/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>>628221

Besides the New Testament, the earliest piece with any claim to authority is probably the Didache, which is an early catechism.

>http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html

This site has a good collection of other writings as well.

Be careful what you read from the first century after Christ though. One of the earliest and strongest heresies was Gnosticism, which produced a lot of fan fiction. A good piece against them is Against Heresies by Irenaeus.

>>628221

St. Justing the martyr's writings. And st. Ignatius of Antioch's writings are from the 1st century. We also have a letter to pope Clement from Corinthians, which is the oldest document outside the Bible we have.

Read "The Apostolic Fathers in English". It contains almost all of the known writings of 1st and early 2nd century Christians.

On your point about early Christians and the son of God, Larry Hurtado shows a "high christology" right from the start.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/larryhurtado.wordpress.com/2013/12/18/early-high-christology-clarifying-key-issues-and-positions/amp/

He has alot of essays available on his personal site so don't necessarily have to buy his books. He also has interesting work showing from a historical perspective, the best explanation for these developments in religious practices are religious experiences of the practicioners. In other words , revelation from the holy spirit shows Jesus followers that he is now exalted at the father's right hand.

So all Larry's work just backs up the scriptural picture. So instead of reading Larry just read the scriptures. But nice that someone has put in rigourous historical work without first taking up a doctrinal position and reading back into it.

Didache is really interesting, especially what it doesn't mention.

Why not read straight from the writings of the early Christians, namely the Church Fathers?

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/

I highly recommend St. Ignatius of Antioch, St. Clement, Tertullian, St. Jerome, basically all of them.

>>628682

Philip Schaff's collection offers them in a chronological order.

http://www.ccel.org/fathers.html

>>628224

>>628233

>>628238

>>628690

>>628682

Thanks for your answers guys but I'm already reading the early church fathers. I'm looking for stuff that predates even 1 clement. >>628652 is closer to what I'm looking for.

>>628653

I've read the didache and it seems to be some handybook for new Christians. Should explain its lack of theological stuff.

>>628653

I'll also like to add that it also mentions the triune formula of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

>>628964

Exactly, it seems like we in the West post-protestant world still jump straight into a saved by grace through faith with seekers but the apostolic way was to introduce to them to sermon on the mount daily living type stuff. Introduce them to Jesus before Paul. Which makes a lot of sense tbh

>>628988

Didn't really notice/consider that as significant - thanks for pointing it out

The book of Acts

>>628682

>church fathers

>early christians

read a fucking book you imbecile

>>629689

>the apostolic fathers are not church fathers

lol

>>628963

There is Didache and Epistle of Barnabas. Clement is third iirc.