Catalog of Christian Texts

The following table lists Christian texts from church history, by author and the title of the work. Many good series exist (see below) but it can be challenging to find all the editions for a particular author. It is often even more difficult to locate English translations. This table is an attempt to consolidate that information and make it easily accessible.

The table allows you to search and filter on various metadata fields (see instructions below). It began as a project to catalog English translations that are in the public domain. Along the way, as I came to realize how few English translations exist we have. Further, most are under copyright. As I find texts or as I have time, I try to include them here with links to purchase them. Many of these links are affiliate links. I don’t use advertising on this site and maintain it at my own expense. If you purchase from an affiliate link, I may earn a small commission. This helps offset my costs, but it doesn’t cost you anything additional. Please use the Contact form to report problems, provide feedback, or let me know of texts that can be added, especially English translations.

Published series of Christian texts

English language

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (ACCS) – A canonically organized 29-volume set of key writings of the early church fathers that employs the RSV in the early commentary tradition known as the glossa ordinaria. ACCS is an ecumenical project that is intended to promote a vital link of communication between the varied Christian traditions of today and their common ancient ancestors in the faith.

Ancient Christian Texts – A series of 17 volumes, many of which are first-time English translations.

Ancient Christian Writers (ACW) – Series of approximately 70 volumes from the Catholic Paulist Press. As with other English language series listed here, many of the volumes are the only translation available.

The Fathers of the Church (TFC) – From the Catholic University of America Press, there are two main sub-series: A New Translation and Medieval Continuations. In total, there are approximately 154 volumes.

Loeb Classical Library (LCL) – An extensive collection (550+) of pocket volumes of English translations of important Christian and non-Christian Greek and Latin literature. It includes epic and lyric poetry; tragedy and comedy; history, travel, philosophy, and oratory; the great medical writers and mathematicians; and those Church fathers who made particular use of pagan culture.

Popular Patristics – A series that aims to provide readable and accurate translations of a broad range of early Christian texts for a wide audience including students of Christian history and theology, and lay Christians.

Other languages

Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum (CSEL) – An academic series that publishes critical editions of Latin works by late-antique Christian authors from the late 2nd century until the beginning of the 7th century. A list of out-of-copyright editions that are accessible online is here.

Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten Jahrhunderte (GCS) – German Critical Edition Texts. The series title in English is: “The Greek Christian Writers of the First Centuries.” Many of the texts are now in the public domain.

Patrologiae Cursus Completus. Series Latina (PL or MPL) – A 19th century collection of Latin critical edition texts produced under the direction of Jacques Paul Migne, a French Roman Catholic priest. There are 230 volumes that span the years 230 – 1216 AD. All of the texts are in the public domain, readily available online, and serve as the basis for most of the English translations of the church fathers known to modern readers. It should be noted that, while the PL and it’s sister set the PG (below) are widely known and used, they often contain mistakes and do not comply with modern standards of scholarship. See here for a helpful perspective on Migne’s PL/PG and the translations derived from them.

Patrologiae Cursus Completus, Series Graeca (PG or MPG) – The Greek equivalent of the PL (see above). It contains 161 volumes.

Sources Chrétiennes (SC) – A bilingual collection of patristic texts edited by the Institut des Sources Chrétiennes and published in Paris. The texts are critical editions with Greek or Latin on the left and the French translation on the facing page. The series has over 600 works by Greek, Latin and some Syriac authors.

Instructions

Use the search box to search for text in the Author, Title, and Notes fields. Results can be filtered by a number of metadata fields, some of which are not displayed in the table (e.g. Authenticity and Patriarchate). The following filters are available:

