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The Hope of the Early Church: A Handbook of Patristic Eschatology
What did early Christians believe about last things? Eschatology--religious doctrine about "last things"--is the hope of believing people that in the end the incompleteness of their present experience of God will be resolved, that loose ends will be tied up and wrongs made right. Rooted in a firm faith in Jesus crucified and risen, Christian eschatological hope has proved remarkably resilient, expecting the Lord to return very soon, and wavering little when the wait has been prolonged. This comprehensive survey, based on Christian texts in the Greek, Latin, Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian traditions from the second century through Gregory the Great and John of Damascus, is already well known to biblical scholars, church historians, theologians, and other students of the history of Christian thought. Appearing in an affordable, paperback edition, it is now available to students and to contemporary believers, whose hope it aims to nourish and stir up by acquainting them with the faith of their forebears in Christ.
318 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 1991
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About the author
Brian E. Daley
24 books12 followersBrian Edward Daley, S.J. (born in 1940) is an American Catholic priest and theologian. He is currently the Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame and was the recipient of a Ratzinger Prize for Theology in 2012.
Daley's primary academic field is Patristics, the study of the Fathers of the Church. The Patristic topics on which he has published include Christology, eschatology, Mariology, philanthropy, and scriptural exegesis.
In addition to his academic commitments, Daley is active in ecumenical dialogue and serves as the executive secretary of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation.
Background and education
Daley was born in 1940 in Orange, New Jersey, USA.[citation needed] He attended the Jesuit-run St. Peter's Preparatory School and did his first undergraduate degree at Fordham University, where he received a B.A. in Classics in 1961. Daley was the first Fordham alumnus to receive a Rhodes Scholarship, which he used to read Literae Humaniores (also known as "Greats") at Merton College, Oxford. While there, he was tutored by the philosopher J. R. Lucas. He obtained a B.A. in 1964 and entered the Society of Jesus the same year.
After receiving a Ph.L. at Loyola Seminary (Shrub Oak, New York) in 1966, Daley returned to Oxford and obtained an M.A. in 1967.[6] He was ordained a priest in 1970 and then traveled to Frankfurt, where he studied at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology and worked as the research assistant of Aloys Grillmeier, S.J. In 1972, he earned a Lic.theol. from Sankt Georgen, after which he returned to Oxford again to pursue a D.Phil. at Campion Hall under the supervision of Henry Chadwick.[8] He defended his thesis, entitled "Leontius of Byzantium: A Critical Edition of his Works, with Prolegomena," in 1978. His examiners were Kallistos Ware and Lionel Wickham.
Professional and ecumenical work
From 1978 to 1996, Daley taught at the Weston School of Theology. In 1996, took a position at the University of Notre Dame, where he is currently the Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology. He was president of the North American Patristics Society from 1997 to 1998.
Daley has long been committed to ecumenical dialogue and was one of the signatories of the 2003 "Princeton Proposal for Christian Unity," which was sponsored by the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. He is also the current executive secretary for the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation, which is co-sponsored by SCOBA, the USCCB, and the CCCB.
Honors and awards
A Festschrift was published in Daley's honor in 2008.Notable contributors include Lewis Ayres, John Anthony McGuckin, and Rowan Williams.
Daley received the Ratzinger Prize for Theology on October 20, 2012.
At the conferral ceremony, Pope Benedict XVI praised Daley for his ecumenical work with the following words: "Father Daley, through his in-depth study of the Fathers of the Church, has placed himself in the best school for knowing and loving the one and undivided Church, though in the richness of her diverse traditions; for this reason, he also performs a responsible service in relations with the Orthodox Churches." The other recipient of the Ratzinger Prize in 2012 was the French philosopher Rémi Brague.
In 2013, Daley was awarded the Johannes Quasten Medal by the School of Theology and Religious Studies of the Catholic University of America
Daley's primary academic field is Patristics, the study of the Fathers of the Church. The Patristic topics on which he has published include Christology, eschatology, Mariology, philanthropy, and scriptural exegesis.
In addition to his academic commitments, Daley is active in ecumenical dialogue and serves as the executive secretary of the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation.
