The Complete Works of the First Fathers of the Church gathers a formative body of early Christian writing: pastoral epistles, martyrial exhortations, apologies, theological treatises, biblical interpretation, ecclesiastical histories, and visionary instruction. Spanning the generations from the apostolic age to late antiquity, it records Christianity's emergence within Jewish, Greek, and Roman intellectual worlds. Particularly compelling are its defenses of Christian belief before pagan cr...

We may thank Mr. Wilson, the translator, for separating this collection, absolutely, from the works of Clement of Alexandria, to which it has been made an appendix. The reference to “our Pantænus” gives the only colour for such a collocation with so great a name. It is the work of a Montanist, perhaps, who may have had some relations with the Alexandrian school; but it is hard to say precisely who, of three or four named Theodotus (all heretics), may have made the compilation, more especia...

Since the grandparents of mine immigrated to Sinkiang from China proper after WWII, my fate has been bonded with the land of magic. I was born and raised in Ürümqi. Thus, I've got such a privilege to explore and enjoy the flourishing culture that the city can possibly provide.Buddhist temples, mosques and orthodox churches are coexisting in the city, harmoniously. The dwellers here speak Uyghur, Kazakh, Mandarin, Tajik, Mongolian, Russian and many other different languages. And the...

Have you ever wondered why some early Christians believed that human destiny was controlled by hidden celestial forces, and how the soul could ultimately break free?Excerpts from Theodotus provides a compelling modern translation of one of the most vital surviving texts of Valentinian Gnosticism. Through these ancient fragments, attributed to the prominent Gnostic teacher Theodotus, readers are invited into a world where salvation is not merely a matter of faith,...

Have you ever wondered why some early Christians believed that human destiny was controlled by hidden celestial forces, and how the soul could ultimately break free?Excerpts from Theodotus provides a compelling modern translation of one of the most vital surviving texts of Valentinian Gnosticism. Through these ancient fragments, attributed to the prominent Gnostic teacher Theodotus, readers are invited into a world where salvation is not merely a matter of faith,...