"A beautiful book! On every page, the ancient Fathers rise to life through the ministrations of a theologian who loves them. Father Aidan Nichols wants us to share that love, and his book makes it inevitable that we do. I will read these pages again and again." -- Mike Aquilina , Author, The Fathers of the Church "This book is mighty and weighty, and yet it reads as easily as a love letter. I didn't want it to end. What the patriarchs were to the people of the Old Testament, the Fathers are to us. If you love the Church Fathers, this may be your new favorite book. If you don't yet know the Fathers, you will love them after reading Fr.
Nichols ." -- Scott Hahn , Author, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism "A lively summary of patristic theology. To call the Fathers 'singing-masters of my soul' pays them the highest tribute. Indeed, the whole Patristic endeavor had only one goal: to teach the human soul how to sing the divine praises with joyful gratitude and understanding." -- Fr. Simeon Leiva, O.C.S.
O. , Author, Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word: Meditations on St. Matthew's Gospel "With astonishing concision and elegance, Father Nichols offers a cutting-edge, scholarly introduction to the greatest Church Fathers, East and West. Introductory courses in theology and seminars in patristics alike should assign this book, and all Christians seeking wisdom should read it." -- Matthew Levering , James N. Jr. and Mary D. Perry Chair of Theology, Mundelein Seminary "With his usual combination of meticulous scholarship and lucid exposition, Aidan Nichols has produced yet another invaluable volume.
In these portraits of figures ranging from Irenaeus to Bede, he not only makes their teachings come alive for our time, he takes a place himself as a singing master among the singing masters." -- Robert Royal , Author, A Deeper Vision: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition of the Twentieth Century "When I wrote my first book, Catholicism and Fundamentalism , non-Catholic readers found the words of the Church Fathers to be the most convincing parts of my arguments. They demonstrated what Christians believed more than a millennium before Protestantism appeared, and their testimony often proved to be the proximate cause of changes of hearts and minds." -- Karl Keating , Founder, Catholic Answers; Author, Catholicism and Fundamentalism.