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40 Days with the Fathers (Revised Edition): A Daily Reading Plan
Revised Edition includes: a chronological timeline of the Early Church texts, a map displaying where the New Testament and early texts were written and sent, plus a map of Ignatius’ journey to martyrdom in Rome. As a small added bonus, at the end of each chapter there is now a "Notes" section so you can jot down any thoughts you have whilst doing your daily reading.
Take a journey through the first 400 years of Church History in only 40 days!
Over the course of this reading plan you will read extracts and commentary on ten different early Church texts from a selection of some of the most influential Church Fathers:
Didache, Diognetus, Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose of Milan, and Leo the Great.
These people who came before us, those great men of faith, many of whom suffered persecution and martyrdom to preserve the Church and Christ's mission, bridge the gap between the Bible and the present day. They fill the void we sometimes wonder about when we get to the end of reading Acts or the Epistles and think, “what happened next?” or “what happened to the Ephesian church after Paul left?” — well now you can read for yourself and see how God continued to grow His Church!
Take a journey through the first 400 years of Church History in only 40 days!
Over the course of this reading plan you will read extracts and commentary on ten different early Church texts from a selection of some of the most influential Church Fathers:
Didache, Diognetus, Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose of Milan, and Leo the Great.
These people who came before us, those great men of faith, many of whom suffered persecution and martyrdom to preserve the Church and Christ's mission, bridge the gap between the Bible and the present day. They fill the void we sometimes wonder about when we get to the end of reading Acts or the Epistles and think, “what happened next?” or “what happened to the Ephesian church after Paul left?” — well now you can read for yourself and see how God continued to grow His Church!
408 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2017
6 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Luke J. Wilson
6 books21 followersLuke holds a BA (Hons) in Biblical Studies and Theology from the University of Wales. He has also specialised in Western Christianity (200-1650) through Yale University, Magic in the Middle Ages via the University of Barcelona, and The Bible’s Prehistory, Purpose, and Political Future from Emory University. He has spent over seven years independently studying the works of the Early Church Fathers. After participating in short-term missions to South Africa, Luke co-founded WebBoss Ltd, a web development software company, with his father, Kevin. He currently resides in Devon, England.
When not working on his company or a new book, Luke writes frequently on his theological blog, The Sacred Faith, creates apologetic content for YouTube and TikTok, and tries to read more books than he has time for. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Lucy, and their daughter, Amelia.
When not working on his company or a new book, Luke writes frequently on his theological blog, The Sacred Faith, creates apologetic content for YouTube and TikTok, and tries to read more books than he has time for. He also enjoys spending time with his wife, Lucy, and their daughter, Amelia.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 5, 2020
Extra-Biblical Reading Plan Gives Fascinating Glimpse of Early Church
This book guides the reader through reading 40 different texts written by early Christian leaders, whom this author calls “Fathers.” He calls these extra-biblical texts, and some might have been considered for inclusion in the Bible at the time of its creation. Even though they were ultimately not included, they show what was going on in the minds of those early Christians. These readings dovetail quite nicely with what has become the standard Christian scripture and give a glimpse into a tumultuous time in Christian history—in fact, a time when it was not at all certain that Christianity would survive, let alone win converts all over the globe. These ancient writings certainly go hand-in-glove with the New Testament as we know it. In this book, for each day, he sets up what the original text is, giving its historical and scriptural context; he then gives his own thoughts about the original text (encouraging you to think about it as well), sometimes referring to specific biblical passages as well for further context and comparison. You can tell the author is enthusiastic about what he has learned from these texts. The original sources are available online, and the author has also collected them into a companion book. If you have any interest in the early Christian Church or other writings of the faith that will deepen and enrich your study of the Bible, you may very well enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
This book guides the reader through reading 40 different texts written by early Christian leaders, whom this author calls “Fathers.” He calls these extra-biblical texts, and some might have been considered for inclusion in the Bible at the time of its creation. Even though they were ultimately not included, they show what was going on in the minds of those early Christians. These readings dovetail quite nicely with what has become the standard Christian scripture and give a glimpse into a tumultuous time in Christian history—in fact, a time when it was not at all certain that Christianity would survive, let alone win converts all over the globe. These ancient writings certainly go hand-in-glove with the New Testament as we know it. In this book, for each day, he sets up what the original text is, giving its historical and scriptural context; he then gives his own thoughts about the original text (encouraging you to think about it as well), sometimes referring to specific biblical passages as well for further context and comparison. You can tell the author is enthusiastic about what he has learned from these texts. The original sources are available online, and the author has also collected them into a companion book. If you have any interest in the early Christian Church or other writings of the faith that will deepen and enrich your study of the Bible, you may very well enjoy this book.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
July 9, 2019
40 Days with the Fathers (Revised Edition): A Daily Reading Plan is an interesting, educational, and spiritual historical time travel.
