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After the New Testament: The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers cover art

After the New Testament: The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers

Written by: Bart D. Ehrman, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Bart D. Ehrman
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Publisher's Summary

The writings that make up the New Testament stand at the very foundation of Christianity. But while Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the other books of the New Testament are known to almost everyone, the writings that Christians produced in the decades that followed these earliest compositions remain shrouded in virtual anonymity. Who were the Apostolic Fathers? Why were they given that name? And what windows into the shaping of Christianity's canon, church hierarchy, and creed are opened for us with an understanding of works that include the letters of 1 Clement or Ignatius, the Didache of the Apostles, or the Letter to Diognetus?

These 24 lectures introduce what is considered the most important collection of post-New Testament writings. Although largely unknown and unread, these writings provide a treasure trove of insights into Christianity, and they are crucial to understanding the development of a religion that was shaped largely outside the pages of the New Testament itself.

From the struggle for power and the beginnings of church hierarchy to electrifying 19th-century discoveries, this course is an extremely useful addition to the shelves of anyone who is fascinated by the history of ancient Christianity and its evolution into the dominant religion it is today.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2005 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2005 The Great Courses

What listeners say about After the New Testament: The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers

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A Very Informative, Enjoyable Learning Experience

A very open, academic investigation into early Christianity. The lecturer combines academic distance with investigatory curiosity for a pleasing and educational experience.

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Informative and Interesting

The core content of this course - that is, the material about the Apostolic Fathers - is truly fascinating and formative for me to learn about. Ehrman convinced me that more Christians should know about these works, and I've already begun teaching about them as a pastor. Nonetheless, I felt the need to withhold one star because there are times when he strays from the main content and makes overly generalized statements about topics that are outside of his expertise. For example, he repeatedly asserts that Matthew and Paul are polar opposites when it comes to the Jewish law, despite the fact that many modern Paul scholars would push back against that notion. These assertions didn't ruin the course by any means, but it would have been stronger without them.

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Overly Amero-centric

For someone as studied as Dr. Ehrman i'm amazed at how american centred this course is. It seems like he has never met a non-evangelical christian and often holds up those views as if they are the mainstream in the church as a whole. Aside from that the course is largely factually accurate.

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