good books on the early church fathers
This is my opinion from what I have read, which is not from extensive education >
First > the early fathers were our Apostles. We can simply read the New Testament and discover a lot about how Paul and Peter and others were and what they did.
Something I find very important is how Paul and Sylvanus and Timothy related with the Thessalonians >
"as a nursing mother cherishes her own children" > in 1 Thessalonians 2:7.
This kind of scripture tells me so much more than any amount of information about doctrines and history can. These early fathers were family, intimate, tenderly sharing and personal with God's children > they were not at all public political religious figures just making statements and you never knew them personally. Our Apostle Peter says . . . for God's leaders . . . how to relate >
"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)
So, our leaders are our
"examples" > if they are examples, they show us how we all can be blessed like they are. And we know them personally, so we can feed on how they are and live and love.
So, my opinion is that people who were public political figures did not necessarily represent God's church; but they could have been distant and not necessarily personal with people. They might have been more concerned about issues and how to control things, politically.
Have you actually read "The First Epistle of Clement"? Nowhere does this epistle name Clement as its author. Plus, it uses "us", "we", "our" > not "me" "myself" and "I". And it seems to be humble, and written to people who personally knew the ones who prepared this epistle. And I find it matches more with what our New Testament writers have ministered, than with groups who are calling attention only or mainly to themselves as being the best group of all. This is a personal communication, not a justification for any particular group.
I suspect, now, that ones seeking power and publicity could have controlled what has made it into historical records > they could have suppressed information about or simply did not recognize the really gentle and humble
"examples to the flock". And the ones pastoring God's children have been busy with . . . taking
"care of the church of God" > see what qualifies people to do this > 1 Timothy 3:1-10. So, they were not struggling for public recognition, but prayerfully taking care of God's children.
But ones seeking a bigger name for themselves have piggy-backed on the credibility of God's word; and so they have used it and claimed it. There are ones who claim the Epistle of Clement as one of their official writings, even though this writing does not even name Clement or claim there is a pope. But ones make claims about this, though I can't prove it, in any case