What was the early Church like? Contrary to popular belief, Rod Bennett shows there is a reliable way to know. Four ancient Christian writers--four witnesses to early Christianity --left us an extensive body of documentation on this vital subject, and this book brings their fascinating testimony to life for modern believers. With all the power and drama of a gripping novel, this book is a journey of discovery of ancient and beautiful truths through the lives of four great saints of the early Church--Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyons.

Four Witnesses; the Early Church in her own Words. Rod Bennett. 2002. This is a fascinating history of the first 200 years of the church beginning with Pentecost. The four witnesses in the title are Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyon. The author intersperses the writings of these early church fathers with accounts of their lives and what is happening in the Roman Empire. He also uses excerpts from Josephus, Eusebius, and other classical and religious writers to give a very readable account of the early days of Christianity and its world. ( )