Who are The Church Fathers? What did the early Christians believe and practice?



Can the writings from the Church Fathers and Doctors of the Church be trusted and did they really defend Christianity against heresies?

The Fathers of the Church or The Early Church Fathers were apologists that defended the Church from heresies and continued to teach what the apostles taught. They were called Fathers because of their leadership in the early Church, especially in defending, expounding, and developing Christian doctrines. The early church fathers passionately worked to proclaim the gospel, protect the truth regarding Jesus, and establish Christian doctrine.


Some time around the year A.D. 107, there was a bishop of Antioch in Syria named Ignatius. Ignatius had been bishop in Antioch for nearly forty years. This means he had been named bishop of the Church there while some of the original apostles were still alive and preaching. Ignatius was closer to Jesus’ crucifixion than we are to World War I.


He left us seven letters showing us what the Church was like. Read those letters here.


The list of Church Fathers includes such notables as:


Clement of Rome 97 A.D.

Ignatius of Antioch 110 A.D.

Polycarp of Smyrna 155 A.D.

Justin Martyr (the Church’s first major lay apologist; 165 A.D.

Irenaeus of Lyons 202 A.D.

Cyprian 258 A.D.

Athanasius of Alexandria 373 A.D.

Basil 379 A.D.

Cyril of Jerusalem 386 A.D.

Ambrose 397 A.D.

John Chrysostom 407 A.D.

Jerome 420 A.D.

Augustine of Hippo 430 A.D.

Cyril of Alexandria 444 A.D

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