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Early Church Fathers Collection
After the authors of the New Testament, no group has had a more profound influence on the prayer, theology, and life of Christians than the Fathers of the Church, who lived and wrote in the first several centuries after Christ. Among the Fathers, perhaps the most pivotal were those of the first two hundred years. Including figures such as St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Irenaeus of Lyons, these giants of the faith lived just decades after the Apostles—some even knew the Apostles themselves—and their writings witness to what life was like in the early Church.
The Early Church Fathers Collection from Word on Fire Classics provides the perfect entry point to these early writers. In this volume, you’ll find selections from the best works by the early the letters of St. Clement, St. Ignatius, and St. Polycarp; the anonymous literary works The Martyrdom of Polycarp, The Didache, The Shepherd of Hermas, and The Letter to Diognetus; and the apologetic writings of St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus, and Tertullian. Accompanied by helpful introductions and explanatory footnotes, these works speak as powerfully today as they did in their own time and, approached in a spirit of faith, serve the same to enkindle in their readers the love of Jesus Christ.
The Early Church Fathers Collection from Word on Fire Classics provides the perfect entry point to these early writers. In this volume, you’ll find selections from the best works by the early the letters of St. Clement, St. Ignatius, and St. Polycarp; the anonymous literary works The Martyrdom of Polycarp, The Didache, The Shepherd of Hermas, and The Letter to Diognetus; and the apologetic writings of St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus, and Tertullian. Accompanied by helpful introductions and explanatory footnotes, these works speak as powerfully today as they did in their own time and, approached in a spirit of faith, serve the same to enkindle in their readers the love of Jesus Christ.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published December 2, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 22, 2026
My rating is, of course, not an evaluation of the Fathers themselves (who are always to be highly admired and cherished), but of the editorial work of the present volume by Word on Fire Classics. The collection does not present itself as a scholarly contribution, but neither does it articulate what it aims to accomplish. The selections are random and the translations are lifted from a variety of sources but never properly identified or attributed.
Editor David Augustine represents the Apostolic Fathers well: St. Clement of Rome; St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Polycarp of Smyrna. Also commendable are his inclusions of the Didache, The Letter to Diognetus, and smatterings from St. Justin Martyr and St. Irenaeus of Lyons. However, Augustine fails to outline the rationale behind the selection process that led to the inclusion of Tertullian in a Church Fathers collection while simultaneously describing him as “not strictly a Church Father,” as well as The Shepherd of Hermas in severely abbreviated form. The apocryphal work has three distinct sections, but only the first is included. So the reader never even encounters the titular Shepherd, who appears only in the latter two. For comparison, the excellent Early Christian Fathers, edited by Henry Bettenson, explicitly shapes its selections around developments leading to the Council of Nicaea. As a result, Bettenson places emphasis on figures such as St. Clement of Alexandria and especially St. Athanasius, two names that are absent here.
In all, this is a Roman Catholic publication by Catholics for Catholics. Selecting from Justin Martyr and Irenaeus is always challenging, given the sheer volume of their writings, and, here, the editor favored passages of interest to Catholic apologetics. His footnotes, too, will be much appreciated by the Catholic faithful. Along these lines, some subtitles, not original to the letters but inserted for modern readers (a common editorial practice), can reflect a certain bias. Themes often highlighted in Protestant readings—such as the significance of faith in Clement—may be obfuscated or reframed. In chapter 32 of The Letter to the Corinthians, the patron saint writes, "we also [like Abraham]... are not justified by ourselves... or the works we have done... but through the faith, by which the almighty God has justified all men from the beginning." This section, chapters 29-32, are labeled "A Chosen People" whereas Michael W. Holmes, in his esteemed translation, designates the exact same section "Good Behavior, Faith, and God's Favor." Holmes is important to bring up because following Clement’s letter, the material drawn from Ignatius, Polycarp, and Shepherd correspond exactly to the subtitles found in The Apostolic Fathers in English by Holmes (Baker Academic). Unattributed, this collection reproduces Holmes' translation in multiple places.
