.

 

[laszlo]

newadvent.org/fathers/

The ones from the second century are

Clement of Rome
Ignatius of Antioch
Papias
Hermas
Justin Martyr
    Irenaeus of Lyons