Getting to Know the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction - Paperback

by Bryan M. Litfin (Author)

A Trusted Introduction to the Church Fathers

This concise introduction to the church fathers connects evangelical students and readers to twelve key figures from the early church. Bryan Litfin engages readers with actual people, not just abstract doctrines or impersonal events, to help them understand the fathers as spiritual ancestors in the faith. The first edition has been well received and widely used. This updated and revised edition adds chapters on Ephrem of Syria and Patrick of Ireland. The book requires no previous knowledge of the patristic period and includes original, easy-to-read translations that give a brief taste of each writer's thought.

Back Jacket

For an evangelical world awakening to the importance of the early fathers of the church, this second edition of Dr. Litfin's work makes an important and continuing contribution to those seeking access to the writers and writings of that period. I am delighted to recommend this introductory work. The selection of twelve representative figures from the period of early Christianity is prudent and presented in an artful and practical manner.
--John D. Hannah, Dallas Theological Seminary

"After years of neglecting the fathers, evangelicals are waking up to the importance of the patristic era and the various significant authors who inhabited it. This new edition of Bryan Litfin's book on this period of church history is an extremely lucid and reliable guide. A must read."
--Michael A. G. Haykin, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"A tremendous service is provided by Litfin's introduction of the fathers for an audience that might be uninformed or even suspicious of an era of Christianity crucial to our identity. Insightful, studied, and clear, the work announces key figures, showing their relevance for the contemporary church. The new additions are a refreshing complement to the corpus of the early church where Christ-centered passion shaped writing and leadership from which the church eternally benefits."
--Brian Shelton, Toccoa Falls College

"If you are an American evangelical who is curious about the strange world of the early church, this book is just what you need. Litfin is a comforting and reliable guide through territory that is so unfamiliar. But this book will do more than allay your suspicions. The church fathers have much to teach us about Christianity, and Litfin's honest and probing discussions will help you think through your own faith in light of the grand narrative of the early Christian past."
--Donald Fairbairn, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

"Litfin introduces twelve towering figures from the church's history, from far east (Syria) to far west (Britain), inviting the reader into the thought world of the church fathers. These men (and one woman) built on the apostolic foundation through their lives and ministries and made the church strong in times of persecution and doctrinal uncertainty. Didactic and well-researched, this volume portrays the fathers fairly, displaying both their achievements and flaws. It is perfect for evangelicals who wish to connect with those who shaped a vital and rich period in Christian history."
--Stefana Dan Laing, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Author Biography

Bryan M. Litfin (PhD, University of Virginia) is head of strategy and advancement at Clapham School, a classical Christian school in Wheaton, Illinois. He previously served as professor of theology at Moody Bible Institute. He is the author of several books, including Early Christian Martyr Stories, and has written numerous scholarly articles and essays.