As author Luke J. Wilson describes: "It's a wonderful thing to be able to look back millennia and know that what we believe and follow as Christians has been faithfully passed on and preserved for all this time. Many doctrines we now take for granted were actually developed and defended during this time; carefully worded and formed to ensure that the truth of God doesn't get lost, diluted or warped for selfish gain."
What Happened After the Resurrection of Jesus?
Wilson’s 40 Days with the Fathers introduces and explores the work of ten influential historic writers: Didache, Diognetus, Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose of Milan, and Leo the Great.
Through the course of these letters, epistles, apologetics, and catechisms, Wilson explains how the early Church leaders carried on after the resurrection of Jesus. How did the apostles move forward? What message did they and their disciples convey?
40 Days with the Fathers is a compilation of Wilson’s Lenten blog series and it touches on some of the schisms within the early church, as people began to interpret the Word of God, leading to differences of opinion that ultimately led to various sects of Christianity.
Christian History Suitable for Average Reader
The historical writings are served in bite-sized pieces and summarized in a succinct, digestible way. Wilson’s familiar writing style adeptly condenses each piece into core concepts that are understandable to the average reader. Each section is prefaced with a summary of who, what, why, and when. Wilson’s explanation of some of the practices of the day are both fascinating and help put the writing in context.
40 Days with the Fathers includes plenty of easy-to-navigate notes and definitions. One I used, for example: Docetism – The false teaching and belief that Jesus’ humanity was an illusion.
Can Serve as Spiritual Journey
Throughout his book, Wilson proves that it’s more than a history lesson. He brings the messages home to us today, challenging our personal and spiritual growth. He says: "Though the Docetic heresy may not be prominent today, does a form of it dwindle in your thoughts? Has the reality of the Gospel really taken root in your heart and mind? Meditate on the reality of the Gospel message and on Jesus – his incarnation and manifestation in this world 2000 years ago – and consider the reality of his Spirit now dwelling in you today. Let that really take a hold of you as you go about your day."
How it Touched Me
Personally, I found it intriguing where man began to expand on God’s Word - opening God's Word to human interpretation. As one example, in Didache 2, we see man's early interpretation of the commandments, stated as fact:
And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbour, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbour.
This book also gave me an appreciation of the effort of the early church leaders, the original apologetics, trying to convince doubters of the truth of the resurrection and establishing practices that would form Christian sects for thousands of years to come. It reminded me that I take for granted not having to fear being persecuted for being a Christian in America. I sometimes forget the enormous struggle of the earliest Christians and the turmoil that must have existed.
40 Days with the Fathers is both an enjoyable history lesson and a spiritual journey.
Who Would Like This Book:
Historians, especially biblical and Christian, and apologetics will enjoy this book. Anyone looking for a personal spiritual journey or a connection to the forefathers from over two thousand years would find it in 40 Days with the Fathers. Christians who truly absorb the messages in this book will be more enriched for having done so.
See more reviews at: http://findinggodamongus.com/reviews/
As author Luke J. Wilson describes: "It's a wonderful thing to be able to look back millennia and know that what we believe and follow as Christians has been faithfully passed on and preserved for all this time. Many doctrines we now take for granted were actually developed and defended during this time; carefully worded and formed to ensure that the truth of God doesn't get lost, diluted or warped for selfish gain."
What Happened After the Resurrection of Jesus?
Wilson’s 40 Days with the Fathers introduces and explores the work of ten influential historic writers: Didache, Diognetus, Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose of Milan, and Leo the Great.
Through the course of these letters, epistles, apologetics, and catechisms, Wilson explains how the early Church leaders carried on after the resurrection of Jesus. How did the apostles move forward? What message did they and their disciples convey?
40 Days with the Fathers is a compilation of Wilson’s Lenten blog series and it touches on some of the schisms within the early church, as people began to interpret the Word of God, leading to differences of opinion that ultimately led to various sects of Christianity.
Christian History Suitable for Average Reader
The historical writings are served in bite-sized pieces and summarized in a succinct, digestible way. Wilson’s familiar writing style adeptly condenses each piece into core concepts that are understandable to the average reader. Each section is prefaced with a summary of who, what, why, and when. Wilson’s explanation of some of the practices of the day are both fascinating and help put the writing in context.
