Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 The New Testament
- 2 The Christian literature of the first and second centuries
- 3 The Greek authors of the third century
- 4 Western authors of the third and early fourth centuries: Carthage and Rome
- 5 Fourth-century Alexandria and desert monasticism
- 6 Fourth-century Asia Minor: the Cappadocians
- 7 Palestine, Antioch and Syria
- 8 The Greek historians
- 9 The Apostolic Constitutions, Egeria, and the eastern councils
- 10 Western authors of the fourth and early fifth centuries
- 11 Augustine and minor western authors
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index of musical and liturgical terms and concepts
2 - The Christian literature of the first and second centuries
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1 The New Testament
- 2 The Christian literature of the first and second centuries
- 3 The Greek authors of the third century
- 4 Western authors of the third and early fourth centuries: Carthage and Rome
- 5 Fourth-century Alexandria and desert monasticism
- 6 Fourth-century Asia Minor: the Cappadocians
- 7 Palestine, Antioch and Syria
- 8 The Greek historians
- 9 The Apostolic Constitutions, Egeria, and the eastern councils
- 10 Western authors of the fourth and early fifth centuries
- 11 Augustine and minor western authors
- Epilogue
- Bibliography
- Index of musical and liturgical terms and concepts
Summary
The literature of this period consists primarily in the work of the Apostolic Fathers and the second century Greek Apologists. The Apostolic Fathers, figures like Clement of Rome and Ignatius of Antioch, are so called because of their proximity in time to the New Testament authors. The Greek Apologists, the best known of whom is Justin Martyr, were educated converts who set out to defend their new faith from contemporary misconceptions. Unfortunately neither group contributes much to our knowledge of early Christian song, but they do provide us with a variety of musical imagery. And toward the end of the period the beginnings of the polemic against pagan musical practice can be discerned.
Also included in this chapter are the Odes of Solomon, a collection of post-biblical Christian psalms; and other sources from outside the patristic mainstream such as the Apocryphal New Testament and the Sibylline Oracles.
A The Apostolic Fathers
Clement of Rome (f1. c.96)
He was probably the third Bishop of Rome, with the shadowy figure of Linus intervening between him and Peter. His one authenticated work is the First Epistle to the Corinthians.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Music in Early Christian Literature , pp. 18 - 27Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1987