Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I

Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I is a book by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, first published in 1867. This foundational volume opens one of the most important collections of early Christian writings ever assembled in English, presenting key texts from the earliest generations of Christianity before the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.

This volume brings together the writings of major Apostolic and early Church Fathers, including Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and others. Their works offer direct insight into early Christian theology, church organization, martyrdom, moral teaching, and the defense of Christian belief in a Greco-Roman world often hostile to the faith.

As a core resource for students of early Christianity, patristics, and church history, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I preserves sermons, letters, apologies, and theological arguments that shaped Christian doctrine long before creeds were formalized. These writings illuminate how early believers understood Christ, scripture, authority, and tradition during Christianity’s formative centuries.

This volume remains essential reading for theologians, historians, clergy, and serious readers interested in the origins of Christian thought. It stands as both a historical document and a theological archive, capturing Christianity in its earliest intellectual and spiritual development.