40 Days with the Fathers includes plenty of easy-to-navigate notes and definitions. One I used, for example: Docetism – The false teaching and belief that Jesus’ humanity was an illusion.
Can Serve as Spiritual Journey
Throughout his book, Wilson proves that it’s more than a history lesson. He brings the messages home to us today, challenging our personal and spiritual growth. He says: "Though the Docetic heresy may not be prominent today, does a form of it dwindle in your thoughts? Has the reality of the Gospel really taken root in your heart and mind? Meditate on the reality of the Gospel message and on Jesus – his incarnation and manifestation in this world 2000 years ago – and consider the reality of his Spirit now dwelling in you today. Let that really take a hold of you as you go about your day."
How it Touched Me
Personally, I found it intriguing where man began to expand on God’s Word - opening God's Word to human interpretation. As one example, in Didache 2, we see man's early interpretation of the commandments, stated as fact:
And the second commandment of the Teaching; You shall not commit murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not commit pederasty, you shall not commit fornication, you shall not steal, you shall not practice magic, you shall not practice witchcraft, you shall not murder a child by abortion nor kill that which is born. You shall not covet the things of your neighbour, you shall not swear, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not speak evil, you shall bear no grudge. You shall not be double-minded nor double-tongued, for to be double-tongued is a snare of death. Your speech shall not be false, nor empty, but fulfilled by deed. You shall not be covetous, nor rapacious, nor a hypocrite, nor evil disposed, nor haughty. You shall not take evil counsel against your neighbour.
This book also gave me an appreciation of the effort of the early church leaders, the original apologetics, trying to convince doubters of the truth of the resurrection and establishing practices that would form Christian sects for thousands of years to come. It reminded me that I take for granted not having to fear being persecuted for being a Christian in America. I sometimes forget the enormous struggle of the earliest Christians and the turmoil that must have existed.
40 Days with the Fathers is both an enjoyable history lesson and a spiritual journey.
Who Would Like This Book:
Historians, especially biblical and Christian, and apologetics will enjoy this book. Anyone looking for a personal spiritual journey or a connection to the forefathers from over two thousand years would find it in 40 Days with the Fathers. Christians who truly absorb the messages in this book will be more enriched for having done so.
See more reviews at: http://findinggodamongus.com/reviews/
February 24, 2018
The average reader of the Bible may not be aware of letters and documents written concurrently, or just after the time the Gospels and the Apostolic letters of the New Testament were written. While names like Augustine and Justin Martyr may sound familiar to some, many today may not feel confident picking up where the Bible left off and reading the early fathers, their interpretations of the Bible, and their instructions to the early church. Author Luke Wilson has provided an easy and accessible book to do just that, in 40 Days with the Fathers.
Originally written to be a Lenten reading, several early writings of the church have been summarized into forty helpful chapters, introducing the reader to various early fathers, their writings, and why they are important to Christianity. As the author points out, "the Bible didn't just drop out of the sky," but was a process of selecting and preserving orthodox teaching. Some of the early fathers were actually contemporaries of the apostles Paul and John, and wrote to expound on their teachings to church communities.
Each chapter begins with a helpful synopsis of the document, who wrote it, and why it is important. I appreciate that the author encouraged the reader to read the full texts on their own. And I myself was prompted to further read early writings, such as The Didache and The Life of Anthony. As a side note, many of these writings can easily be found online. This was a good overview of early Christian writings. And while I thought the writing was almost too casual at times, this book is a great place to start if you have ever been curious about early Christian writings beyond the pages of the Bible.
Originally written to be a Lenten reading, several early writings of the church have been summarized into forty helpful chapters, introducing the reader to various early fathers, their writings, and why they are important to Christianity. As the author points out, "the Bible didn't just drop out of the sky," but was a process of selecting and preserving orthodox teaching. Some of the early fathers were actually contemporaries of the apostles Paul and John, and wrote to expound on their teachings to church communities.
Each chapter begins with a helpful synopsis of the document, who wrote it, and why it is important. I appreciate that the author encouraged the reader to read the full texts on their own. And I myself was prompted to further read early writings, such as The Didache and The Life of Anthony. As a side note, many of these writings can easily be found online. This was a good overview of early Christian writings. And while I thought the writing was almost too casual at times, this book is a great place to start if you have ever been curious about early Christian writings beyond the pages of the Bible.
