The Didache is one of the earliest Christian writings, earlier than most of the documents that make up the New Testament. It provides practical instructions on how a Christian community should function, and offers unique insights into the way the earliest Christians lived and worshipped. In this highly readable introduction, Thomas O’Loughlin tells the intriguing story of the Didache, from its discovery in the late nineteenth century to the present. He then provides an illuminating commentary on the entire text, highlighting areas of special interest to Christians today, and ends with a fresh translation of the text itself.
Thomas O’Loughlin is Professor of Historical Theology at the University of Nottingham. He has published extensively on how ancient text can reveal the lives of Christians. His books include Discovering Saint Patrick, Celtic Theology: Humanity, World and God in Early Irish Writings and Saint Patrick: The Man and his Works.