After the Apostles

Early church writings

After the Apostles

Faith once delivered: the early church, in their own words. Public-domain texts with plain introductions, so you know who wrote them, when, and what to look for.

“…the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Jude 3 (KJV)

Not sure where to start?

Guided path · about 50 minutesMeet the first ChristiansThree short, easy readings: a letter explaining Christian life to an outsider, a bishop's pastoral letter, and the death of that bishop.Guided path · about 27 minutesFaith under fireTwo voices on facing death for the faith.Guided path · about 84 minutesUnity and leadership in the early churchHow early Christians thought about order, bishops and keeping the church together.Guided path · about 171 minutesRead it in orderAll of Shelf 1 in approximate order of date, in three stages.

Shelf 1

Received

The first writings handed on after the apostles: letters from bishops and churches, and one anonymous defence of the faith.

Anonymous

A letter by an unknown Christian writer.

Epistle to Diognetus

Anonymous · About AD 130 to 200 (debated)

A short, beautiful letter explaining to an outsider who Christians are and why they live as they do.

21-minute read Easy

Polycarp

The bishop of Smyrna, and the story of his death.

The Martyrdom of Polycarp

The church at Smyrna · About AD 155 to 160 (traditional)

One of the earliest accounts of a Christian martyr: an elderly bishop who is said to have known the apostle John.

18-minute read Easy

Polycarp to the Philippians

Polycarp of Smyrna · Probably early to mid 2nd century (debated)

A short pastoral letter from a bishop who knew Ignatius, full of echoes of the New Testament.

11-minute read Easy

Ignatius of Antioch

Seven letters written by a bishop on his way to be killed in Rome.

Ignatius to the Ephesians

Ignatius of Antioch · About AD 110 (traditional)

The longest of the seven letters: a warm thank-you to the Ephesians, with Ignatius's call for unity and his hymn-like description of Christ's coming.

14-minute read Medium

Ignatius to the Magnesians

Ignatius of Antioch · About AD 110 (traditional)

A short letter on unity with the bishop and on leaving behind old Jewish practices for life in Christ.

8-minute read Easy

Ignatius to the Trallians

Ignatius of Antioch · About AD 110 (traditional)

Ignatius on church order, and a firm insistence that Christ truly suffered.

7-minute read Medium

Ignatius to the Romans

Ignatius of Antioch · About AD 110 (traditional)

The most personal and best-known of the seven letters: a bishop on his way to be killed, asking his friends not to save him.

9-minute read Easy

Ignatius to the Philadelphians

Ignatius of Antioch · About AD 110 (traditional)

Ignatius appeals for unity and takes on a dispute with Christians who said that they believed only what they found in "the archives".

7-minute read Medium

Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans

Ignatius of Antioch · About AD 110 (traditional)

Includes the earliest known use of the phrase "the catholic church", and a sharp warning against those who deny Christ's real suffering.

9-minute read Medium

Ignatius to Polycarp

Ignatius of Antioch · About AD 110 (traditional)

A short, personal letter of advice from one bishop to a younger one.

6-minute read Easy

Clement of Rome

A letter from the church in Rome to the church in Corinth.

First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians

Traditionally Clement of Rome · About AD 96 (traditional; debated)

One of the very earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament: Rome writes to a divided church in Corinth.

61-minute read Medium

Modern-English renderings arrive in batches: Batch 1 (Diognetus, Polycarp), then Batch 2 (the letters of Ignatius), then Batch 3 (1 Clement). The original text is always available.