Background and education
Daley was born in 1940 in Orange, New Jersey, USA.[citation needed] He attended the Jesuit-run St. Peter's Preparatory School and did his first undergraduate degree at Fordham University, where he received a B.A. in Classics in 1961. Daley was the first Fordham alumnus to receive a Rhodes Scholarship, which he used to read Literae Humaniores (also known as "Greats") at Merton College, Oxford. While there, he was tutored by the philosopher J. R. Lucas. He obtained a B.A. in 1964 and entered the Society of Jesus the same year.
After receiving a Ph.L. at Loyola Seminary (Shrub Oak, New York) in 1966, Daley returned to Oxford and obtained an M.A. in 1967.[6] He was ordained a priest in 1970 and then traveled to Frankfurt, where he studied at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology and worked as the research assistant of Aloys Grillmeier, S.J. In 1972, he earned a Lic.theol. from Sankt Georgen, after which he returned to Oxford again to pursue a D.Phil. at Campion Hall under the supervision of Henry Chadwick.[8] He defended his thesis, entitled "Leontius of Byzantium: A Critical Edition of his Works, with Prolegomena," in 1978. His examiners were Kallistos Ware and Lionel Wickham.
Professional and ecumenical work
From 1978 to 1996, Daley taught at the Weston School of Theology. In 1996, took a position at the University of Notre Dame, where he is currently the Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology. He was president of the North American Patristics Society from 1997 to 1998.
Daley has long been committed to ecumenical dialogue and was one of the signatories of the 2003 "Princeton Proposal for Christian Unity," which was sponsored by the Center for Catholic and Evangelical Theology. He is also the current executive secretary for the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation, which is co-sponsored by SCOBA, the USCCB, and the CCCB.
Honors and awards
A Festschrift was published in Daley's honor in 2008.Notable contributors include Lewis Ayres, John Anthony McGuckin, and Rowan Williams.
Daley received the Ratzinger Prize for Theology on October 20, 2012.
At the conferral ceremony, Pope Benedict XVI praised Daley for his ecumenical work with the following words: "Father Daley, through his in-depth study of the Fathers of the Church, has placed himself in the best school for knowing and loving the one and undivided Church, though in the richness of her diverse traditions; for this reason, he also performs a responsible service in relations with the Orthodox Churches." The other recipient of the Ratzinger Prize in 2012 was the French philosopher Rémi Brague.
In 2013, Daley was awarded the Johannes Quasten Medal by the School of Theology and Religious Studies of the Catholic University of America
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 22, 2019
This book is a fantastic summary of the various early church views of eschatology. “Various” is intentional, as just skimming through makes clear that for as much as the early Christians agreed on stuff, they were quite diverse. Thus, we can’t simply test our beliefs (at least on this subject) in comparison to the early church. You can find almost anything.
Everlasting hell where people are tortured? Check.
Universal salvation where hell exists to purge people of sin but eventually is totally depopulated? Check.
Antichrist arising and world ending soon? Check.
Little concern for the world’s end? Check.
One common view, near universal, was a final resurrection of the dead. Along with this, there would be judgment after this. But the details? Lots of possibilities. This is a good reminder to us as we continue to argue about this stuff. Maybe be more flexible?
Overall, a good resource for early church studies.
Everlasting hell where people are tortured? Check.
Universal salvation where hell exists to purge people of sin but eventually is totally depopulated? Check.
Antichrist arising and world ending soon? Check.
Little concern for the world’s end? Check.
One common view, near universal, was a final resurrection of the dead. Along with this, there would be judgment after this. But the details? Lots of possibilities. This is a good reminder to us as we continue to argue about this stuff. Maybe be more flexible?
Overall, a good resource for early church studies.
October 7, 2025
Aan de titel is al goed af te lezen wat dit boek wil zijn: een overzicht van eschatologische opvattingen uit de Vroege Kerk. Toch bevat dit handboek ook een voorzichtige betooglijn. Daley spreekt namelijk van 'de' hoop van 'de' Vroege Kerk. Zijn stelling is dus dat er ondanks de grote breuklijnen en onderlinge verschillen in de Vroege Kerk gesproken kan worden van een gemeenschappelijk fundament.
