Preface
1. General Introduction
2. The Spread of Christianity: Early Christians and their
Converts
1.: The Acts of John
2.: The Acts of Thomas
3.: Justin: Dialogue with Trypho
3. The Attack on Christianity: Persecution and Martyrdom in the
Early Church
4.: The Letter of Ignatius to the Romans
5.: The Martyrdom of Polycarp
6.: The Letter of the Churches of Vienne and Lyons
7.: The Acts of the Scillitan Martyrs
8.: The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas
4. The Defense of Early Christianity: The Early Christian
Apologists
9.: Minucius Felix:Octavius
10.: Justin: First Apology
11.: Athenagoras: Plea Regarding the Christians
12.: The Letter to Diognetus
13.: Tertullian: Apology
14.: Origen: Against Celus
5. Anti-Judaic Polemic: The Opposition to Jews in Early
Christianity
15.: The Epistle of Barnabas
16.: Justin: Dialogue with Trypho
17.: Melito of Sardis: On the Passover
18.: Tertullian: Answer to the Jews
6. The Diversity of Early Christianity: Writings Later Deemed
Heretical
Jewish-Christian Texts
19.: The Gospel According to the Ebionites
20.: The Letter of Peter to James and Its Reception
21.: The Homilies of Clement
Gnostic-Christian Texts
22.: The Secret Book of John
23.: The First Thought in Three Forms
24.: The Gospel of Truth
25.: Ptolemy's Letter to Flora
26.: On the Origin of the World
27.: The isdom of Jesus Christ
28.: The Treatise on the Resurrection
29.: The Hymn of the Pearl
30.: The Gospel of Philip
7. The Internal Conflicts of Christianity: Writings against the
"Heretics"
Proto-Orthodox Heresiologists
31.: Irenaeus: Against the Heresies
32.: Tertullian: Prescription of the Heretics
33.: Tertullian: On the Flesh of Christ
34.: Tertullian: Against Praxeas
Gnostic Heresiologists
35.: The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter
36.: The Second Treatise of the Great Seth
8. "Apostolic" Writings Outside the Canon: New Testament
Apocrypha/Pseudepigrapha
Apocryphal Gospels
37.: The Gospel of Thomas
38.: The Gospel of Peter
39.: The Proto-Gospel of James
40.: The Infancy Gospel of Thomas
41.: The Epistle of the Apostles
Apocryphal Acts
42.: The Acts of Peter
43.: The Acts of Paul
44.: The Acts of Thecla
45.: The Acts of John
Apocryphal Epistles
46.: Paul's Third Letter to the Corinthians
47.: The Correspondence Between Paul and Seneca
48.: Paul's Letter to the Laodiceans
Apocryphal Apocalypses
49.: The Apocalypse of Peter
50.: The Apocalypse of Paul
9. The New Scriptures: Canonical Lists in Early Christianity
51.: The Muratorian Canon
52.: Irenaeus: Against the Heresies
53.: Origen of Alexandria
54.: Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History
10. The Structure of Early Christianity: The Development of Church
Offices
55.: First Clement
56.: The Didache
57.: The Letters of Ignatius to the Ephesians, Magnesians, and
Smyrneans
58.: Hippolytus: The Apostolic Tradition
59.: The Didascalia
60.: Cyprian: The Unity of the Catholic Church
11. The Development of the Liturgy: Ritual Practices in Early
Christianity
61.: The Didache
62.: Justin: First Apology
63.: Tertullian: Apology
64.: Tertullian: On the Crown
65.: Hippolytus: The Apostolic Tradition
66.: The Didascalia
12. The Proclamation of the World: Homilies in Early
Christianity
67.: Second Clement
68.: Origen: Homilies on Luke
69.: Origen: Homilies on Genesis
13. Leading the Upright Life: The Role of Ethics in Early
Christianity
70.: The Didache
71.: Clement of Alexandria: The Educator
72.: Tertullian: To His Wife
14. The Emergence of Orthodoxy: Theological Writings of
Proto-Orthodox Christians
73.: Tertullian: Against Praxeas
74.: Origen: On First Principles
75.: Novatian: On the Trinity
76.: Dionysius of Rome: Letter to Dionysius of Alexandria
"[Ehrman's] collection presents a broad range of primary texts from
the early years of Christianity, with as full a set of texts as
possible within the restrictions of providing these works in a
single volume. The texts deal with a range of significant issues
within early Christianity, such as evangelism, persecution and
martyrdom, apologetics, heresies, apocrypha/pseudepigrapha, church
offices, liturgics and ethics, arranged according to the topics
themselves
rather than according to the categories of systematic
theology....Ehrman has sought to include large selections: complete
texts when possible, and lengthy excerpts when not....In spite of
having most of these texts in various editions I found myself
excitedly looking through the selections for the
intelligent topical arrangement, and looking forward to using this
as a required textbook...." [this review takes up 2 fields; see
below for conclusion]
"Each chapter begins with a sketch of the important historical
aspects of the topic, and each individual text is introduced with
brief comments concerning its historical context and significance.
