Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine

James L. Papandrea

Feb 2023 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Tom Parks

About this audiobook

Heresies, schisms, culture of death, persecutions, excommunications . . . While reflective of headlines from today, these difficulties roiled Christians of the early Church as well. The earliest Church manual, the Didache, brought clarity to a range of moral issues that our culture continues to grapple with to this day. Here is one of the most lucid and comprehensive overviews of the Patristic period ever written. With simplicity and clarity, Dr. James Papandrea introduces you to all the major theologians, philosophers, and martyrs of the early Christian church and explains the theological principles that guided the Church from the New Testament era through the apologists, and, ultimately, to the development of the major doctrines. He uniquely situates the teachings of the early Church Fathers against the social and cultural context of the Roman Empire and its relationship to the Church. Dr. Papandrea will introduce you to the gnostics and their influence on the early Church, as well as explain how Church mothers, such as Macrina the Younger, laid a foundation for the monastic life to come. You'll learn how our understanding of the sacraments developed and when devotion to Our Lady and the saints emerged. You'll also explore how the New Testament canon was formed as well as the criteria used to interpret early Christian writings.

About the author

James L. Papandrea is a teacher, author, speaker, and musician. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in music and theatre arts, Jim went on to receive his MDiv degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, then spent several years in full time ministry, focusing on youth and music ministry.

Since recording his first book for the Kansas Audio Reader Network in 1985, Tom Parks has enjoyed giving voice to stories. He has been nominated for Audie Awards and has received several AudioFile Earphones Awards, and reviewers have described his performances as "conversational," "energetic," and "sincere."