Early Christian Documents Outside the NT

[jgh7]

What is your opinion of early Christian documents outside the NT? Specifically I briefly looked at 1 Clement. I was shocked at how long it was and am interested to read. I have taken an interest in studying historical Christianity. I am wondering if they are good sources for learning and strengthening faith. Or should one solely look to the Bible for this?

In my mind, if one can read modern Christian books and essays to strengthen their faith, then can these early Christian texts be thought of as so different simply because of how early they are?

Granted, if they are saying sacrilegious things, then that's understandable.

[Overcomer]

By all means, read them. Their authors are our spiritual ancestors. They give us great insight into what was going on in the early Christian church -- what the issues were that mattered to them, how they preached the gospel, which heresies they came up against, etc., along with discussions of Biblical texts and their meaning.

Also, you will find that atheists, Jehovah's Witnesses and others will misquote them to suit their own purposes. For example, they'll make it look like someone such as Justin Martyr didn't support the Trinity when, if you read his writings, it's obvious that he did. It's good to know what the early church fathers really said so that, when quotations are taken out of context and misused, you'll recognize that.

History is one of the things I studied at university so I'm a fan of it and will always recommend that others study it. However, having said that, the texts don't always make for easy reading.

Here is a site that offers a great many ancient documents:

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/

Not everything listed there is "of God". In fact, many of them are not. For example, Marcion was a heretic, yet his gospel is included there. But I think it's good to read the heretics' works, too, to see where they went astray and to watch for those same kinds of heresies still propagated today. As Solomon said, "There's nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiates 1:9). The old lies always seem to get recycled.

And there are the pseudipigrapha, that is, spurious gospels that bear the name of an early follower of Christ (such as the gospel of Thomas) that wasn't written by that person at all. When compared with the gospels in the canon, the differences are obvious.

And you can read the works of ancient historians such as Tacitus (Roman) and Josephus (Jewish) there.

As you rightly point out, the godly writers of those early centuries can strengthen our faith just as contemporary authors do.

May God bless you reading, jgh7!

[JehovahsWitness]

Also, you will find that atheists, Jehovah's Witnesses and others will misquote them to suit their own purposes. !

Jehovah's Witnesses never misquote anyone. You might like to give your advise without slandering anyone.

How's that for an idea?

JEHOVAH'S WITNESS

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by jgh7]

I think that being familiar with early Christian writings like being familiar with the writings of Charles Darwin is a valuable part of being well read. An atheist would be a better informed human being for doing so.

It's all good as long as one has the mindset that there is no such thing as religious truth and therefore is not on the search for it. Those that have decided that religious truth is the holy grail for which they search will question seriously where they expect to find it.

JW