Gnosticism in the Second Century – Francis Crawford Burkitt

ByRob Bradshaw

Today’s Free book is F.C. Burkitt’s Morse Lectures for 1931 on Gnosticism in the Second Century. It includes discussions of the Gnostics groups of Valentinus, the Barbelo-Gnostics and the Mandaeans. My thanks to Book Aid for making this public domain title available for digitisation. Francis Crawford Burkitt [1864-1935], Church & Gnosis. A Study of Christian…

Six Lectures on the Ante-Nicene Fathers – F J A Hort

ByRob Bradshaw

Today’s free book is a series of six lectures on significant ante-nicene fathers by F.J.A. Hort- see the table of contents for the full list. My thanks to Book Aid for making this public domain titles available for digitisation. Fenton John Anthony Hort [1828–1892], Six Lectures on the Ante-Nicene Fathers. London & New York: MacMillan…

Introduction to Early Christian Books by William John Ferrar

ByRob Bradshaw

This handy little book provides brief summaries of Christian writers and their writings up to the middle of the Second Century. My thanks to Book Aid for making this public domain volume available for digitisation. William John Ferrar [1868-1945], The Early Christian Books. Handbooks of Christian Literature. London: SPCK, 1919. Hbk. pp.108. [Click here to…

Letter of Aristeas – the Legendary Origin of the Septuagint

ByRob Bradshaw

The document known as the Letter of Aristeas purports to be a contemporary record, by a Greek holding a high position at the court of Ptolemy Philadelphus (285- 247 B.C.), of the translation of the Hebrew Pentateuch into Greek, undertaken at the instance of the royal librarian, Demetrius of Phalerum. The familiar name “the Septuagint,”…