patristic
Early church theologians
Patristic refers to the early Church Fathers—Christian theologians and writers from roughly the first through eighth centuries—and their writings, teachings, and era: patristic literature, patristic theology.
The field of patristics studies these foundational texts and thinkers who shaped Christian doctrine after the New Testament period.
Fourth-century church father
Study of church theology
- episcopateBishops as a body
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- liturgyFormal worship structure
- sacramentsSacred Christian rites
baptism · catechumen · diocese · synod · canon law · basilica · asceticism · monasticism
First-century Christian communities
- apostolicOf the first disciples
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
- AlexandrianOf a famed Egyptian city
- desert fathersEarly monks of Egypt
monasticism · Constantinople · Ephesus · persecution · martyrdom
Religious discourse on scripture
- treatiseFormal scholarly composition
- epistleFormal literary letter
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
- apologeticsSystematic doctrine defense
hagiography · vitae · confessions · contra · refutation · shepherd · apocrypha · pseudepigrapha
Study of historical texts
- paleographyStudy of ancient handwriting
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
- critical editionAnnotated authoritative text version
redaction criticism · apparatus · recension · transmission · collation · editio princeps
Adherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- creedStatement of belief
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
- eschatologyStudy of ultimate destiny
trinitarian · incarnation · atonement · original sin · typology · allegory · Gnosticism
Augustine
Fourth-century church father
ecclesiology
Study of church theology
- episcopateBishops as a body
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- liturgyFormal worship structure
sacraments · baptism · catechumen · diocese · synod · canon law · basilica · asceticism · monasticism · anchorite
early church
First-century Christian communities
- apostolicOf the first disciples
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
- AlexandrianOf a famed Egyptian city
desert fathers · monasticism · Constantinople · Ephesus · persecution · martyrdom
homily
Religious discourse on scripture
- treatiseFormal scholarly composition
- epistleFormal literary letter
- commentaryExplanatory remarks on events
apologetics · hagiography · vitae · confessions · contra · refutation · shepherd · apocrypha · pseudepigrapha · dialogue
philology
Study of historical texts
- paleographyStudy of ancient handwriting
- hermeneuticsStudy of interpretation methods
- exegesisCritical textual interpretation
critical edition · redaction criticism · apparatus · recension · transmission · collation · editio princeps
orthodoxy
Adherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- creedStatement of belief
- dogmaUnchallengeable official beliefs
eschatology · trinitarian · incarnation · atonement · original sin · typology · allegory · Gnosticism
patristicmodern
Of recent times
contemporary · postmodern · medieval · scholastic · Reformation
patristicrabbinic
Of Jewish religious scholars
Islamic · secular · non-Christian · pagan
- patristic literatureEarly church fathers' writings
father, patron, paternal, patrician, patriarch, padre, paternity, patriarchal, patricians