The Narrow Path Ministries

I spoke to someone recently about things I had heard that the Church Fathers of the first three centuries had said. I'm noticing that nearly all I know about the Church Fathers is through word of mouth (although I have Augustine's Confessions). Can anyone direct me to a reliable website or volume that contains the early writings of the church fathers? I see them quoted so often so I know they're out there, just wondering where I can find them.

Thanks!

-Rich

Here's a link to the standard collection (in an online edition): http://www.ccel.org/fathers.html

One can order sets hardbound from CBD:
http://www.christianbook.com/the-ante-n ... 6/pd/30823
http://www.christianbook.com/the-early- ... 5?event=CF

The Ante-Nicene collection is more suited to the period you are interested in. But there's worthwhile material in the larger collection, too (which includes the ANF).

There's also a nice one-volume resource, arranged topically:
http://www.christianbook.com/a-dictiona ... 1?event=CF

Thanks!

Rich,

My name is Tom and I call Steve's radio program once and awhile. Although I'm Roman Catholic and the Church Fathers were Catholic I feel it's okay to share this web site; http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/. It's free and easy. I must worn you, as someone said, "to study the Church Fathers is to ceace to be Protestant."

Hope you look into it with an open heart,

Tom from Monterey

tom wrote:Rich,

My name is Tom and I call Steve's radio program once and awhile. Although I'm Roman Catholic and the Church Fathers were Catholic I feel it's okay to share this web site; http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/. It's free and easy. I must worn you, as someone said, "to study the Church Fathers is to ceace to be Protestant."

Hope you look into it with an open heart,

Tom from Monterey

Hey Tom,
I rather prefer the quote by George Salmon:

"An unlearned Protestant perceives that the doctrine of Rome is not the doctrine of the Bible. A learned Protestant adds that neither is it the doctrine of the primitive Church."

He continues: These assertions are no longer denied, as in former days. ... The unlikeness is admitted: and the only question remaining is whether that unlikeness is absolutely inconsistent with substantial identity. In other words, it is owned that there has been a change, and the question is whether we are to call it development or corruption

A good resource for the early church writings is the Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs by David Bercot, or his teaching CDs at scrollpublishing.com