The book is silent on this, save for a nondescript reference to one "excerpt" on the copyright page. But what lies beyond a single excerpt are two complete works concerning Polycarp, seven letters from Ignatius, and twelve pages from The Shepherd of Hermas, all of them taken, word for word, from Holmes’ translation. That is almost eighty pages, in a 300-page anthology. More bizarrely, all of the subtitles from above are lifted from Holmes with one exception: Ignatius' Letter to the Magnesians, for which the translation is in place but the subheadings are changed for no obvious reason.
The selections from Justin Martyr and Irenaeus are also borrowed. Take a look at the the wording “eucharistized” in chapter 66 of Justin’s First Apology: “...in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been incarnate by God’s logos, took both flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food eucharistized through the word of prayer that is from Him...” (p. 187). This translation is taken from the Ancient Christian Writers series, published by Paulist Press, where the reading “eucharistized” appears in 1997. Admittedly, the transmission this time is less dubious and the copyright page is somewhat more explicit.
This passage has long been contested, so I can't help but digress. Protestants may render the elements of the Lord's Supper “consecrated” (Kerr, Readings in Christian Thought) or “blessed” (Dods, in the famous Ante-Nicene Fathers set). In contrast, the modern Oxford edition, prepared by two patristic scholars (one of whom is a Catholic priest), retains “eucharistized.” Their purpose, however, is not transliteration but the preservation of Justin’s meaning: “Here, and similar passages, we have left the word in its Greek dress, as Justin clearly thinks that something more has been done to the bread than the simple offering of prayers over it” (Minns and Parvis, Justin, Philosopher and Martyr: Apologies, 255). A century earlier, scholarly interpretation viewed the clause more plainly. Johann Karl Theodor von Otto, the editor of the authoritative master text, commented on the liturgical language, as recorded by Oxford's A. W. F. Blunt: “According to Otto’s view, it means... the food is made the body and blood of the Incarnate Christ” (Blunt, ed., The Apologies of Justin Martyr, XL). All that is to say, the information in this anthology regarding translations suffers from a persistent and frustrating lack of transparency.
This work does not pretend to be rigorous. The introductions are brief, accessible, and eager to sanitize the Jewish references made by many of the ancient authors. Combined with generous margins, this handsome hardcover is intended for general readers, namely Catholics. Yet the arbitrary selection and the hinky editorial decisions leave it difficult to recommend.
Editor David Augustine represents the Apostolic Fathers well: St. Clement of Rome; St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Polycarp of Smyrna. Also commendable are his inclusions of the Didache, The Letter to Diognetus, and smatterings from St. Justin Martyr and St. Irenaeus of Lyons. However, Augustine fails to outline the rationale behind the selection process that led to the inclusion of Tertullian in a Church Fathers collection while simultaneously describing him as “not strictly a Church Father,” as well as The Shepherd of Hermas in severely abbreviated form. The apocryphal work has three distinct sections, but only the first is included. So the reader never even encounters the titular Shepherd, who appears only in the latter two. For comparison, the excellent Early Christian Fathers, edited by Henry Bettenson, explicitly shapes its selections around developments leading to the Council of Nicaea. As a result, Bettenson places emphasis on figures such as St. Clement of Alexandria and especially St. Athanasius, two names that are absent here.
In all, this is a Roman Catholic publication by Catholics for Catholics. Selecting from Justin Martyr and Irenaeus is always challenging, given the sheer volume of their writings, and, here, the editor favored passages of interest to Catholic apologetics. His footnotes, too, will be much appreciated by the Catholic faithful. Along these lines, some subtitles, not original to the letters but inserted for modern readers (a common editorial practice), can reflect a certain bias. Themes often highlighted in Protestant readings—such as the significance of faith in Clement—may be obfuscated or reframed. In chapter 32 of The Letter to the Corinthians, the patron saint writes, "we also [like Abraham]... are not justified by ourselves... or the works we have done... but through the faith, by which the almighty God has justified all men from the beginning." This section, chapters 29-32, are labeled "A Chosen People" whereas Michael W. Holmes, in his esteemed translation, designates the exact same section "Good Behavior, Faith, and God's Favor." Holmes is important to bring up because following Clement’s letter, the material drawn from Ignatius, Polycarp, and Shepherd correspond exactly to the subtitles found in The Apostolic Fathers in English by Holmes (Baker Academic). Unattributed, this collection reproduces Holmes' translation in multiple places.
