Cyprian:
“He shows that our prayers and fastings are of less avail if they are not aided by almsgiving. . . . Life is redeemed from dangers by almsgiving. Souls are delivered from death by almsgiving.”
Irenaeus:
“When, however, they [the Gnostics] are confuted from the Scriptures, they turn around and accuse these same Scriptures as if they were not correct. . . . But, again, when we refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles, which is preserved by means of the successions of presbyters in the churches, they object to tradition, saying that they themselves are wiser not merely than the presbyters, but even than the apostles.”
Have you ever heard of Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Hermas, Papias, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen, Mark Felix, Cyprian, or Lactantius? If not, why not? Were these men of no significance to Christianity? Did they leave no writings behind? Didn’t they grapple with the same issues that Christians face today? Why have their views been hidden to the point that most Christians don’t even know their names?
Explore the beliefs of the early Christians (before AD 325) and compare them to what the Bible says and to what most churches teach today. We think you will find the journey to be enlightening, disconcerting, troubling, alarming, and yet perhaps strangely reassuring. Begin by exploring this site to see if the early Christians can help provide some answers to your questions – answers from men who actually learned at the feet of the Apostles or their disciples.
Let your journey begin…