Papias of Hierapolis: Early Church Fathers and the Early Church (Early Church Fathers and the Early Church Series)

PAPIAS OF HIERAPOLIS: EARLY CHURCH FATHERS AND THE EARLY CHURCH Step into the world of second-century Christianity through the compelling story of Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis (c. 60-130 AD). This meticulously researched account reconstructs the life and thought of one of Christianity’s most enigmatic yet pivotal early leaders whose writings–though now existing only in fragments–profoundly influenced how we understand the Gospels today. Drawing on archaeological findings from Hierapolis excavations (1957-2015), manuscript evidence spanning fifteen centuries, and the testimony of contemporaries like Irenaeus (180 AD) and later historians such as Eusebius (325 AD), this authoritative work presents Papias as a crucial bridge between apostolic eyewitnesses and developing Christian tradition. Catholics and all Christians interested in their faith’s foundations will appreciate this rigorous yet accessible examination of how Papias preserved “the living voice” of apostolic teaching during Christianity’s most vulnerable period of transition. His testimony about Mark writing “Peter’s memoirs” and Matthew compiling sayings “in Hebrew” constitutes our earliest evidence (c. 125 AD) for Gospel origins. Was Papias truly “of limited intelligence” as Eusebius claimed, or does his work represent sophisticated engagement with Judaism’s apocalyptic traditions? Did he know the Apostle John personally, or a separate “Elder John”? How did his methods of preserving authentic testimony establish patterns still essential to Catholic understanding of Scripture and Tradition? Discover why this obscure bishop continues to fascinate scholars after nearly two millennia and what his approach to faith’s “living transmission” teaches modern Christians about maintaining authentic connection to their origins while addressing contemporary questions. Scroll up and click the “add to cart” button to learn all that and more!