Beginning to Read the Fathers: Revised Edition

by Boniface Ramsey

Now revised, Beginning to Read the Fathers is an introduction to the church's earliest writers, preachers and theologians. It presupposes no more knowledge on the part of the reader than that the fathers existed and that their ideas might be important and perhaps even interesting. The book does not restrict itself to such topics as Christology and ecclesiology but includes other areas like martyrdom and prayer, which were highly important in shaping the mind and heart of the early church. The material in this book is arranged thematically and follows a natural progression. Each chapter attempts to give a real taste of the subject in question by providing numerous selections from the writings of the fathers, some of them classic statements and some relatively obscure. Fathers from nearly all periods and traditions are cited. The author's opinions, although not nonexistent, are subordinate to the presentation of the fathers themselves. The work was written in a nontechnical style to be read both by beginners and by people with some expertise in the field. It concludes with suggestions for a patristics reading program for those who wish to pursue a study of the fathers in more depth. †

Genres: Christianity, History, Church, Religion, Church History

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2012

Reviews

[Ian Grantham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book description says it all really.

I’m self studying theology at home using Alister McGrath’s book ‘Christian Theology: An Introduction’, and I wanted to read a little more of the Fathers.

I found this book ideal as an overview of early Christian beliefs and culture, particularly its topical arrangement.

Next step is to read the Penguin Classics ‘Early Christian Writings’.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent historical introduction to the Fathers of the Church. Well worth reading.