A monumental and indispensable collection of early Christian writings, providing a comprehensive and authoritative survey of the theological debates, controversies, and developments of the first seven centuries of the Christian era. Edited and annotated by Philip Schaff, a leading American scholar and theologian of the 19th century, this multi-volume work brings together the most important and influential works of the Church Fathers, offering a rich and varied treasure trove of spiritual, intellectual, and cultural heritage for scholars, students, and lay readers alike. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.