The New Testament texts are not the only extant Christian writings from the first through early second centuries. In addition to these texts, there is a body of literature known as the Apostolic Fathers, which includes such texts as 1 Clement, the Didache, the Letters of Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas. The earliest of these texts likely is older than the latest books found in the New Testament. Some even appeared in early versions of the New Testament canon. In this course, we will read the Apostolic Fathers as well as selected other texts from approximately the same time frame, and consider their place within both early Christianity and contemporary scholarship.
