PATRISTIC FATHERS
A short course with Mike Aquilina
“An Introduction to the Fathers” is a short course on the great teachers of the first seven centuries of Christian history. In it we’ll consider the overall development of Christian doctrine and practice in that period, and the major figures who influenced that development.
The Church Fathers are the great teachers of the early years of Christian history (centuries 1-8). In this course we’ll consider their personalities, their works, and their historical context.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 964 5864 0669
Passcode: Fathers
Here are two great (free) sources for the Fathers’ writings:
In the first seven centuries of Christian history, remarkable theologians and writers laid the foundations of our faith. Known collectively as the Early Church Fathers, they are often grouped as Apostolic Fathers, Greek Fathers, Latin Fathers, and Syriac Fathers.
Their voices still echo in the Church today. Through their teachings, guidance, insights, and sacrifices, they helped shape the Catholic Church we know. They defined the canon of Scripture, formed our creeds, developed our worship, and gave Christianity its distinctive moral vision.
But who were these Fathers? What wisdom do their ancient writings hold for us today? And how can they guide the 21st century in holiness, culture, faith, and the Gospel?
“An Introduction to the Fathers” is a short course on the great teachers of the first seven centuries of Christian history. Together, we will explore the development of Christian doctrine and practice in that era, and discover the major figures whose influence continues to shape our faith.
About Mike Aquilina
Mike Aquilina is author of more than seventy books on Catholic history, doctrine, and devotion. He is co-founder, with Scott and Kimberly Hahn, of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. Mike serves as contributing editor of Angelus News and general editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History series published by Ave Maria Press. He has hosted eleven television series on EWTN and is past editor of New Covenant magazine and The Pittsburgh Catholic newspaper. He is also a songwriter whose works have been recorded by Dion, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck, Amy Grant, Carlene Carter, Peter Frampton, and many others.
Class 1
Session: Sept. 09, 2025 (6pm – 7:30 pm PST)
Here are two great (free) sources for the Fathers’ writings:
Class 2
Session: Sept. 16, 2025 (6pm – 7:30 pm PST
Class 3
Session: Sept. 23, 2025 (6pm – 7:30 pm PST)
As referenced in Class 3:
“All that remained once the Temple was destroyed were words — prayers, blessings, and readings from Scripture … The difference between sacrifice and prayer may be compared with the difference between actual service to God and saying that one is serving Him; between offering an actual gift to God, whom one loves, and saying that one loves God. A sacrifice represents an actual gift, offered to God in a sacred environment in which He is thought to reside and in which consecrated priests minister to Him in purity. Whenever humans and God shared a sacred meal a bond was acknowledged to exist between them: a veritable covenant…
“Christianity adopted the policy of sanctifying space, as Judaism had once done. Christian worship in the form of the traditional mass affords the devout an experience of sacrifice, of communion, and proclaims that God is present. The Christian church, then, is a temple.”
— Baruch A. Levine, “Leviticus in the Ongoing Jewish Tradition,” in Leviticus, The JPS Torah Commentary (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989), 216.
Class 4
Session: Sept. 30, 2025 (6pm – 7:30 pm PST)
Class 5
Session: Oct. 07, 2025 (6pm – 7:30 pm PST)
Class 6
Session: Oct. 14, 2025 (6pm – 7:30 pm PST)