The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church
Overview
The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church is a unique resource. It introduces you to the teachings of the first Christians in a way no other work can. It is specially designed to make it easy for you to find the information you want and need. Amazing features in this fact-packed book include:
- More than 900 quotations from the writings of the Early Church Fathers, as well as from rare and important documents dating back to the dawn of Christian history
- Mini-biographies of nearly 100 fathers, as well as descriptions of dozens of key early councils and writings
- A concise history of the dramatic spread of Christianity after Jesus told his disciples to evangelize all nations
- Special maps showing you where the fathers lived, including many little-known and long-vanished locations
- A guide to nearly 30 ancient heresies, many of which have returned to haunt the modern world
- The fathers’ teaching on nearly 50 topics, including modern hot-button issues like abortion, homosexuality, and divorce.
This groundbreaking work presents the teachings of the early Christians in a way unlike any other book. It flings open the doors of the crucial but little-known age covering the birth of Christianity and the triumphant march of the gospel throughout the ancient world.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
Save more when you purchase this book as part of the Catholic Answers Collection.
Key Features
- Offers clear explanations of key Catholic doctrines
- Presents clear answers to difficult questions
- Includes guidance for Catholic living
Top Highlights
“But here someone perhaps will ask, ‘Since the canon of Scripture is complete, and sufficient of itself for” (Page 173)
“The fourth and final criterion—approval by the Church” (Page 25)
“It is noteworthy that all seven of the ecumenical councils accepted by both East and West occurred in Turkey and that both the first and the last of these took place in Nicaea.” (Page 41)
“Arian crisis broke out, and in 325 Constantine convoked what would be the first ecumenical council, Nicaea” (Page 40)
“But in respect of the case of the infants, which you [Fidus] say ought not to be baptized within the second or third day after their birth, and that the law of ancient circumcision should be followed, so that one who is just born should not be baptized and sanctified within the eighth day, we all thought very differently in our council. For no one agreed with the course you thought should be taken; rather we all judge that the mercy and grace of God is not to be refused to anyone born of man [Letters 58:2 (c. a.d. 253)].” (Page 283)
Praise for the Print Edition
We are particularly blessed by this release of Jimmy Akin’s superbly compiled synopsis of the writings of the early Church Fathers. There are other works, but Akin’s finely selected and categorized collection provides a far more accessible introduction to the early Christians.
—Marcus Grodi, president of The Coming Home Network and host of EWTN’s The Journey Home
About Jimmy Akin
Jimmy Akin grew up nominally Protestant but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, Jimmy started an intensive study of the Bible, but the more he immersed himself in Scripture, the more he found it to support the Catholic faith. Eventually, he was compelled in conscience to enter the Catholic Church, which he did in 1992. His conversion story, A Triumph and a Tragedy, is published in the book Surprised by Truth. Jimmy is director of apologetics and evangelization at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to This Rock magazine, a weekly guest on the global radio program Catholic Answers Live, and the author of several books, including Mass Confusion: The Do’s and Don’ts of Catholic Worship and The Salvation Controversy.
