Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of DoctrineHeresies, schisms, culture of death, persecutions, excommunications While reflective of headlines from today, these difficulties roiled Christians of the early Church as well. In fact, the earliest Church manual, the Didache, brought clarity to a range of moral issues that our culture continues to grapple with to this day. Here is one of the most lucid and comprehensive overviews of the Patristic period ever written. With simplicity and clarity, Dr.