First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Afterword

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in foreign places, they appointed others as shepherds, and entrusted them with the nurture of those that had recently been brought in, while they themselves went on again to other countries and peoples, with the grace and the cooperation of God. For a great many wonderful works were done through them by the power of the divine Spirit, so that at the first hearing whole multitudes of people eagerly embraced the religion of the Creator of the universe. 1 Such activities continued well into the later second and third centuries. For example, in the second century, even Panteanus, the missionary-scholar of the famed catechetical school in Alexandria, an ancient seminary, engaged in missionary efforts in India. Upon his return, he taught doctrine, and provides an early model of the scholar practitioner. 2 Even though it is true that the majority of the early Christians were illiterate, they learned doctrine and practice so that they would continue faithfully on the path set before them by the Apostolic Fathers. It is a path worthy for us to walk also. It is one I aspire to walk, and one I hope you will walk as well.

1 Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Volume I: Books 1–5 , trans. Kirsopp Lake, Loeb Classical Library 153 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1926), III.37. 2 Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Volume I: Books 1–5 , trans. Kirsopp Lake, Loeb Classical Library 153 (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1926), V.2.10.2–4.