The First Christians

What Did the Early Church Believe?

The early Christians left a written record of what they believed and how they lived it. Not doctrine at a distance — but the living faith of real communities. Browse by topic and read for yourself.

Abraham
Adam and Eve
Adoption
Adoptionism
Allegory
Almsgiving
Ambrose
Angels
Anger
Anointing of the Sick
Apollinarianism
Apophatic Theology
Apostolic Succession
Arianism
Asceticism
Athanasius
Augustine
Baptism
Basil of Caesarea
Biblical Interpretation
Bishops
Cataphatic Theology
Catechesis
Celibacy
Charity
Children
Chrismation
Christus Victor
Church Discipline
Civic Life
Clement of Alexandria
Clement of Rome
Communicatio Idiomatum
Confession
Confirmation
Conscience
Contemplation
Creation
Cyprian
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Jerusalem
Deacons
Death
Demons
Dispassion
Divine Accommodation
Divine Energies
Divine Impassibility
Divine Simplicity
Divinization
Divorce
Docetism
Donatism
Ebionism
Ephrem the Syrian
Eusebius of Caesarea
Excommunication
Exodus
Exorcism
Extreme Unction
Faith
Fasting
Free Will
Genesis
Gladiatorial Games
Gnosticism
Government
Grace
Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nyssa
Gregory the Great
Heaven
Hell
Heresy
Hippolytus
Hospitality
Humility
Icons
Ignatius of Antioch
Infant Baptism
Intercession
Irenaeus
Jerome
Jesus Christ
John Chrysostom
John of Damascus
Judaism
Judgment
Justice
Justification
Justin Martyr
Lactantius
Leo the Great
Love
Lying
Macedonianism
Manichaeism
Marcionism
Marriage
Martyrdom
Maximus the Confessor
Modalism
Monasticism
Monophysitism
Montanism
Moral Influence Theory
Moses
Mysticism
Natural Theology
Nestorianism
Noah
Novatianism
Oaths
Ordination
Origen
Original Sin
Paganism
Peace
Pelagianism
Penal Substitution
Penance
Persecution
Philosophy
Pilgrimage
Polycarp
Poverty
Prayer
Predestination
Pride
Priests
Prophecy
Prostration
Purgatory
Ransom Theory
Reason
Redemption
Relics
Repentance
Rome
Salvation
Sanctification
Schism
Scripture
Scripture and Tradition
Sexuality
Sin
Slavery
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Warfare
Subordinationism
Sunday
Tears of Compunction
Tertullian
The Afterlife
The Age of the World
The Antichrist
The Apostles' Creed
The Ascension
The Atonement
The Beatitudes
The Body
The Book of Isaiah
The Book of Job
The Book of Proverbs
The Book of Revelation
The Canon of Scripture
The Catechumenate
The Church
The Council of Carthage
The Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Constantinople
The Council of Ephesus
The Council of Nicaea
The Creed
The Cross
The Descent into Hell
The Devil
The Divine Logos
The Divine Office
The Eight Thoughts
The Emperor
The End of the World
The Epistle to the Hebrews
The Epistle to the Romans
The Eternal Generation of the Son
The Eucharist
The Fall
The Filioque
The Gospel of John
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Matthew
The Great Apostasy
The Holy Spirit
The Hypostatic Union
The Image of God
The Incarnation
The Kiss of Peace
The Knowledge of Christ
The Laity
The Last Judgment
The Last Rites
The Law of Moses
The Liturgy
The Lord's Prayer
The Marks of the Church
The Millennium
The Nicene Creed
The Obedience of Christ
The Old Testament
The Papacy
The Passions
The Poor
The Pre-Existence of Christ
The Procession of the Holy Spirit
The Psalms
The Recapitulation
The Resurrection
The Rich
The Rule of Faith
The Sabbath
The Saints
The Second Coming
The Sermon on the Mount
The Sign of the Cross
The Signs of the Times
The Sinlessness of Christ
The Six Days of Creation
The Song of Solomon
The Soul
The Titles of Christ
The Trinity
The Two Cities
The Two Natures of Christ
The Virgin Mary
The Will of Christ
The Word of God
Theater
Theological Controversy
Theophany
Theosis
Tonsure
Tradition
Typology
Usury
Vice
Vigils
Virgins
Virtue
War
Wealth
Widows
Women
Works
Worship

Catechized

Read What the Early Church Actually Said

Each month, Catechized delivers a beautifully printed primary source to your door — the actual text of the early church, not a modern summary. Build a real library of the Christian tradition, one book at a time.

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