Daily Readings – the Early Church Fathers

This is really excellent. I was really excited to discover this, which goes a long way to addressing evangelical Christians' ignorance of the early Church Fathers and their formative role in the development of our faith. An excellent introduction with wide-ranging readings giving highlights which particularly resonate with a protestant audience. The section on Chrysostom at the beginning is worth the price of the book on its own. A second volume covering early church writers not mentioned (Ignatius, Clement of Rome, Polycarp, , writer of the Epistle to Diognetus, Tertullian, etc, etc) would also be welcome, to at least give a taster for those of us who can't afford the full ante-nicene and post-nicene fathers volume set (financially or in terms of shelf-space!) to go through ourselves (you can get it for next to nothing on kindle but its impossible to navigate), It would be great also to have a similar selection of devotional readings from reformation writers (but I wouldn't want Nick Needham to be deflected from getting on with finishing his magnum opus, 2,000 years of Christ's Power, which is a real masterpiece which should be on every pastor and theologian's bookshelf). Well worth getting!

Nice little book, with pithy and somewhat fanciful readings of scripture, but to consider Chrysostom an early church 'Father' when he was tonsured around 370 AD suggests the usual bed hopping of an 'orthodoxic' Christian schooler, one imagined that Clement might start the journey but alas it seems the Christian Church really began with Rome's embrace and Caesar's tax free incentive.

A must-have, beautifully presented treasure trove of devotions. What a great idea to produce this - well done Nick Needham! The daily readings are sometimes a little hard to digest, but the style inevitably varies for each Father - and is forgivable. My only real criticism is that the book could do with being slightly larger to accommodate an increase in the font size ... the very small font makes it uncomfortably hard to read in the mornings in low light! I for one would pay a little more for it to be a point size bigger. Otherwise, this little book takes you on a thrilling journey of Christian thought each day stretching over almost two millennia. Don't miss out!

Excellent book and brilliant delivery. Thanks

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"

I throughly recommend to all Christians. The fullness and richness of the early church fathers are such a blessing as we read of their love and commitment to the faith. The daily readings are incredibly inspiring and encouraging as they reflect on scripture each day showing their utter devotion to it.

Needham has done a great job compiling some writings from the early Church Fathers.