Major Purchase, Need opinions.

Lightknight · 07-22-2005, 08:15 PM

Guys, i need your help on whether or not I'm about to make a good purchase. I actually know a few people who have this and have recieved a bunch of high marks on it. Anyways, this produce is sold HERE.

Now, this seems to include a heck of a lot of information. At 38 volumes it just seems like an insane collection. My question is, is this work it.

Here are the authors that have works published in this collection. And a few other things. Tell me, am I wrong for drooling?

Clement of Rome
Mathetes
Polycarp
Ignatius
Barnabas
Justin Martyr
Irenaeus
The Pastor of Hermas
Tatian
Theophilus of Antioch
Writings of Athenagoras
Clement of Alexandria
Tertullian
Minucius Felix
Origen
Hyppolytus
Cyprian
Caius
Novatian
Dionysius
Julius Africanus
Anatolius and Minor Writers
Alexander of Cappadocia
Theognostus of Alexandria
Pierius of Alexandria
Theonas of Alexandria
Phileas
Pamphilus
Malchion
Archelaus
Alexander
Peter, Bishop of Alexandria
Methodius
Arnobius
Lactantius
Venantius
Asterius Urbanus
Victorinus
Apostolic Teaching and Constitutions
Clement
Nicene Council
Early Liturgies
The Twelve Patriarchs
Theodotus
Pseudo-Clementine Literature
Apocrypha of the New Testament
The Decretals
Memoirs of Edessa
Ancient Syriac Documents
Remains of the Second and Third Centuries
Works Connected with the Gospels
Apocalypses and Romances
The Epistles of Clement
Origen
St. Aurelius Augustin (several books are dedicated specifically to him)
St. John Chrysostom (several books are dedicated specifically to him)
Eusebius Pamphilus
Socrates Scholasticus
Hermias Sozomen
Theodoret
Jerome and Gennadius
Rufinus
Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria
Gregory of Nyssa
St. Jerome
Cyril
Gregory Nazianzen
St. Basil
Hilary of Poiters
John of Damascus
St. Ambrose
Sulpitius Severus
Vincent of Lerins
John Cassian
Leo the Great
Gregory the Great
Ephraim the Syrian
Aphrahat
The First Ecumenical Council; The First Council of Nice
The Canons of the Councils of Ancyra, Gangra Neocaesarea, Antioch and Laodicea
The Second Ecumenical Council. The First Council of Constantinople
The Third Ecumenical Council. The Council of Ephesus
The Fourth Ecumenical Council. The Council of Chalcedon
The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople
The Sixth Ecumenical Council. The Third Council of Constantinople
The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called the Quinisext Council
The Canons of the Synods of Sardica, Carthage, Constantinople, and Carthage
The Seventh Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Nice

And then, in their Appendices:
1.Acts and Records of the Famous Controversy About the Baptism of Heretics
2.A Treatise Against the Heretic Novatian by an Anonymous Bishop
3.A Treatise on Re-Baptism by an Anonymous Writer
4.The Apostolical Canons
5.The Letter of the Blessed Dionysius, the Archbishop of Alexandria to Basilides the Bishop
6.The Canons of the Blessed Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria, and Martyr, Which are Found in His Sermon on Penitence
7.The Canonical Epistle of St. Gregory
8.The Epistle of St. Athanasius to the Monk Ammus
9.The First Canonical Epistle of Our Holy Father Basil, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium
10.The Canonical Epistle of St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, to St. Letoius, Bishop of Melitene
11.From the Metre Poems of St. Gregory Theologus, Specifying Which Books of the Old and New Testament Should Be Read
12.From the Iambics of St. Amphilochius the Bishop to Seleucus, on the Same Subject
13.The Prosphonesus of Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria, When the Holy Epiphanies Happened to Fall on a Sunday
14.The Encyclical Letter of Gennadius

goldenchild · 07-22-2005, 09:09 PM

Seems for 200 bucks to be an insane good deal. If it's completely exhaustive or not I couldn't tell you.

Travis · 07-22-2005, 09:13 PM

If I had $300 to spare (because it's $100 for shipping, because of how freaking huge the set is), you can bet I'd buy that!

Lightknight · 07-22-2005, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenchild

Seems for 200 bucks to be an insane good deal. If it's completely exhaustive or not I couldn't tell you.

It is completely exaustive. They don't edit the writer's works at all. They just translate them into English as exact as they can and leave it at that (some of the writtings found in this collection are translated into English for the first time ever in this collection).

Lightknight · 07-22-2005, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis

If I had $300 to spare (because it's $100 for shipping, because of how freaking huge the set is), you can bet I'd buy that!

I thought it was only $100 dollars extra if they have to ship it internationally.

"PLEASE NOTE: Due to the weight of this set, we must charge our International Customers an additional $100.00 handling fee to cover our shipping costs."

Is this not an American company?

So I'm not missing something? This really is a good deal? (My birthday is coming up

)

goldenchild · 07-22-2005, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightknight

It is completely exaustive. They don't edit the writer's works at all. They just translate them into English as exact as they can and leave it at that (some of the writtings found in this collection are translated into English for the first time ever in this collection).

