The Living Tradition An Orthodox Archive of the Church Fathers and Early Church

The apostolic and early Church — lesson 1

The apostolic generation and what came next

What we can and cannot know about the Church between the apostles and the second century.

  • Historical consensusBroadly agreed among historians working from the surviving evidence. Consensus can shift when the evidence or the method changes.
  • Disputed historyHistorians genuinely disagree. The page gives the range the evidence supports rather than choosing the most striking version.

Primary evidence verified Content last reviewed 2026-08-29

What still needs checking (2)
  • Archive 1 Clement from a verifiable public-domain edition and revise this lesson.
  • Add tier D scholarship on the development of church order.

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What this lesson covers

  • Name the surviving Christian writings from the generation after the apostles.
  • Say what the evidence supports about church order in that period.
  • Recognise where the sources run out.

About 7 minutes to read.

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The years between the last apostolic writings and the middle of the second century are the thinnest stretch of evidence in early Christian history. A small number of documents survive: the letter of Clement of Rome to Corinth, the seven letters of Ignatius, Polycarp's letter to the Philippians, the Didache, the Shepherd of Hermas, the letter of Barnabas.

Some of these are archived here. One is not, and the reason is instructive: the text of 1 Clement in the working copy used for this archive did not carry the provenance this project requires, so it was refused rather than included. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.

What the evidence supports

Ignatius describes churches ordered around one bishop with presbyters and deacons, and assumes the arrangement rather than arguing for it. The Didache knows bishops and deacons alongside travelling prophets and teachers. Clement's letter argues that presbyters appointed in due order should not be deposed at will.

Historians differ over how uniform this order was. Ignatius is writing to churches in Asia Minor and Syria; the Didache reflects a different region and possibly an earlier stage. Generalising from either to the whole Church goes beyond what the documents can carry.

Key Scripture

  • Acts 20:17-38 — Paul's charge to the presbyters of Ephesus, whom he also calls overseers.
  • 1 Peter 5:1-4 — Elders exhorted to shepherd the flock.

On Scripture references. References are given so you can read the passage in the translation your parish uses. This site does not reproduce a modern copyrighted Bible text.

Patristic and liturgical witnesses

See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop.

Epistle to the Smyrnaeans, Chapter VIII, shorter recension Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I, trans. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson — public domain Read this work in the archive

Why this matters in lived Orthodoxy

The Church that emerges from these documents is small, scattered, ordered, and preoccupied with holding together. Its concerns are recognisable: leadership disputes, false teaching, how to treat travelling preachers, and how to behave when the state notices you.

Review

Which writings survive from the generation after the apostles?
Clement's letter to Corinth, the seven letters of Ignatius, Polycarp to the Philippians, the Didache, the Shepherd of Hermas and the letter of Barnabas, among a very few others.
Why is 1 Clement not archived on this site?
The available working text did not carry the provenance the source policy requires, so it was refused rather than included, and the gap is recorded.

Your notes

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Going deeper

Sources for this page

  1. Tier C The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (eds.); A. Cleveland Coxe (American ed.) Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans translated edition of primary texts Source record
  2. Tier C The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (eds.); A. Cleveland Coxe (American ed.) The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles translated edition of primary texts Source record
  3. Tier C Eusebius: Church History, Life of Constantine, Oration in Praise of Constantine Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (eds.); Arthur Cushman McGiffert (trans.) Eusebius, Church History, Book III translated edition of primary texts Source record

Tiers are explained in the methodology. No page on this site has been reviewed or approved by any bishop, priest, synod or seminary.