Patristics

Patristics, also known as Patrology, is a branch of theological studies focused on the writings and teachings of the Church Fathers, between the 1st to 8th centuries CE. Scholars analyze texts from both orthodox and heretical authors. Patristics emerged as a distinct discipline in the 19th century, it was supported by critical editions like Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca. The field employs textual analysis, archaeology, and historical criticism to analyze early Christianity’s doctrinal, cultural, and intellectual development, incorporating traditions beyond Greek and Latin, such as Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, and Ethiopian.