Well then I'd say go for it. Does it include all the writings of everybody? Or just selected pieces? If it's all of it, then definitely go for it. I'd do it in a heartbeat if I had the cash on hand.

Lightknight · 07-22-2005, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenchild

Well then I'd say go for it. Does it include all the writings of everybody? Or just selected pieces? If it's all of it, then definitely go for it. I'd do it in a heartbeat if I had the cash on hand.

This link shows the master list of everyone and every writting included. Scroll down some and after you stop drooling, tell me what you think. I really don't have a complete list of all these guys' writtings. However, the site even makes a special notice of specific writtings that it doesn't include.

"The Ante-Nicene Fathers (10 Volumes) ranges from the Apostolic Fathers to various third and fourth century sources including the liturgies and ancient Syriac documents. It was intended to comprise translations into English of all the extant works of the Fathers (with the exception of the more bulky works of Origen) down to the date of the first General Council held at Nicaea in 325 A.D. The basic aim of the translations has been to strive for literary exactness, placing the English reader as nearly as possible on an equal footing with those who are able to read the original."

Keep in mind, that even with that statement, these are the works of Origen that it includes.

Prologue of Rufinus
Origen de Principiis
A Letter to Origen from Africanus About the History of Susanna
A Letter from Origen to Africanus
A Letter from Origen to Gregory
Origen Against Celsus
Letter of Origen to Gregory
Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John
From the Second Book of the Commentary on the Gospel According to Matthew

I mean, that's still pretty impressive.

Travis · 07-22-2005, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightknight

I thought it was only $100 dollars extra if they have to ship it internationally.

"PLEASE NOTE: Due to the weight of this set, we must charge our International Customers an additional $100.00 handling fee to cover our shipping costs."

Is this not an American company?

So I'm not missing something? This really is a good deal? (My birthday is coming up

)

Oh man! How much is domestic shipping?

I wish I had seen this when I had a bit more money.

Daniel21TX · 07-22-2005, 09:47 PM

Quote:

(with the exception of the more bulky works of Origen)

I'm guessing but that could be because the following I read on http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...l/One-Ch11.htm :

Origen had many heretical beliefs due to his acceptance of doctrines from Greek philosophy, his emphasis on mystical knowledge rather than faith, and his extremely allegorical interpretation of Scripture. For example, he believed in the preexistence of the souls of men, denied the necessity of the redemptive work of Christ, and believed in the ultimate salvation of the wicked, including the devil. For these and other heretical doctrines, he was excommunicated from the church. Church councils formally anathematized (cursed) many of his doctrines in 543 and 553.

Anyways, yeah it sounds like some good reading material, especially if they include all the writings of everyone besides Origen.

Lightknight · 07-22-2005, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Travis

Oh man! How much is domestic shipping?

I wish I had seen this when I had a bit more money.

Well, if you select "add to bookbag", then "view subtotal". It says that the estimated shipping is $16. Which is a big difference.

Lightknight · 07-22-2005, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel21TX

I'm guessing but that could be because the following I read on http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homep...l/One-Ch11.htm :

Origen had many heretical beliefs due to his acceptance of doctrines from Greek philosophy, his emphasis on mystical knowledge rather than faith, and his extremely allegorical interpretation of Scripture. For example, he believed in the preexistence of the souls of men, denied the necessity of the redemptive work of Christ, and believed in the ultimate salvation of the wicked, including the devil. For these and other heretical doctrines, he was excommunicated from the church. Church councils formally anathematized (cursed) many of his doctrines in 543 and 553.

Anyways, yeah it sounds like some good reading material, especially if they include all the writings of everyone besides Origen.

Yes, I considered this. It would be interesting if that's the actual reason.

Daniel21TX · 07-22-2005, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Yes, I considered this. It would be interesting if that's the actual reason.

Yeah, I would really like to read some early Church priest writings, as long as it was all of their writings, including the ones deemed heretical, especially pertaining to the nature of God. I say, if it was all of the rest of those guys writings, then go for it.Especially Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Tertullian (Since his writings show that the vast majority of Christians didn't support his trinity view

), Irenaeus. Its a really good list. 200 $? I might have to get in on this.

MrCrabby · 07-22-2005, 10:40 PM

Well, at least you'll probably pay it off before you finish reading.

thessalonian · 07-22-2005, 10:41 PM

For those who don't have the 200 bucks alot of these are available at http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/

I also about 5 years ago found the 38 volumes for free on some websited, downloadable. I don't know if they are available any more. I will search for it.

That said, 200 bucks is a good deal. I think the best I've seen is about 250.

Thess

Lightknight · 07-22-2005, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thessalonian

For those who don't have the 200 bucks alot of these are available at http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/

I also about 5 years ago found the 38 volumes for free on some websited, downloadable. I don't know if they are available any more. I will search for it.

That said, 200 bucks is a good deal. I think the best I've seen is about 250.

Thess

I study hard copies of stuff a heck of a lot better. That being said, I am really surprised that this collection contains more writtings than that site does. I mean, I go to the "New Advent" site for a lot of things. Lol, that site does show me how insanely big most of these writtings are though. This is definately what I'm requesting for my B-day. Video games be darned!