Daily Readings – The Early Church Fathers

by Nick R. Needham (Editor), John Chrysostom, Irenaeus of Lyons

The early church fathers have always had a special place in Christian theology. As the first interpreters of the gospel, we often find in their words a sense of the gospel's sheer freshness and reality. More than this, they were the thinkers who first hammered out the full meaning of what Scripture says about the Trinity and the person of Christ. Their sayings, presented here by Nick Needham, are more than just relevant - they present the opportunity to kindle within us something of that same healthy and godly spirit.

Genres: Theology, Christianity, Christian, Church History, Devotional, History, Nonfiction

739 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2017

About the author

Dr. Nick Needham is senior minister of Inverness Reformed Baptist Church and tutor in church history at Highland Theological College in Dingwall, Scotland.

Dr. Needham is a Londoner by birth and upbringing. He studied theology at New College, Edinburgh University, where he specialized in Church History. He also taught a course at New College on the life and works of the Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli, at the same time completing his PhD thesis on the nineteenth-century Scottish theologian Thomas Erskine of Linlathen. He then taught Systematic Theology at the Scottish Baptist College in Glasgow for several years before spending a semester at the Samuel Bill Theological College, where he taught Church History. After a period as assistant pastor in a church in north London, he moved to the Highland Theological College, Dingwall, where he teaches Church History.

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike most other daily readings from a group of men, this follows a single author for an entire month before moving onto the next author. So in August you spend a month with the great Bishop of Hippo, for example.

The readings from each Father begin with their doctrine of God, then the Trinity, followed by Christ or Christology, salvation, the nature of faith, the Christian walk, and ending with exhortations. And so one gets a mini systematic theology from each writer which ends in the practical (somewhat like the structure of the Epistles).

Needham is the ideal guide.

Loved this.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book on 10 November 2020 and began reading through it immediately. Consequently, I have finished it prior to 31 December this year, though I will re-read the entries that I have read previously! It is a really good introduction to the writings of twelve different early church fathers. Even those of us who have read a lot of the patristics will benefit both from the readings themselves and the references to the sources from which they are lifted.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great devotional reading through some of the church fathers.

[Sandy Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read a page a day this year after my daily Bible readings. A month’s readings from early church fathers such as Chrysostom, Irenaeus, Gregory Nazianzus, Augustine and Athanasius.

If you’ve been raised on Protestant grammatico-historical exegesis, sometimes you will scratch your heads. But often you will notice links you’d not considered, some of them truly enriching. And you’ll probably be a lot stronger in classical trinitarian theology, christology, sanctification and so many other areas of theology. And many of the great 16th century reformers were keen to show themselves in continuity with the early church fathers as much as possible

Edited by Nick Needham (a Scottish Baptist church history lecturer and published by Christian Heritage in a lovely small (faux?) leather gift edition.

I think this is very accessible for a maturing thoughtful Christian layperson and I have gladly bought copies for all my colleagues on the ministry team where I serve.

[Tanner Keen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this over the course of 2023, each month contained the writings of one Early Church Father. Each short daily reading could be read in about three minutes or less. Deepened my understanding and appreciation of the early church fathers and their theology as it shaped the formation of Christian thought and history. Would recommend to any believer as a daily devotional.

Plan to read the same series’ Puritans daily reading in 2024.

[David Dunlap · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a year-long devotional of writings taken from, as the title indicates, the Early Fathers of the Christian Church. To be specific: John Chrysostom, Irenaeus of Lyons, Gregory the Theologian, Cyprian of Carthage, Basil of Caesarea, Jerome, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine of Hippo, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose of Milan, Cyril of Alexandria, and Athanasius the Great. As is, I suspect, the case in all books of this kind, some of the writers -- and some of their writings -- hit the bull's-eye for the reader at the time they are being read, while others do not. I confess that I found some of these saints to be too deep for me, but I am thankful to have made their acquaintance nonetheless...

[Jeremy Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent selection of spiritually edifying and illuminating readings from the Ancient Church Fathers. Coming from the reformed, Protestant, and Baptist tradition, I appreciated the exposure to early Christian writers that I have neglected and overlooked. The book covers twelve different authors, one per month. This gave me a feel for each writer, and I discovered several authors I would like to explore further. This yearlong daily reader is a blessing! So thankful for the editing, compilation, and publishing of this useful and enriching resource!

[David Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Needham has created a book of daily readings which is a real blessing to the church.  I have used it for the past year each day.  January is readings from Chrysostom, Feb Irenaeus and so on throughout the year.  These are all absolute gems.  They give an insight into Scripture, God and the Christian faith - that is both historical and biblical.  There are so many profound and quotable quotes.  Every Christian can learn from the early Church Fathers.   This is also a beautifully produced leather book. 

"There is nothing like humility:  This is the parent, root, guardian, groundwork, and unifying force of all good things.  Without humility, we are detestable, disgusting and defiled.  If there were someone raising the dead, healing the lame, cleansing lepers but doing it with boastful self-satisfaction, there could be nothing more disgusting, nothing more ungodly, nothing more odious.  Reckon nothing to be of yourself"  (Chrysostom - January 21st" 

[Ryan Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A different sort of devotional, this is a collection of early Church Fathers’ writings, a new Father each month. It served as a wonderful introduction and was timely for me as I read several treatises by various Fathers later this year. I thoroughly enjoyed nearly all of the included authors and most entries were profitable and encouraging in my walk with Christ. The wisdom of these authors from so early in history plus their remarkably applicable teachings even to today’s social & theological issues was eye-opening.

[Mark Loughridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good way to be introduced to the church fathers. A month is given to each of twelve of them. I found some more soul feeding than others but that serves to direct any further reading in the early church fathers.

[Ivan Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK!
For all Church History Geeks. A daily devotional that touches on an important period in Church History