Daley bespreekt geschriften die grofweg te dateren zijn van de eerste tot het begin van de zevende eeuw. Bij het bespreken van een periode van een dergelijk formaat is het belangrijk om te zorgen voor een representatief bronnencorpus. Ik ben positief verrast door de selectie van Daley. Niet alleen heeft hij gezorgd voor allerlei verschillende genres (preken, poëzie, apologetische en meer leerstellige werken), maar ook de verscheidenheid aan theologische stromingen komt aan de orde. Daarbij beperkt hij zich niet tot antieke schrijvers die door de kerkgeschiedenis heen als orthodox zijn gezien, maar komen ook gnostici, arianen en monofysieten aan de orde. Tegelijk laat Daley de heterodoxe stemmen zijn overzicht niet overheersen. Hij besteedt meer aandacht aan auteurs die door de kerkgeschiedenis heen een grote rol hebben gespeeld, zoals Origenes en Augustinus.
Daleys overzicht is daarnaast opvallend goed gedocumenteerd. Bij elke paar zinnen staat wel een voetnoot en in de eerste hoofdstukken ligt de frequentie zelfs nog hoger. Hoewel dat de leesbaarheid niet bevordert, ben ik er toch zeer positief over. Door Daleys bronverwijzingen is het gemakkelijk om oude werken en passages daaruit op te zoeken als je die voor academische doeleinden of persoonlijke interesse wilt lezen. Daardoor is het boek ook geschikt als naslagwerk.
Aan het einde van zijn boek komt Daley terug op zijn oorspronkelijke stelling dat er sprake is van een gemeenschappelijk fundament. Hij erkent dat het kan lijken alsof daar door alle verschillen geen sprake van is, maar ziet twee grote gemene delers. De eerste is die van hoop voor de toekomst. Die hoop ligt in Christus, welke positie men verder ook in de trinitarische en christologische debatten inneemt. Daarnaast is de christelijke eschatologie realistisch van karakter. Christenen hebben een hoop die in de geschiedenis ligt. Ook stelt Daley voorzichtig dat er sprake is van een aantal gemeenschappelijke leerstukken. Daaronder rekent Daley een lineaire geschiedopvatting (de geschiedenis heeft een begin en een einde), een lichamelijke opstanding, een universeel oordeel van God over de geschiedenis en individuele levens, een oordeel van God aan het einde van het leven, vergelding, en een besef dat de doden nog steeds in het leven van de kerk betrokken zijn. Deze onderbouwing lijkt mij sterk genoeg om Daleys stelling over te nemen.
Al met al ben ik van mening dat Daley een significante academische prestatie heeft geleverd. Hij heeft niet alleen een kwalitatief sterk overzicht weten te bieden van een lange periode, maar is er zelfs nog in geslaagd om daar een subtiele betooglijn doorheen te weven. Ik vermoed dat ik van dit boek nog veel plezier ga hebben.
Daley bespreekt geschriften die grofweg te dateren zijn van de eerste tot het begin van de zevende eeuw. Bij het bespreken van een periode van een dergelijk formaat is het belangrijk om te zorgen voor een representatief bronnencorpus. Ik ben positief verrast door de selectie van Daley. Niet alleen heeft hij gezorgd voor allerlei verschillende genres (preken, poëzie, apologetische en meer leerstellige werken), maar ook de verscheidenheid aan theologische stromingen komt aan de orde. Daarbij beperkt hij zich niet tot antieke schrijvers die door de kerkgeschiedenis heen als orthodox zijn gezien, maar komen ook gnostici, arianen en monofysieten aan de orde. Tegelijk laat Daley de heterodoxe stemmen zijn overzicht niet overheersen. Hij besteedt meer aandacht aan auteurs die door de kerkgeschiedenis heen een grote rol hebben gespeeld, zoals Origenes en Augustinus.
Daleys overzicht is daarnaast opvallend goed gedocumenteerd. Bij elke paar zinnen staat wel een voetnoot en in de eerste hoofdstukken ligt de frequentie zelfs nog hoger. Hoewel dat de leesbaarheid niet bevordert, ben ik er toch zeer positief over. Door Daleys bronverwijzingen is het gemakkelijk om oude werken en passages daaruit op te zoeken als je die voor academische doeleinden of persoonlijke interesse wilt lezen. Daardoor is het boek ook geschikt als naslagwerk.
