# The Early Church Fathers (38 Volumes)



## Mayflower (Sep 23, 2005)

Does anyone has and use the The Early Church Fathers (38 Volumes) set ? Iam thinking to order it now it is discounted for $199.99. at CBC. But this sending cost (for Europe) is expencive $169,99 (total $369,98). I think that CBC is one of the most expensive with sending, it's 30%, while forexample RHB is only 16%.

Does anyone knows another bookshop where there almost the same discount as CBC. Maybe i can check if the sending cost is cheaper.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 23, 2005)

I have the third section of it (Post-Nicene). It is a great set, beautifully made. Worth every penny. I don't know where you can get it cheaper than CBD.

You can find it new on eBay as well.


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## ChristopherPaul (Sep 23, 2005)

I took advantage of the CBC sale back in the spring and got the 38-volume set (along with Calvin's commentaries for $99). It is a steal and worth every penny, but they are indeed heavy and will cost much to ship oversees.

Perhaps someone can help by having your order shipped local and then see if it can be shipped at a better rate through personal shipment.

I don't know, I am not too familiar with postage rates and procedures for this type of media. Just a thought.


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## fredtgreco (Sep 23, 2005)

Ralph,

Have you considered using the ECF in electronic format?

They are available in HTML on the CCEL website:
http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/

And on the BibleCentre website:
http://www.biblecentre.net/history/cf/main.htm

They are also available in Microsoft Help (chm) format. You can find the various parts on this page:
http://www.zeitun-eg.org/ecfidx.htm

and the actual link is Full 58MB Download


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## Scott (Sep 23, 2005)

to Fred's post 

You have to have a LOT of free room in your house to keep that set. And it is not electronicalyl searchable.


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## fredtgreco (Sep 23, 2005)

The print is also small, and the books large, which makes them hard to read.


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## rgrove (Sep 23, 2005)

I have the whole set. Christmas money from a couple years ago.  I've been very happy with it, but I bought it from a local Christian bookstore that I was able to get a decent deal on and not have to bother with the $$$$ for shipping something that big. I haven't had trouble with the print, but I like books. I can't read long things electronically. My eyes start to go buggy. 

If you're intending on doing a lot of RCC it's extremely handy. My books are already filled with highlighting and side notes from the books by David King and William Webster as well as other works by Webster, Eric Svendsen and James White. My family is RCC and becoming conversent in the early church fathers was a must. If you have to do that much work, then the electronic version will get old for you as well.


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## Mayflower (Sep 23, 2005)

Thanks you guys for the repley.

Thanks Fred for the electronic format, but actually i don't like so much to read from computer, i prefer to read from the book it self.

I wish that the sending cost ($169,99) where not so high. But i think that nowhere else than CBC has it for such a low price as, $199,99.

If someone knows another bookdealer with almost the same price (a little bit more expenser, is also no problem) as CBC, please let me know, maybe his sending cost are cheaper ?


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 23, 2005)

I don't find the print all that small in them. They are indexed well, also. I prefer books over the internet, but that's just me.


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## rgrove (Sep 23, 2005)

Maybe there's a local Christan bookstore near you that can get you a better deal? Seriously, that's how I did it. They cost more for the regular price than the online outlets did, but the shipping costs from the online places I checked made the final bill much higher than buying it lcoally here in Portland.


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## Mayflower (Sep 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by rgrove_
> Maybe there's a local Christan bookstore near you that can get you a better deal? Seriously, that's how I did it. They cost more for the regular price than the online outlets did, but the shipping costs from the online places I checked made the final bill much higher than buying it lcoally here in Portland.



Dear Ron. The cheapest way to get the set here in the Netherlands is voor $480,-. I took contact with the bookshop which gives me the most discount on books.


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## Puritanhead (Sep 23, 2005)

I have a lot of books in electronic format and I like the search feature, but _I have an affinity for the printed matter._ There is just something that doesn't make reading a book chapter or a whole volume on a computer screen practical... it bothers my eyes. I got Calvin's commentaries in book and CD-ROM. 