January 5, 2018
If you ever wondered if there was more to the Bible, or felt as if something was missing from The Greatest Story Ever Told, then this daily guide is your hidden treasure! I never realized there were teachings and scribes that as the author put it,"didn't make the cut." He explains how the Bible didn't just "fall out of the sky" but took careful consideration of doctrines to become scripture.
In 40 short chapters, 10-20 minutes a day, we learn there are surprisingly more than just TEN commandments, more thought on the Christian way to live as illustrated here in the early ideologies of church Fathers (way before Paul's theories and instructions!)
Starting off with the Didache, which he explains translates into " The teachings of the twelve apostles", these and other lessons shed light on further topics and precisely details more current sins in our world today.
Another chapter better explains why Judaism never accepted Jesus as the Messiah, which when I read it, became an "aha" moment, since I never knew why.
Originally starting off as a blog, Luke Wilson documented a church teaching a day, meant for Lent. He breaks these topics down into digestible bites. At first thought, these scholarly teachings might seem as ancient and heavy as huge dusty bound volumes forgotten in a library, but Wilson's writing style is contemporary and makes these epiphanies a breeze to comprehend. I recommend this book to anyone seeking more knowledge and clarity on Christianity.
In 40 short chapters, 10-20 minutes a day, we learn there are surprisingly more than just TEN commandments, more thought on the Christian way to live as illustrated here in the early ideologies of church Fathers (way before Paul's theories and instructions!)
Starting off with the Didache, which he explains translates into " The teachings of the twelve apostles", these and other lessons shed light on further topics and precisely details more current sins in our world today.
Another chapter better explains why Judaism never accepted Jesus as the Messiah, which when I read it, became an "aha" moment, since I never knew why.
Originally starting off as a blog, Luke Wilson documented a church teaching a day, meant for Lent. He breaks these topics down into digestible bites. At first thought, these scholarly teachings might seem as ancient and heavy as huge dusty bound volumes forgotten in a library, but Wilson's writing style is contemporary and makes these epiphanies a breeze to comprehend. I recommend this book to anyone seeking more knowledge and clarity on Christianity.
December 19, 2017
This book is an important work, compiling formidable historic documents from some of the most profound church leaders. Though some of the information is not new content, the compilation truly represents an immense and solid foundation that our entire Christian faith is built on.
Luke’s sequential and bite-size reading portions measure out a palatable intake that even new scholars can easily swallow. His insights and textual interconnections are through and invaluable to the reader. In fact, they are likely the silver that makes this book shine. Luke has certainly done his homework in regards to the background and details of both the ancient texts and the people who authored them.
Luke is an accomplished writer with excellent language constructs and idea flow. Though the content could be considered a bit stiff by novices, Luke’s style is anything but boring. He writes decisively, but does not waste words or repeat obvious ideas. Thus, his writing flows from subject to subject, pulling the reader along a steady and clear path. If you are a pastor or church leader, I highly recommend this book for you. It will round out your knowledge and help you become a better teacher.
I would like to thank Luke for bringing such important historical and spiritual works into the 21st century.
Luke’s sequential and bite-size reading portions measure out a palatable intake that even new scholars can easily swallow. His insights and textual interconnections are through and invaluable to the reader. In fact, they are likely the silver that makes this book shine. Luke has certainly done his homework in regards to the background and details of both the ancient texts and the people who authored them.
Luke is an accomplished writer with excellent language constructs and idea flow. Though the content could be considered a bit stiff by novices, Luke’s style is anything but boring. He writes decisively, but does not waste words or repeat obvious ideas. Thus, his writing flows from subject to subject, pulling the reader along a steady and clear path. If you are a pastor or church leader, I highly recommend this book for you. It will round out your knowledge and help you become a better teacher.
I would like to thank Luke for bringing such important historical and spiritual works into the 21st century.
February 4, 2020
This book contains recommendations of large passages to read from works from the early church. But if you do not own those works, or do not have the time to read that large chunk, that’s Ok. This book provides either a small section of the passage to read or summaries the large text.
Reading this book is an excellent way to get a feeling of what the Early Church looked like.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Reading this book is an excellent way to get a feeling of what the Early Church looked like.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 10, 2020
I am always cautious when choosing books such as this one but I have found this to be fundamentally sound and biblical based. If you want to know more about the books not included in the Bible they are not forbidden and this is an excellent study of them. Along with the companion book by the same author I have learned much.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 15, 2022
A great idea for a devotional, this with its companion texts volume offering the complete documents, gives an accessible view into the vast world of patristic theology. There are insights into trajectories taken and heresies opposed during the church's formative centuries. It's inevitably a snapshot, but a well thought out one.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews