A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs is a reference work compiled by David W. Bercot, published by Hendrickson Publishers. It serves as a topical guide to the writings of the Ante-Nicene Fathers—Christian authors who wrote before the First Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325.
Key Features:
• Topical Arrangement: The book categorizes early Christian writings under over 700 theological, ethical, and ecclesiastical topics—such as baptism, the Trinity, the afterlife, and more. • Source-Based: Each entry provides direct quotations from early Church Fathers like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen, among others. • Concise Format: Rather than reproducing full treatises, it features short, pertinent excerpts to present the range of early Christian opinion on each topic. • Introductory Notes: Bercot includes brief introductions or summaries for each topic to help readers understand the context.
Purpose:
The dictionary aims to let the early Christians “speak for themselves” by offering modern readers insight into what the earliest followers of Jesus believed and practiced—before doctrinal developments that emerged later in Christian history.
Popular Uses:
• For theological research • To understand historic Christian doctrine • As a tool for comparative doctrinal studies • For devotional study by those interested in patristic Christianity
