Translation of : Lehrbuch der Patrologie.

Apostolic and postapostolic literature. Introduction : the rise of Christian literature ; Biblical apocrypha ; Postapostolic literature -- Literature of the period of persecution (mid-second to early fourth centuries). Introduction : the impact of persecution. Greek literature ; Beginnings of Latin literature -- Literature of the ascending imperial church (early fourth century to ca. 430). Introduction : essential features of the history of the fourth century ; First phase of Arianism ; Apollinarianism and the second phase of Arianism ; Pastors, exegetes, and ascetics ; Monastic and hagiographic literature ; Augustine of Hippo -- Literature of the transition from late antiquity to the early Middle Ages (ca. 430 to the mid-eighth century). Introduction : retrospective collections and progressive works ; Theological controversies of the fifth century ; Literature of the Latin West ; Literature of the Greek East -- Literature of the Christian East. Independent bodies of literature.