How the Church Fathers Read the Bible

Read the Scriptures with the insight of our forebears

Christians live in the house built by the church fathers. Essential Christian doctrines were shaped by how figures such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Augustine read the Bible. But appreciating patristic interpretation is not just for the historically curious, as if it were only a matter of literary archaeology. Nor should it be intimidating. Rather, the fathers gleaned insights from Scripture that continue to be relevant to all Christians.

How the Church Fathers Read the Bible is an accessible introduction to help you read Scripture with the early church. With a clear and simple style, Gerald Bray explains the distinctives of early Christian interpretation and shows how the fathers interpreted key Bible passages from Genesis to Revelation. Their unique perspective is summed up in seven principles that can inspire our Bible reading today. With Bray as your guide, you can reclaim the rich insights of the fathers with reverence and discernment.



Gerald Bray is research professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He is the author of numerous books, including Biblical Interpretation: Past and Present,God Has Spoken: A History of Christian Theology, and Preaching the Word with John Chrysostom.