The book is silent on this, save for a nondescript reference to one "excerpt" on the copyright page. But what lies beyond a single excerpt are two complete works concerning Polycarp, seven letters from Ignatius, and twelve pages from The Shepherd of Hermas, all of them taken, word for word, from Holmes’ translation. That is almost eighty pages, in a 300-page anthology. More bizarrely, all of the subtitles from above are lifted from Holmes with one exception: Ignatius' Letter to the Magnesians, for which the translation is in place but the subheadings are changed for no obvious reason.
The selections from Justin Martyr and Irenaeus are also borrowed. Take a look at the the wording “eucharistized” in chapter 66 of Justin’s First Apology: “...in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been incarnate by God’s logos, took both flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food eucharistized through the word of prayer that is from Him...” (p. 187). This translation is taken from the Ancient Christian Writers series, published by Paulist Press, where the reading “eucharistized” appears in 1997. Admittedly, the transmission this time is less dubious and the copyright page is somewhat more explicit.
This passage has long been contested, so I can't help but digress. Protestants may render the elements of the Lord's Supper “consecrated” (Kerr, Readings in Christian Thought) or “blessed” (Dods, in the famous Ante-Nicene Fathers set). In contrast, the modern Oxford edition, prepared by two patristic scholars (one of whom is a Catholic priest), retains “eucharistized.” Their purpose, however, is not transliteration but the preservation of Justin’s meaning: “Here, and similar passages, we have left the word in its Greek dress, as Justin clearly thinks that something more has been done to the bread than the simple offering of prayers over it” (Minns and Parvis, Justin, Philosopher and Martyr: Apologies, 255). A century earlier, scholarly interpretation viewed the clause more plainly. Johann Karl Theodor von Otto, the editor of the authoritative master text, commented on the liturgical language, as recorded by Oxford's A. W. F. Blunt: “According to Otto’s view, it means... the food is made the body and blood of the Incarnate Christ” (Blunt, ed., The Apologies of Justin Martyr, XL). All that is to say, the information in this anthology regarding translations suffers from a persistent and frustrating lack of transparency.
This work does not pretend to be rigorous. The introductions are brief, accessible, and eager to sanitize the Jewish references made by many of the ancient authors. Combined with generous margins, this handsome hardcover is intended for general readers, namely Catholics. Yet the arbitrary selection and the hinky editorial decisions leave it difficult to recommend.
April 27, 2026
I really loved this book. Took a while, but it’s a great primer to see how the early church saw faith, salvation, communion, baptism, and a whole host of other topics. Also a good way to read a lot of these sources in one book.
May 22, 2025
The word on fire “Early Church Fathers Collection” is a selection of Christian writings from the 1st-3rd centuries CE. It includes St Clement of Rome’s letter to the Corinthians, all of St Ignatius of Antioch and St Polycarp’s writings, the Didache, Shepherd of Hermas, and selections from St Justin Martyr, St Irenaeus of Lyons, and Tertullian. The excerpt approach works really well for Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian; the original works are far too long for a collection like this and the bits the editors chose are the passages people refer to the most anyway. These authors are (or at least, should be) fundamental to our understanding of the formation of Christian thought; several of these guys were ordained by the apostles and were only a couple of generations removed from Christ. They were leading the Church and writing theology hundreds of years before the New Testament canon was decided, and their witness to the faith of the early Church carries a lot of weight.
Overall, this is an awesome collection of writings from the infant Church and is a great read for any student of theology or Christian history. The footnotes, scripture cross-references, and introductions are pithy and useful, and this edition is built to last with a beautiful binding, thick paper, and a ribbon marker. The translation is also fantastically readable, and reminds me a bit of the NRSV or ESV; it is much more modern and transparent than the now-dated Schaff version. I look forward to revisiting this book for years to come!
