Hello,
I am interested is reading some of the early Christian writers. I have read Augustine of Hippo's Confessions but nothing else. Can any of you recommend other early Christian writers and/or writings?
Thank you in advance.
Many of the writings of the ancient Fathers can be accessed online, for example
here. If you want a more modern translation of the earliest Fathers (known as the Apostolic Fathers), I highly recommend
this.
The Apostolic Fathers, just as a point of information, is a reference to the proximity of these to the Apostles, and so includes for example the Letter of St. Clement of Rome (written c. 90 AD) who knew both Peter and Paul, the seven letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch (107 AD) about whom is said to have been a "hearer" of St. John the Apostle, along with St. Polycarp of Smyrna (who was bishop of Smryna when John of Patmos wrote the Revelation). They are, outside of the New Testament and the Apostles themselves, the earliest Christian writings we have; some such as the Letter of St. Clement, the Didache, and the Epistle of Barnabas were even regarded by some in the ancient Church to be Scripture and can be found in some older biblical codices; part of a group of texts known as the Antilegomena or "Disputed Books" which also includes the more familiar books such as the epistles of Jude, James, and the Revelation of John.
It's worth noting that some of the Fathers are generally more highly regarded then others. Of particular controversy would be Tertullian of Carthage who while regarded as among the Fathers is also known for his falling into heresy by his becoming a Montanist--and there is some issues of telling which of his writings are orthodox and which are heterodox. Origen of Alexandria is another controversial figure, though he was highly esteemed and respected in the ancient Church and only fell into ill-repute centuries after his death, because ideas he never taught were ascribed to him by some eccentric "Origenists" in later centuries--and so for a long time Origen's reputation was tarnished, but he has in recent times been exonerated.
-CryptoLutheran
