Patristic Roundup- December 28th, 2006-January 3, 2007

Happy New Year and welcome back to the Patristic Roundup.

It was a bit busier week in the patristic garden, sparked, I think, by lots of saints days and post-Christmas apologetic hangovers. Here is my sample of the week that was in patristics.

Mike Aquilina at The Way of the Fathers has a look at the Old New Ages, the Manichees, on the occasion of New City Presses' new release on Augustine's writings on the Manicheans. On the occasion of the feast day of St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzus, Mike provides a series of excellent links for these Cappadocian Fathers. Mike also reports on ancient contraceptive techniques and the Father's condemnation of them.

A Hatfield on Trinitarian Life discusses whether it is appropriate to throw around charges of Nestorianism without careful consideration. Good point. We are sometimes too quick to conflate confusion with heresy.

Brother Theobad, with the help of an appropriate quote from Origen, makes the excellent point that the Fathers knew a few things about spiritual warfare before that phrase was every even thought of.

Integritus on the Catholic Answer Forum asks the perplexing question (to Roman Catholics at least) of why Protestants want to quote the Church Fathers. The discussion which follows is a good one. Still, I think I hear the whispering of a blog entry on this blog. Stay tuned!

William Weedon posts another Patristic Quote and again.

William St. Reflections considers the twin influences of Judaizing and Gnosticism on the formation of the Father's coherent view of both the Old and New Testaments.

James Swan at Beggars All: Reformation and Apologetics takes on a Roman Catholic take on the establishment of the canon in 382 AD.

Walter Snyder at Ask the Pastor deals with the question of the Lost Books of the Bible.

Conference Daily Updates features a review of John Cassian's Conferences in the Ancient Christian Writers series.

Stavros on My Greek Odyssey gives an excellent overview of the Greek influence on Judaism and Christianity from a rather Eastern Orthodox perspective.

Tiber Jumper on Crossed the Tiber reports on the Theotokos, Nestorius and the Council of Ephesus.

Brandon on Siris features St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzus including a passage from St. Basil's On the Holy Spirit (hey, I almost bought that today!)

Mark Christian on Transfigure Baton Rogue comments on R.R. Reno's excellent article on the revival of patristics in theologyin November's edition of First Things.

Stewart Rutledge on Fancy Latin Title struggles with Who is Church Father?

Christian Husband on Sacrifice my Sexuality reflects on the canon, the Fathers and biblical interpretation.

Rick Brannon on ricoblog resumes his translation series on the Didache (yah!!!), translating Didache 10

On the ninth day of Christmas Danny Garland on Irish-Catholic and Dangerous gave to me quotes from Saint Basil and St. Gregory Naziansus on the occasion of their feast day. On the tenth day of Christmas, Danny gave to me St. John Chrysosthom on abortion.