First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Introduction History grounds me. One might say that it has rooted me to a past which provides a heritage for my identity as a Christian. In Christianity, that identity is derived not only from the glorious work of Christ in our lives, but also from the continuous thread of faithful disciples who passed down the apostolic tradition to us today. Today we call them the Apostolic Fathers, and listening to their voices inspires me as I can relate to their struggles in the church and society. Their commitment to preserve sound doctrine is my commitment. As I listen they teach me the importance of never compromising about Jesus. Their longing for the unity of the body of Christ encourages me to strive to work with others in my community. Their passion to imitate Christ as a testimony in society challenges me to let my compassion and kindness toward others be a witness like theirs. Indeed, they learned by hearing and observing the lives of the apostles and their disciples as they also imitated Christ. From the historical study of these early Christians, we too can learn to be imitators of Christ. Truly they have become not only my

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