Description: The early Christian Church and the men who were most influential during the formative years have a profound relevance to the contemporary structure of the Church. The Apostolic Fathers: A Translation and Commentary provides a modern translation and commentary on the writings of these men, indispensable source material for the student of Church history. This volume, one of six, includes a translation of and commentary on the Letter to the Philippians of Polycarp of Smyrna, The Martyrdom of Polycarp, and Fragments of Papias.
Brief description: William R. Schoedel was born in Canada where he received his B.A. and M.A. degrees at University of Western Ontario. Subsequently he attendtheed Concordia Seminary in St. Louis and the University of Chicago, where he earned his doctorate. He has contributed to Hastings Dictionary of the Bible, the Encyclopedia Britannica, Religion in Life, Interpretation, Dialog and other journals. He has also translated the recently discovered "Gospel of Thomas" in The Secret Sayings of Jesus.