After the Gospels: Readings from Great Christians of the Early Church Book

Most people have heard of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter and James, and probably know that they have something to do with "the Bible". But these men, the named authors of books of what we call the "New Testament", were in fact only part of a profusion of writing which flowed from the life of the early Church, much of which is not included in our Bibles today. To understand both the life of the early Church and the New Testament itself, we need the broader picture which these other writings give us - a picture of a Church vibrant with faith, tense with expectation, desperate to preserve its distinctive truths. The writers are people of genuine spiritual stature and enormous personal courage. Leading a community which had no settled hierarchy, no agreed Scriptures, and no recognized status in society, it was they who shaped the Church of the first three centuries. This book provides a chance to sample their writings, to sense something of the joy, pain, faith and courage of those early days. It includes around 100 readings, grouped by original author, comprising one sentence quote from their writings, followed by comment by David Winter and a linked Bible reference.Read More