The topical introduction of each chapter is not a brief and passing
mention, but rather an in-depth essay to the stated topic, with a
brief bibliography before the primary text on good current titles
for further reading. This reader is a welcome and needed addition
to
the increasing titles available on early Christianity, especially
since it is not an anthology of secondary scholarly opinion on the
history of early Christianity, but provides the opportunity for
students to become immersed in the primary sources
themselves."--John Voelker, Marquette University, in
the Journal of Early Christian Studies
"An outstanding collection of relevant primary sources for courses
on the history of early Christianity. Students found the texts
exciting, readable (because of the modern translation), and
informative. They also appreciated the helpful introductions to
each section."--William Tabbernee, Phillips Theological
Seminary
"Finally! Just what I have been looking for: a judiciously selected
anthology with appropriate-length early texts."--Stephen Healey,
University of Bridgeport
"A wonderful text. It is a comprehensive and provocative collection
of early Christian writings sufficient to induce even the most
sleepy-headed reader to ask questions. Those who teach Christian
history should welcome this anthology."--Lawrence Snyder, Western
Kentucky University
"An excellent Ante-Nicean primary source reader. The thematic
approach is well thought out. A very useful text for a class on
Christian origins."--Gaston Espinosa, Westmont College
"Ehrman's shrewd chapter topics, along with his brief (but pithy)
introductions enable good use of these 2nd and 3rd century texts
which together well represent the breadth and variety of Christian
beginnings. We now have a fresh and student-friendly set of
resources for examination of early Christian literature 'after the
New Testament.'"--Bob Gregg, Stanford University
"This is a splendid anthology that should replace several others
that have been in use during the past decades. It should be of
tremendous benefit to teachers and students of the New Testament
and Early Christianity."--Elizabeth A. Clark, Duke University
"This volume will be invaluable to teachers of early Christian
history who have lacked such a broad-ranging collection of key
texts. It is likely to be sufficient in itself for a college or
seminary introduction to early church history. Ehrman's selection
of texts and of passages to excerpt is judicious, covering a
wonderfully vast territory of topics with depth sufficient both to
map central issues and to allow students to explore more obscure
regions."--Derek
Krueger,The University of North Carolina, Greensboro
"This is a tremendous anthology of early church writings--will be
of better value to my church history class than previous
anthologies."--Merrill Hawking, Carson Newman College
"The readings are most beneficial. Students are very interested in
'other writings'...An excellent reference book for
professors."--Marianne Ferguson, Buffalo State College
"Exceptional selection of texts--perfect for a course centered in
pre-Nicene Christianity."--Charles Bobertz, St. John's
University
"A judicious selection of 2nd/3rd c. writers that provides the
student with both a balanced view of varieties of Christianity and
sufficient text readings for appreciation of the ancient
context."--D.H Williams, Loyola University
"Excellent source readings for the 2nd and 3rd centuries of
Christianity. Well-edited primary readings covering the major
writers of this period. Courses devoted to this period will welcome
this anthology."--Donald M. Lake, Wheaton College
"A good selection of primary texts--rather like a 'greatest hits'
of early Christianity. The introductory remarks are helpful,
too."--Jeffrey A. Trumbower, St. Michael's College
"An excellent selection of early Christian writings, organized
logically according to types and themes. Indispensable for students
of early Christian theology."--Antonio Buens, Andrews
University
"A welcome addition in the quest for convenient primary source
materials, and an excellent companion to Ehrman's The New Testament
and Other Early Christian Writings."--Robert Craft, University of
Pennsylvania
"An excellent collection of source documents, well arranged and
introduced."--Everett Ferguson, Abilene Christian University
"A perfect fit for a survey of the Early Church, grouping its fine
selections of readings under topics that are native to any course
on the first four centuries of Christendom. Ehrman's section
introductions are masterful, setting the literature in its
historical, theological, and sociological settings."--Wayne G.
Rollins, Hartford Seminary
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