  • Authenticity – The general scholarly consensus regarding the authenticity of the original document. Options are: Genuine, Dubious, and Spurious
  • Location – Whether the original author was more prominent in the East (typically Greek speaking) or West (typically Latin speaking) Empire
  • Patriarchate – The region the author was from, as represented by the “see” (political division of the Roman Empire) where a monarchical episcopate eventually emerged. Options are: Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, Jerusalem, and Rome.
Author/TextAuthenticityWrittenPublishedLanguageOriginal language:Series / #:Notes:Citation:Read online:Download/Preview:Purchase:
Augustine, Saint (354-430)Confessions I: Books 1-8Genuine39701912EnglishLatinLoeb Classical LibraryConfessions, composed ca. 397, is a spiritual autobiography of Augustine’s early life, family, personal and intellectual associations, and explorations of alternative religious and theological viewpoints as he moved toward his conversion. Cast as a prayer addressed to God, though always conscious of its readers, Confessions offers a gripping personal story and a philosophical exploration destined to have broad and lasting impact, all delivered with Augustine’s characteristic brilliance as a stylist. (source)Rouse, William Henry Denham. St. Augustine's Confessions. United Kingdom, W. Heinemann, 1912.Archive | GoogleHarvard University Press | Amazon | Abe Books (may be newer editions)RomePublic DomainWesthttps://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=978067499685426
Augustine, Saint (354-430)Confessions II: Books 9-13Genuine39701912EnglishLatinLoeb Classical Library (LCL)Confessions, composed ca. 397, is a spiritual autobiography of Augustine’s early life, family, personal and intellectual associations, and explorations of alternative religious and theological viewpoints as he moved toward his conversion. Cast as a prayer addressed to God, though always conscious of its readers, Confessions offers a gripping personal story and a philosophical exploration destined to have broad and lasting impact, all delivered with Augustine’s characteristic brilliance as a stylist. (source)Google | ArchiveHarvard University Press | Amazon | Abe BooksRomePublic DomainWesthttps://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=978067499693927
Augustine, Saint (354-430)The Confessions of Saint AugustineGenuine39701907EnglishLatinN/ATranslated by Edward B. Pusey, D.D.Pusey, Edward Bouverie. The Confessions of St. Augustine. United States, Collier, 1909.CCELGoogle | ArchiveRomePublic DomainNoWestN/A
Augustine, Saint (354-430)The Confessions (Oxford World's Classics)Genuine39702009EnglishLatinTranslated by Henry Chadwick.Augustine. The Confessions: With an Introduction and Contemporary Criticism. United States, Ignatius Press, 2012.AmazonRomeUnder CopyrightNoWest
Clement of Rome, St. (?-99)I ClementGenuine9901912EnglishGreekTranslated by: Lake, Kirsopp, 1872-1946

From the intro: he writing which has always been known by this name is clearly, from internal evidence, a letter sent by the church of Rome to the church of Corinth in consequence of trouble in the latter community which had led to the deposition of certain Presbyters. The church of Rome writes protesting against this deposition, and the partizanship which has caused it.
The Apostolic Fathers: I. Clement. II. Clement. Ignatius. Polycarp. Didache. Barnabas. United Kingdom, Putnam, 1919..Archive | GoogleRomePublic DomainNoWesthttps://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=978067499607624
Clement of Rome, St. (?-99)II ClementGenuine1301601912EnglishGreekTranslated by: Lake, Kirsopp, 1872-1946

From the intro: The so-called second epistle of Clement is found in the two Greek MSS. (AC) of I. Clement, and in the Syriac version (S), but it is not in the Latin or Coptic versions (LK), and it is never quoted by Clement of Alexandria, though apparent reminiscences of its language have given rise to the view that he was acquainted with it. It is clear from the MS. tradition that at least as early as the fifth century, and probably earlier, it was in some circles closely associated with I. Clement, though this was not the case in the Coptic church, which perhaps represents early Alexandrian tradition, or in the Latin Church. Western writers do, it is true, seem to speak of a "second epistle" of Clement, but they refer not to our II. Clement, but to the pseudepigraphic epistle of Clement to James.
The Apostolic Fathers: I. Clement. II. Clement. Ignatius. Polycarp. Didache. Barnabas. United Kingdom, Putnam, 1919..Archive | GoogleRomePublic DomainNoWesthttps://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=978067499607624
Rufinus, Tyrannius (345-410)A Commentary on the Apostles' CreedGenuine40401916EnglishLatinTranslated by Ernest F. Morison.  Rufinus was a Presbyter of Aquileia. This is based on a Latin text previously prepared and published by the same author.ArchivePublic DomainNoWest
Rufinus, Tyrannius (345-410)A Commentary on the Apostles' CreedGenuine40401955EnglishLatinAncient Christian Writers (ACW)Translated by J.N.D. Kelly.  Rufinus was a Presbyter of Aquileia. His most important work, aimed at persons under instruction for the sacraments, the Commentary offers a guide to elucidating and justifying the Creed. It offers a glimpse of popular Christian propaganda at the beginning of the fifth century.A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed. United Kingdom, Newman Press, 1954.Archive | GooglePublic DomainNoWest
Bernard, of Clairvaux, Saint (1090-1153)Cantica Canticorum: Eighty-six Sermons on the Song of SolomonGenuine01895EnglishLatinCantica Canticorum: Eighty-six Sermons on the Song of Solomon. United Kingdom, E. Stock, 1895.GooglePublic DomainNoWest
Augustine, Saint (354-430)The Retractationes of Saint AugustineGenuine42601946EnglishLatinArchiveRomeNoWest
Augustine, Saint (354-430)The RetractationsGenuine42601968EnglishLatinThe Fathers of the Church (TFC)Translated by Sr. Mary Inez Bogan R.S.M.AmazonRomeUnder CopyrightNoWest
Justin MartyrFirst ApologyGenuine1501601912Greek/EnglishGreekUseful discussions of the Greek and translation of numerous passages, including those about the Eucharist.Kaye, John. The First Apology of Justin Martyr. Addressed to the Emperor Antoninus Pius. Prefaced by Some Account of the Writings and Opinions of Justin Martyr. United Kingdom, J. Grant, 1912.1912Google BooksPublic DomainNo

Version history:
TBD

Scroll to Top