Aan het einde van zijn boek komt Daley terug op zijn oorspronkelijke stelling dat er sprake is van een gemeenschappelijk fundament. Hij erkent dat het kan lijken alsof daar door alle verschillen geen sprake van is, maar ziet twee grote gemene delers. De eerste is die van hoop voor de toekomst. Die hoop ligt in Christus, welke positie men verder ook in de trinitarische en christologische debatten inneemt. Daarnaast is de christelijke eschatologie realistisch van karakter. Christenen hebben een hoop die in de geschiedenis ligt. Ook stelt Daley voorzichtig dat er sprake is van een aantal gemeenschappelijke leerstukken. Daaronder rekent Daley een lineaire geschiedopvatting (de geschiedenis heeft een begin en een einde), een lichamelijke opstanding, een universeel oordeel van God over de geschiedenis en individuele levens, een oordeel van God aan het einde van het leven, vergelding, en een besef dat de doden nog steeds in het leven van de kerk betrokken zijn. Deze onderbouwing lijkt mij sterk genoeg om Daleys stelling over te nemen.
Al met al ben ik van mening dat Daley een significante academische prestatie heeft geleverd. Hij heeft niet alleen een kwalitatief sterk overzicht weten te bieden van een lange periode, maar is er zelfs nog in geslaagd om daar een subtiele betooglijn doorheen te weven. Ik vermoed dat ik van dit boek nog veel plezier ga hebben.
August 12, 2020
This was an excellent summary of early church thinking on eschatology. The author, a professor at Notre Dame, meticulously cites his sources for each assertion. He alternates between summarizing and quoting the particular church father directly in a very smooth readable way. By "eschatology" the author isn't just talking about the end of the world, interpretation of the book of Revelation, etc. but also includes the fate of individuals after death in the fullest sense. The judgment, heaven, hell, "purgatory," etc. (not the later highly developed Catholic doctrine but more the basic idea of purgatorial cleansing before entering the blessed realm).
What fascinated me the most is the topic of hell. What it is, its duration, and its purpose. I am more than partial to the idea of universal salvation as espoused by Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Gregory of Nyssa. Unfortunately, the majority report of the early church supports the eternal conscious torment view. Now, I still think the minority view is the correct one but admit that it is an uphill battle in terms of church history. I kind of knew that before reading this book but reading this cemented that for me.
Reading has gotten me more curious about going into the primary sources themselves to understand things more.
What fascinated me the most is the topic of hell. What it is, its duration, and its purpose. I am more than partial to the idea of universal salvation as espoused by Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Gregory of Nyssa. Unfortunately, the majority report of the early church supports the eternal conscious torment view. Now, I still think the minority view is the correct one but admit that it is an uphill battle in terms of church history. I kind of knew that before reading this book but reading this cemented that for me.
Reading has gotten me more curious about going into the primary sources themselves to understand things more.
December 19, 2018
Brian Daley's survey of Christian eschatology from the earliest Church through the end of the seventh century demonstrates that, rather than following a unilinear or even simplistically dialectical evolutionary trajectory, the teachings of theologians East and West in any given generation were consistent only in their heterogeneity. This diversity of opinions, however, was continually directed toward a common preoccupation with adjudicating ultimate human destiny – personal, ecclesial, and universal; its timing, divisions, duration, and the material constitution and consequential agency of its participants – with the correct balance between God's mercy and justice, on the basis of scriptural revelation, Church tradition, and the exigencies of governing the morality of parishioners. While no two churchmen preached an identical eschatology, certain philosophical positions and hopeful speculations are revisited time and again (with no few expelled as heretical along the way), gradually coalescing into the systematic – if not always free of contradiction – doctrines of their respective confessions.
January 25, 2020
Brian Daley completes the Herculean task of surveying the Church Fathers - East and West - on their understanding of what happens when we die and the Second Coming of Christ. As a non-Academic, I found it helpful in understanding how our own Christian beliefs have evolved. For students and academic researchers, the bibliography alone is superb. But the body of the book is readable and certainly satisfied my own curiosity on this issue.
September 8, 2017
If you're looking for a resource about what the early church believed about the end times, this is somewhat helpful. The author spends a fair amount of time investigating what heretics believed, but when he does talk about the early church fathers, he uses many direct quotations.
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September 15, 2016Daley's overview of Patristic Eschatology gives us a fascinating window into the unity and diversity of this doctrine in the early centuries of the church. There's lots of that diversity--pointing to the real difficulty of interpreting the biblical texts that bear most obviously on the doctrine, but there is unity too. Hope in the resurrection, centered on Christ, is the real heart of Christian hope.
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February 26, 2018on chalkboard in henry's lecture flashback, 01.07
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews