Beschreibung:
The Didache is one of the earliest Christian writings, earlier than most of the documents that make up the New Testament. It provides practical instructions on how a Christian community should function, and offers unique insights into the way the earliest Christians lived and worshipped. In this highly readable introduction, Thomas O'Loughlin tells the intriguing story of the Didache, from its discovery in the late nineteenth century to the present. He then provides an illuminating commentary on the entire text, highlighting areas of special interest to Christians today, and ends with a fresh translation of the text itself.
List of illustrations viiiPreface ixAcknowledgements xiIntroduction xiii1 A chance discovery 12 Choosing a way 283 Joining the group 464 Prayer and fasting 665 Meeting and eating 856 A network of service 1057 Fears and hope 1298 The challenge of the Didache 145The Teaching of the Lord Given to the Gentilesby the Twelve Apostles 161Further reading 172Index of biblical and ancient texts 179Index of authors and subjects 182