The Post-apostolic Age A D 100-


The post-apostolic age, extending from circa 100 to circa 140, is the age

of the beginnings of Gentile Christianity on an extended scale. It is

marked by the rapid spread of Christianity, so that immediately after its

close the Church is found throughout the Roman world, and the Roman

Government is forced to take notice of it and deal with it as a religion

(§§ 6, 7); the decline of the Jewish element in the Church and extreme
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hostility of Judaism to the Church (§ 5); the continuance of chiliastic

expectations (§ 10); the beginnings of the passion for martyrdom (§ 8); as

well as the appearance of the forms of organization and worship which

subsequently became greatly elaborated and remained permanently in the

Church (§§ 12-15); as also the appearance of religious and moral ideas

which became dominant in the ancient Church (§§ 11, 12, 16). The

literature of the period upon which the study of the conditions and

thought of the Church of this age must be based is represented principally

by the so-called Apostolic Fathers, a name which is convenient, but

misleading and to be regretted. These are Clement of Rome, Barnabas,

Ignatius, Polycarp, Papias, Hermas; with the writings of these are

commonly included two anonymous books known as the Didache, or Teaching

of the Twelve Apostles, and the Epistle to Diognetus. From all of these

selections are given.(4)



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