Chums:
At various times reference has been made on this network to the Ante-Nicene Christian Fathers and
the two series of Nicene and Post-Nicene Christian Fathers. These series provide English
translations of the Fathers from the year dot to the time of Gregory the Great.
You may be interested to know that Hendrickson Publishers of Peabody, Mass have reprinted
all three series in an attractive new edition with an extra volume of indices and bibliographies, for
just $350, plus $75 for shipping to the UK. The edition is collectively entitled "The Early Church
Fathers." The old edition retails for about #30 a volume, so all 38 volumes would cost well over
#1000 in the shops.
The translations are rather old - the series originally appeared in the 19th century - and in many
cases more accurate texts are now available. Still they are a very useful resource at a very
affordable price.
I wrote to the publishers saying how delighted I was with my copy and making a modest suggestion.
Would they consider publishing a continuation of the series up to, say, the 12th century (or indeed
13th), entitled perhaps "The Later Church Fathers". The reason for my suggestion was that the
Patrologia Latina goes as far as St Bernard, and the Corpus Christianorum has its Continuatio
Medievalis, but bitter experience - not least on this network - has shown that not all students, or
even teachers, can cope with the Latin originals.
The publishers have replied welcoming the idea, but pointing out some of the difficulties involved.
The project would involve selecting suitable texts, finding reasonable translations either now in the
public domain, or for which permission could be obtained to reprint. A monumental amount of work
would be involved.
It occurs to me however that many of us on this network would be interested in such a project and
that much of the work could be done collaboratively. Would correspondents like to send in notices
of any texts they would like to see included? To be useful the notice would refer to a useable
translation now in the public domain. I would forward any serious suggestions to the publisher. If
enough suggestions came in, this might also indicate a readership for the series and be an
incentive to the publishers to make it happen.
Incidentally, I have neither shares nor any other interest in Hendrickson publishers.
Bill.
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