patristic literature

Patristics or Patrology is the study of early Christian writers, known as the Church Fathers. The names derive from the Latin pater (father). The period is generally considered to run from the end of New Testament times (around 100 AD) until around the 8th century.

Patrologia vs. patristica

Some scholars, chiefly in Germany, distinguish patrologia from patristica. Josef Fessler, for instance, defines patrologia as the science which provides all that is necessary for the using of the works of the Fathers, dealing, therefore, with their authority, the criteria for judging their genuineness, the difficulties to be met within them, and the rules for their use. But Fessler's own Institutiones Patrologiae has a larger range, as have similar works entitled Patrologies, for example that of Otto Bardenhewer (tr. Shahan, Freiburg, 1908). On the other hand, Fessler describes patristica as that theological science by which all that concerns faith, morals, or discipline in the writings of the Fathers is collected and sorted. The lives and works of the Fathers are also described by a non-specialized science: literary history. These distinctions are not much observed, nor do they seem very necessary; they are nothing else than aspects of patristic study as it forms part of fundamental theology, of positive theology, and of literary history.

Eras of the church fathers

The church fathers are generally divided into the Ante-Nicene Fathers, those who lived and wrote before the Council of Nicaea (325) and the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, those who lived and wrote after 325. In addition, the division of the fathers into Greek and Latin writers is also common. Some of the most prominent Greek Fathers are Justin Martyr, John Chrysostom, and Cyril of Alexandria. Among the Latin Fathers are Tertullian, Cyprian, Jerome, Ambrose of Milan, Gregory the Great and Augustine of Hippo.

Availability of patristic texts

Most patristic texts are available in their original languages in Jacques Paul Migne's two great patrologies, Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca. For Syriac and other Eastern languages the Patrologia Orientalis is less complete and can be largely supplemented by the Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium. Noted collections containing re-edited patristic texts (also discoveries and new attributions) are the Corpus Christianorum, Sources Chrétiennes, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, and on a lesser scale Oxford Early Christian Texts and Fontes Christiani (also Etudes Augustiniennes).^{[clarification needed]}

English translations of patristic texts are readily available in a variety of collections. For example:

A Select Library of the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (Edinburgh: T&T Clark).
The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the Twenty-First Century (New York: New City Press). [1]
The Fathers of the Church (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press) [2]
Ancient Christian Writers (New York: Paulist Press) [3]
The Early Church Fathers (London; New York: Routledge). [4]

A range of journals cover patristic studies:

Journal of Early Christian Studies
Studia Patristica [5]
Vigiliae Christianae
Church History [6]
Journal of Ecclesiastical History[7]
Augustinian Studies [8]

Sources and External links

• Catholic Encyclopedia- Patrology
• http://www.ccel.org/
• Free digital bilingual edition (french - greek or latin) of patristic texts, studies, meditations, prayers.
• Ante-Nicene, Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers Collection A 38 volume set containing most of the major works of the first 800 years of Christian patristic writings.
• Early Church Texts A site with a growing number of original language patristic texts and translations, together with an extensive set of links to online resources about the Early Church.
• Corunum Large collection of patristic texts that outline the cardinal doctrines of the Catholic faith.
• Ecole Initiative Online collection of patristic texts, images, and information.
• Faulkner University Patristics Project A growing collection of English translations of patristic texts and high-resolution scans from the comprehensive Patrologia compiled by J. P. Migne.
• Patristics In English Project An online initiative whose aim is to scan and present all out of copyright patristic texts as well as providing new translations of previously untranslated patristic texts.
• St. Pachomius Library Large collection of various patristic texts and information dealing with Eastern Orthodoxy.
• The Tertullian Project A scholarly site devoted to the study of the second century Latin patristic writer Tertullian. Also includes many out of copyright patristic texts.
• International Association of Patristics Studies
• L'Istituto Patristico Augustinianum di Roma
• North American Patristics Society
• "Way of the Fathers" Weblog
• Roger Pearse weblog - mainly patristic
• Migne Patrologia Latina and Graeca free digital edition of almost all the texts.
• Fourth Century Christianity -College website devoted to fourth-century Christianity
• Gérard Vallée, The shaping of Christianity

Audio

• Patristics for Busy Pastors by Dr J Ligon Duncan
• Church History 1: Dr Gerald Bray

See also

Early Christianity