Though, I doubt I would ever read the _The Early Church Fathers_ so I'd just stick with utilizing the searchable electronic reference.


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## Mayflower (Sep 24, 2005)

Does anyone know if the works of Athanasius is also included in the set ? If so, which volume is it ?


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Sep 24, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Mayflower_
> Does anyone know if the works of Athanasius is also included in the set ? If so, which volume is it ?



It is in the Nicene/Ante-Nicene Fathers Set, Series 2 (14 vols)


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## DTK (Sep 24, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Mayflower_
> Does anyone know if the works of Athanasius is also included in the set ? If so, which volume is it ?


Many of Athanasius' works are included in Vol. 4 of the _NPNF2_, but it does not include all of his works.

Cheers,
DTK


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## Mayflower (Sep 24, 2005)

> _Originally posted by DTK_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Mayflower_
> ...



Do you know which works are not included ?

Personally, Athanasius is one of my favourite church fathers


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## DTK (Sep 24, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Mayflower_
> 
> Do you know which works are not included ?
> 
> Personally, Athanasius is one of my favourite church fathers


You would have to compile a complete bibliography of Athanasius' works, and then compare them to what you find in Vol. 4 of the _NPNF, second series_ (It's been some time since I've done this, and I can't remember them all). But his letters on the Holy Spirit are significant and are not included in this volume. They can be found in this volume, C. R. B. Shapland, trans., _The Letters of Athanasius Concerning the Holy Spirit_ (New York: The Philosophical Library, 1951).

Blessings,
DTK


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## Mayflower (Sep 24, 2005)

> _Originally posted by DTK_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Mayflower_
> ...




Dear DTK,

At home i have a 2 volume set of Anthanasius. It's also on the web, see :

http://www.newmanreader.org/works/athanasius/volume1/
http://www.newmanreader.org/works/athanasius/volume2/

I don't know if these works, have those works which are not included in the Vol. 4 of the NPNF2 ?


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## DTK (Sep 24, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Mayflower_
> 
> Dear DTK,
> 
> ...


Actually, the translations of Athanasius as found in Vol. 4 of the _NPNF, Second Series_ are by and large the translation work of Henry Newman. You'll find this note in the preface of Vol. 4...


> In preparing the present volume the Editor has aimed at providing the English reader with the most complete apparatus for the study of Athanasius, his life, and his theological influence, which could be brought within the compass of a single volume of the "˜Nicene and Post-Nicene Library.´ The volume contains all the most important treatises of Athanasius (in as nearly as possible their exact chronological order), with the exception of the _ad Serapionem_, the _contra Apollinarium_, the _ad Marcellinum_, and the exegetical remains. On these and other treatises omitted from the present collection the reader is referred to the Prolegomena, ch. III.
> 
> A great part of the volume, including the bulk of the historical and and-Arian works, and the Festal Letters, consists of a revision of translations and notes comprised in the Oxford Library of the Fathers. The notes to all, and the translation of most, of the works in the Oxford Library of the Fathers. The notes to all, and the translation of most, of the works in question, excepting the Festal Letters, were prepared for that series by Mr. (since Cardinal) Newman.


Thus vol. 4 of the _NPNF, Second Series_ has nearly all of Athanasius' works with the exception of the ones mentioned above. But I wouldn't worry about _contra Apollinarium_, because modern day Scholars now understand it to be Pseudo-Athanasius. In other words, you probably have most of the contents of Vol. 4 of the _NPNF, Second Series_ in the two volumes you have at home. So there is a great deal of over-lapping. I do not know to what extent they have made any revisions in Newman's work since I don't have the two volumes you have at home to compare. Now, to be sure, Newman is highly regarded as a patristic scholar by some, but I have little respect for his work.

Blessings,
DTK


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## Mayflower (Sep 24, 2005)

Dear DTK,

Thanks for the information!


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