Overall, this is an awesome collection of writings from the infant Church and is a great read for any student of theology or Christian history. The footnotes, scripture cross-references, and introductions are pithy and useful, and this edition is built to last with a beautiful binding, thick paper, and a ribbon marker. The translation is also fantastically readable, and reminds me a bit of the NRSV or ESV; it is much more modern and transparent than the now-dated Schaff version. I look forward to revisiting this book for years to come!
June 23, 2026
A great introduction to early church writings. Naturally it leans Catholic (I mean the foreword is by Bishop Robert Barron what else could be expected) but regardless, church history and these texts belong to all Christians. I don't think it's dangerous for Protestants to read and find myself more confidently Protestant at the end.
I adore the simplicity many of the authors had. Clement of Rome was not contending for complex theology but rather how to live out faith. Justin Martyr engages in the more philosophical but I did not find it difficult enough to lessen the value. If you want to begin to know what Christian faith looked like in the first two centuries, this is a good place to start
I adore the simplicity many of the authors had. Clement of Rome was not contending for complex theology but rather how to live out faith. Justin Martyr engages in the more philosophical but I did not find it difficult enough to lessen the value. If you want to begin to know what Christian faith looked like in the first two centuries, this is a good place to start
January 15, 2026
Very thought provoking and challenging book to read. Perspectives on baptism, Eucharist and apostolic succession from the first few centuries were challenging to me as a Protestant. Can’t help but appreciate the seriousness these men had toward protecting the church from false doctrines and heresies intent upon confusing the true gospel.
June 10, 2026
This book is an excellent choice for Christians to learn more about the Early Church and what they believed. It is not a book I would recommend to young Christians who are not ready for more advanced writers like St. Justin Martyr, St. Ireneus, or St. Clement of Rome. Other than that, I recommend this book to everyone. It holds the practices, traditions, and theological beliefs.
It is an excellent way to better understand Christian history and grow closer to God in understanding.
Warning: ⚠️
The early church fathers hold to many beliefs that around half of all Christians do not believe. Their beliefs on Baptism, communion, authority, and teachings on Mary are often considered false by certain denominations. The church fathers are often used as proof as to what the early church interpreted the Bible to say, and a consistency of traditional beliefs.
I still recommend this book. Do not fear truth, embrace it.
It is an excellent way to better understand Christian history and grow closer to God in understanding.
Warning: ⚠️
The early church fathers hold to many beliefs that around half of all Christians do not believe. Their beliefs on Baptism, communion, authority, and teachings on Mary are often considered false by certain denominations. The church fathers are often used as proof as to what the early church interpreted the Bible to say, and a consistency of traditional beliefs.
I still recommend this book. Do not fear truth, embrace it.
December 10, 2025
A good anthology. I wish it had less works overall. The attempt to fit more works in the volume required some significant excerpting, which in a few cases prevented me from really getting a feel of the early Christian author’s style of thinking or point of view. The best parts of the book are undoubtedly the full pieces: St. Clement’s letter to Rome, St. Ignatius’s letters, the Epistle to Doignetus, etc.
Some discussion of translation choice would have also been welcome. The volume does not really tell the reader which English translation of a text is being used and why. For some of these works, I assume there is some vigorous debate over how to translate particular passages.
Some discussion of translation choice would have also been welcome. The volume does not really tell the reader which English translation of a text is being used and why. For some of these works, I assume there is some vigorous debate over how to translate particular passages.
February 11, 2026
It was really neat to read the works of some of the early church fathers. I was a little concerned it was going to be hard to read, but it wasn’t. It will either give you confidence in doctrine or otherwise provide thought provoking questions about your own denomination and how it came to be. These guys either learned from an apostle or from someone that was taught under an apostle. This was the church Christ founded under Peter. He left us with a church and its traditions. Thankful to Word on Fire for putting this together.
January 25, 2026
Enjoyed all of the writings but the Shepard of Hermas was my favorite.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews