(ANS – Buenos Aires) – Two Salesian priests, Fr Horacio Lona and Fr Alberto C Capboscq, have recently published a book ‘Introduction to the Christian Literature of the First Three Centuries’. It is intended to present faith experience through various texts from the early church and records the commitment of those first baptised men and women who spread the Christian message through the witness of their lives.

The book is written in a didactic, pedagogic style. It portrays the principal authors of Christian literature in simple, flowing language, covering the Greek and Latin world in depth.

“The documents presented here are extremely important in the history of Christianity and the Church. Often the problems discussed anticipate those which will accompany the development of the Church in later centuries. We do not find a direct answer to our problems in these texts, but they can extend our horizons of thought and inspire a theological conversation which is faithful to the needs of our times, but does not lose contact with the sources which nourish them”, say the authors.

The book covers the ancient texts and suggests various questions leading to a deeper understanding. It presents serious research in clear, accessible language and is aimed at Church students and anyone interested in the writings of the early authors and the life of the first Christian communities.

Familiarity with Christian sources enables an objective view of the evolution of the Church, and acquaintance with the witness, commitment and interior lives of those who first proclaimed the Christian message. The educational objective of the chosen texts is to bring the Christian message more fully to life.

Fr Horacio Lona SDB was born in Buenos Aires and since 1982 has been professor of New Testament Exegesis and History of Early Christian Literature at the Faculty of Theology in Benediktbeuern. Since 1985 he has also run courses in New Testament Exegesis in Cordoba and Buenos Aires. Fr Albert C Capboscq, from Médanos, studied for his Doctorate in Theology at the University of Ratisbona and teaches courses in Patrology and History of Theology, both of which involve thorough academic study of the literature from the early centuries of the Church.

Published 08/05/2012