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Church Fathers | Bibles | Book Reviews | Religious Statistics

Church Fathers

It was only in the mid-nineteenth century that the works of the Latin and Greek Fathers of the Church were finally collected and published in a comprehensive edition which would be widely available to scholars and researchers.

Migne, J. P., Patrologiae Cursus Completus. . .Series Prima (Latin) (Paris: Migne, 1844-1865), 221 vols., JFM 00-63.

Migne, J. P., Patrologiae Cursus Completus. . . Series Graeca (Paris: Migne, 1857-1880), 166 vols., JFM 00-50

(For both series by Migne, please check CATNYP under the author's name to obtain the correct volume number. The Latin Fathers are also available in an electronic format in the Reading Room.)

Patrologia Latina. Electronic version of Migne's Nineteenth century printed collection of the works of the Church Fathers. This is the complete set, including prefatory material, original texts, critical apparatus, indexes, illustrations, and Migne's column numbers. (available in the Library only)

There is no single translation into English of Migne's comprehensive work. However, there do exist in English several multi-volume editions of the writings of the Church Fathers. There are readily available in the Reading Rooms.

The Ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Fathers down to A.D. 325 (New York: Scribners, 1917-1925), 10 vols., *RR-ZEL.

A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1956 and 1961), Two series each of 14 vols., *RR-ZEL.

Ancient Christian Writers: The Works of the Fathers in Translation (New York: Newman, 1978 reprint), 40 vols., *R-ZEL 79-1044.

Fathers of the Church (Washington: Catholic University of America Press, in progress), 71 vols., *RR-ZEL F2 (followed by initial of author's name).

Library of Christian Classics (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1953-1966), 26 vols., *RR-ZEC.

The following guides to the Church Fathers are recommended:

Dirksen, Aloys Herman, Elementary Patrology (St. Louis: Herder, 1959) *R-ZEK.

Kelly, J.N.D., Early Christian Doctrines (London: Black, 1958) *RR-ZEK.

Bibles

Readers interested in the Bible and studies on it are advised to consult first the Bible entries under the earlier section on Using the Catalogs. However, the Reading Rooms do contain Bibles and significant works relating to the Bible which merit specific reference here.

Noteworthy Editions

Editions of the whole Bible in English may be found in the North Hall of the Rose Main Reading Room under *R-*YCD and *R-*YCF. The Reading Rooms also contain versions of the Bible in other western languages; speak to a librarian for locations. The following special editions of the Bible ought to be noted:

Bible. Polyglot. 1874. Hexaglot Bible (London: Dickinson and Higham, 1874), 6 vols., *RR-*YAB+. Complete Bible in Greek, Latin, French, and German, as well as Old Testament in Hebrew and New Testament in Syriac.

Bible. New Testament. English. 1962. New Testament Octapla (New York: Nelson, 1962) *RR-*YAE. Eight English versions of the New Testament.

Bible. New Testament. Greek. 1968. The Revised Standard Version Interlinear Greek-English New Testament (London: S. Bagster, 1968) *R-*YBM 76-7406.

Bible. New Testament. Greek. Scholz. 1975. The English Hexapla: Exhibiting the Six Important English Translations of the New Testament Scriptures (New York: AMS Press, 1975) *R-*YCP 75-9452.

History of the Bible

The Cambridge History of the Bible (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1970), 3 vols., *R-*YIH. A comprehensive history of the Bible with a particular focus on the development of the English Bible. Valuable for its discussion of the principal English versions and their relation to church, culture, and society.

Concordances of the Bible

Concordances to the Bible may be found in the Reading Rooms under *R-*YIE; a concordance is also available at the Information Desk.

Bible Dictionaries and Guides

The Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 6 vols., *R-*YID 92-10862 and another set in Jewish Division.

Calvocoressi, Peter, Who's Who in the Bible (London: Viking, 1987), *R-*YID 87-5901.

Harper's Bible Dictionary (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1985), *R-*YID 86-201.

Hastings, James, ed., Dictionary of the Bible, revised edition, (New York: Scribners, 1963), *R-*YID.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979-1982), 2 vols., *R-*YID 80-867.

Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible (Nashville: Abingdon, 1962), 4 vols., *R-*YID.

Kittel, Gerhard, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965-1976), 10 vols., *R-*YBM 92-18031. This dictionary is based upon the Greek text.

Leon-Dufour, Xavier, Dictionary of the New Testament (New York: Harper and Row, 1980), *RR-*YID 81-1199.

Richardson, Alan, A Theological Word Book of the Bible (New York: Macmillan, 1951), *R-*YID.

Bible Commentaries

Bible. English. 1964. The Anchor Bible (Garden City: Doubleday, 1964- ), 44 vols. (in progress), *RR-*YIT (Anchor). A multi-volume set with each volume devoted to one book (or books) of the Bible.

Black, Matthew, ed., Peake's Commentary on the Bible (Sunbury: Nelson, 1977), *R-*YIT 78-1903.

Harper's Bible Commentary (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1988), * R- *YIT 89-241

Mercer Commentary on the Bible (Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1995), * R- *YIT 95-1932

New Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture (London: Nelson, 1969), *R- *YIT

The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond E. Brown and others, (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1990), *R-*YIT 90-991.

The New Interpreter's Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994- ), multi-volume set in progress, *R-*YCF 94-13217.

Book Reviews

Index to Book Reviews in Religion (Chicago: American Theological Library Association, 1986- ), *RS-ZA 86-2775. Prior to the beginning of this publication, an index to book reviews in the field of religion appeared in Religion Index One: Periodicals, *RS-ZA 78-1432.

Religious Statistics

Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, (Nashville: Abingdon, annual; latest edition available at the Information Desk.) For statistics pertaining to the United States and Canada.

World Christian Encyclopedia, edited by David B. Barrett, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1982), *R-ZDB 85-7. Information on the number of religious adherents internationally or by country.

The World Almanac and Book of Facts (New York, World Almanac, annual; latest edition available at the Information Desk).

The Statesman's Yearbook ( London: MacMillan Press Ltd., annual; atest edition available at the Information Desk). Information on religious affiliations by state.

Worldmark Encyclopedia of the States (New York : Worldmark Press, triennial; latest edition available at the Information Desk). Information on religious affiliations by state within the United States.