The Cambridge Edition of Early Christian Writings: Volume 5, Community

The definitive anthology of early Christian texts in five thematically-organized volumes.

Bradley K. Storin (Edited by)

9781107062160, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 12 June 2025

608 pages
23.5 x 16.1 x 3.5 cm, 1.09 kg

The Cambridge Edition of Early Christian Writings provides the definitive anthology of early Christian texts, from ca. 100 CE to ca. 650 CE. Its volumes reflect the cultural, intellectual, and linguistic diversity of early Christianity, and are organized thematically on the topics of God, Practice, Christ, and Community. The series expands the pool of source material to include not only Greek and Latin writings, but also Syriac and Coptic texts. Additionally, the series rejects a theologically normative view by juxtaposing texts that were important in antiquity but later deemed 'heretical' with orthodox texts. The translations are accompanied by introductions, notes, suggestions for further reading, and scriptural indices. The fifth and final volume focuses on the theme of community within early Christian writings-how Christians joined the community, how they managed the community, how they conceptualized the community, and how they policed the community. It will be an invaluable resource for students and academic researchers in early Christian studies, history of Christianity, theology and religious studies, and late antique Roman history.

Part I. Entering the Community: 1. Gregory of Nazianzus, oration 18.5–17, 'funeral oration for his father'
2. Augustine of Hippo, confessions 8
3. Augustine of Hippo, sermon 279, 'on Paul the Apostle', for the Solemnity of his conversion
4. Patrick of Ireland, confession
Part II. Forming and Overseeing the Community: 5. Didache
6. Canons of the councils of Elvira and Arles
7. Gregory of Nazianzus, poem 2.1.12.25–47, 136–810, 'on himself and concerning the Bishops'
8. Gregory of Nazianzus, oration 43.1, 37–38, 43–53, 60–70, 77–80, 'funeral oration for Basil the great, Bishop of Cappadocian Caesarea'
9. Ambrose of Milan, letter 77 to his sister
10. Ambrose of Milan, letter outside the collection 1 to his sister
11. Selections from book 16 of the Theodosian code
12. Hilary of Arles, sermon on the life of saint Honoratus
13. The Monastic rules of Lérins and the counsels of Porcarius
14. Faustus of Riez, homily on saint Maximus, Bishop and Abbot
15. Shenoute of Atripe, I see your eagerness (discourses 5, work 1) and some kinds of people sift dirt and whoever seeks god will find (discourses 5, works 2 and 3)
Part III. Imagining the Community: 16. Tertullian of Carthage, on repentance and on modesty 1–4, 21–22
17. Cyprian of Carthage, on the oneness of the Catholic church (second edition)
18. Augustine of Hippo, letter 87 to emeritus of Caesarea
19. Augustine of hippo, sermons 227–229
20. Pseudo-Dionysius, on the ecclesiastical hierarchy 1, 5–7
Part IV. Policing the Community
21. Commodian, instructions
22. Tertullian of Carthage, on the shows
23. Maximus of Turin, sermons 105–108
24. John Chrysostom, first oration against the Jews
25. Callinicus, the life of our sacred father, Hypatius of the Rufinianae Prol
26. Socrates Scholasticus, ecclesiastical history
27. Caesarius of Arles, sermons 53 and 54
Suggestions for further reading
Scriptural index.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA]