The Teachings of the Church Fathers
The Teachings of the Church Fathers
by John R. Willis, S.J.
496 pages
The Fathers of the Church have been a vital source of wisdom and inspiration for countless saints, popes, peasants, and converts throughout the history of the Church. In this powerful one-volume library, Father Willis presents, under selected doctrinal topics, an exhaustive selection of writing from the major sources of the Fathers. He lets the Fathers speak for themselves on a wide variety of spiritual themes.
"Although the Fathers of the Church are powerful testimony to the truth of the Catholic faith, few Catholics know this because few know them. But how to get to know the Fathers? Their collected writings occupy a long bookshelf, and most of what they have to say, while valuable in itself, is not germane to issues on the minds of today's Catholics and non-Catholics. To learn their teachings on a discrete topic, one must wade through much that is interesting though irrelevant. Fortunately for us, Fr. John Willis found the time and had the desire. The Teachings of the Church Fathers is arranged thematically, much like The Catechism of the Catholic Church, to which this book is a useful supplement. He has gathered key paragraphs from the Fathers, collecting them under 250 topics and providing extensive cross-references. The result is a fat book that is easy to read. The Catholic who wants to convince non-Catholics of the antiquity of Church teachings and practices can find just the evidence he needs." Karl Keating
"What a privilege it would be to sit before a cosy fire deep in conversation with all the Fathers of the Church-some of whom even personally knew the Apostles. Imagine the lively discussion on things biblical and theological. Imagine them talking to you about prayer, the love of God, and spirituality. You are in for a treat because Fr. John Willis has arranged just such an intimate meeting! In his book The Teachings of the Church Fathers, he takes you back in time for a very up-to-date conversation with the Fathers on over 250 topics all in an easily readable and accessible format. Take a seat, open the book, and join in the conversation." Stephen Ray
