APOSTOLIC
638
APOSTOLIC
in Christian literature before the end of the seven-
teenth ccnturj'. The term Apostolic, however,
was commonly vised to qualify Churches, persons,
writings, etc. from the early second century, when
St. Ignatius, in the exordium of his Epistle to the
Trallians, saluted their Church "after the Apostolic
manner." In 1672 Jean Baptiste Cotelier (Cotele-
rius) published his "SS. Patrum qui temporibus
apostolicis floruerunt opera", which title was abbre-
viated to "Bibliotheca Patrum Apostolicorum" by
L. J. Ittig in his edition (Leipzig, 1699) of the same
WTitings. Since then the term has been universally
used. The list of Fathers included under this title
has varied, literary criticism having removed some
who were formerly considered as second-century
writers, while the publication (Constantinople, 1883)
of the Didache has added one to the list.
Chief in importance are the three first-century
Bishops: St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch,
and St. Polycarp of Smyrna, of whose intimate
personal relations with the Apostles there is no
doubt. Clement, Bishop of Rome and third suc-
cessor of St. Peter in the Papacy, "had seen the
blessed Apostles [Peter and Paul] and had been
conversant with them" (Irenipus, Adv. Haer., Ill,
iii, 3). Ignatius was the second successor of St.
Peter in the See of Antioch (Eusebius, Hist. EccL,
III, 36) and during his life in that centre of Christian
activity may have met with others of the Apostolic
band. An accepted tradition, substantiated by
the similarity of Ignatius's thought with the ideas
of the Johannine writings, declares him a disciple of
St. John. Polycarp was "instructed by Apostles"
(Irena-us, op. cit.. Ill, iii, 4) and had been a disciple
of St. John (Eusebius, op. cit.. Ill, 36; V, 20) whose
contemporary he was for nearly twenty years. Be-
sides these, whose rank as Apostolic Fathers in the
strictest sense is undisputed, there are two first-
century writers whose place with them is generally
conceded: the author of the Didache and the
author of the "Epistle of Barnabas". The former
affirms that his teaching is that of the Apostles,
and his work, perhaps the earliest extant piece of
uninspired Christian literature, gives colour to his
claim; the latter, even if he be not the Apostle and
companion of St. Paul, is held by many to have
written during the last decade of the first century,
and may have come under direct Apostolic influence,
though his Epistle does not clearly suggest it.
By extension of the term to comprise the extant
extra-canonical literature of the sub-Apostolic age,
it is made to include the "Shepherd" of Hermas,
the New Testament prophet, who was believed to be
the one referred to by St. Paul (Rom. xvi, 14), but
whom a safer tradition makes a brother of Pope
Pius I (c. 140-150); the meagre fragments of the
"Expositions of the Di.scour.ses of the Lord", by
Papias, who may have been a disciple of St. John
(Irenajus, Adv. Hoer., V, 331-334), though more
probably he received his teaching at second liand
from a "presbyter" of that name (Eusebius, Hist.
Eccl., Ill, .39); the " Letter to Diognctus ", the un-
known author of which affirms his disciplcsliip with
the Apostles, but his claim nm.st be takon in the
broad sense of conformity in spirit and (I'lichiiis.
In addition to these there were formeriv JMchulrd
apocryphal writings of some of the abcive I'allicis,
the "Constitutions" and "Canons of the Apostles"
and the works accredited to Dionysius the Areopa-
gite, who, thoiigh himself a disciple of the Apostles,
was not the author of the works bearing his name.
Though generally rejected, the homily of Pseudo-
Clenient (ICpistola .sccunda dementis) is by some
eoMsidcred as being as worthy of a place among the
Apo.slohc I'athers, as is its contemporary, the "Shep-
herd" of llermas.
The period of time covered by these writings ex-
tends from the last two decades of the first century
for the Didache (80-100), Clement (c. 97), and
probably Pseudo- Barnabas (96-98), through the
first half of the second century, the appro.ximate
chronology being Ignatius, 110-117; Polycarp,
110-120; Hermas, in its present form, e. 150;
Papias, c. 150. Geographically, Rome is repre-
sented by Clement and Hermas; Polycarp wrote
from Smyrna, whence also Ignatius sent four of the
seven epistles which he wrote on his way from An-
tioch through Asia Minor; Papias was Bishop of
Hierapolis in Phrygia; the Didache was written
in Egypt or Syria; the letter of Barnabas in Alex-
andria. Tiie writings of the Apostolic Fathers are
generally epistolary in form, after the fashion of the
canonical Epistles, and were written, for the greater
part, not for the purpose of instructing Christians
at large, but for the guidance of individuals or
local churches in some passing need. Happily, the
WTiters so amplified tlieir theme that they combine
to give a precious picture of the Christian community
in the age which follows the death of St. John. Thus
Clement, in paternal solicitude for the Churches com-
mitted to his care, endeavours to heal a dissension
at Corinth and insists on the principles of unity and
submission to authority, as best conduci^•e to peace;
Ignatius, fervent in his gratitude to the Churches
which solaced him on his way to martyrdom, sends
back letters of recognition, filled with admonitions
against the prevailing heresy and highly spiritual
exhortations to keep unity of faith in submission to
the bishops; Polycarp, in forwarding Ignatian letters
to Philippi, sends, as requested, a simple letter of
advice and encouragement. The letter of Pseudo-
Barnabas and that to Diognetus, the one polemical,
the other apologetic in tone, while retaining the same
form, seem to liave in view a wider circle of readers.
The other three are in the form of treatises: the
Didache, a manual of moral and liturgical in-
struction; the "Shepherd", a book of edification,
apocalyptic in form, is an allegorical representation
of the Church, the faults of her children and their
need of penance; the "Expositions" of Papias, an
exegetical commentary on the Gospels.
Written under such circumstances, the works of the Apostolic Fathers are not characterized by sys- tematic expositions of doctrine or brilliancy of style. " Diognetus " alone evidences literary skill and refine- ment. Ignatius stands out in relief by his striking personality and depth of view. Each writes for his present purpose, with a view primarily to the actiial needs of his auditors, but, in the exuberance of primitive charity and enthusiasm, his heart ])oiirs out its message of fidelity to the glorious Apostolic heritage, of encouragement in present difficulties, of solicitude for the future with its threatening dan- gers. The dominant tone is that of fervent tlexotion to the brethren in the Faith, revealing thcdeptli an<l breadth of the zeal which was imparted to the writci-s by the Apostles. The letters of the three bishops, together with the Didache, voice sincerest praise of the Apostles, whose memory the writers hold in deep filial devotion; but their recognition of the una|)- proachable superiority of their masters is equally well borne out by the absence in their letters of that distinctly inspired tone that marks the Apostles' writings. More abrupt, however, is the transition between the unpretentious style of the Apostolic Fathers and the scientific form of the treati.'ies of the Fathers of the subsequent periods. The fer\onl. piety, the afterglow of the day of Apostolic spiritu- ality, was noti to be found again in such fullness and simplicity. Letters breathing such sympathy and .solicitude were held in high esteem by the early Christians and by some were given an autliorily little inferior to that of the Scriptures. The I'"i])istU' of Clement was read in the Sunday assemblies at
