Open library
Historic writings
Creeds, councils, and other public-domain texts of the church.
446 writings
Writings
Ephraim the Syrian
Stanzas Against Bardaisan. S. Ephraim's Prose Refutations of Mani, Marcion and Bardaisan. Transcribed from the Palimpsest B.M. Add. 14623 by the late C. W. MITCHELL, M.A., C.F., volume 2 (1921).**S. Ephraim's Prose Refutations of Mani, Marcion and Bardaisan.
Saint Augustine
St. Augustine, Enchiridion: On Faith, Hope, and Love (1955). English translation**St. Augustine, Enchiridion: On Faith, Hope, and Love (1955).
Basil the Great
St. Basil, Address to young men on the right use of Greek literature.**Frederick Morgan PADELFORD, Essays on the Study and Use of Poetry by Plutarch and Basil the Great. Yale Studies in English 15 (1902) pp.
St. Jerome
St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel (1958) pp. 15-157**St. Jerome, Commentary on Daniel (1958).
Martin Luther
Table TalkIn 1517, Martin Luther's 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation by challenging the practices of the Roman Catholic Church and the authority of the pope. Many of Luther's books were ordered to be burned as a result of Luther's dissent.
Church of England
The 1549 Book of Common Prayer: PrefaceThe first Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England, published in 1549, establishes a unified English-language order for daily prayer, Scripture readings, Holy Communion, and other rites and ceremonies. Its preface explains the reform of traditional services to promote clarity, scriptural faithfulness, and congregational understanding.
Church of England
The 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Preface & Of CeremoniesThe 1552 Book of Common Prayer establishes a revised English-language order of worship, including daily prayer, Scripture readings, Communion, baptism, confirmation, marriage, burial, and episcopal ordination. Its prefaces explain the simplification and standardization of ceremonies and services throughout England.
Church of England
The 1559 Book of Common Prayer: Act of Uniformity; Preface; and Of CeremoniesThe 1559 Book of Common Prayer established the authorized forms of worship, public prayer, and sacramental administration for the Church of England under Elizabeth I. The accompanying Act of Uniformity mandated its use and prescribed penalties for ministers and others who rejected or disparaged it.
Church of Scotland
The 1637 Scottish Book of Common Prayer: Front MatterA liturgical book authorized under King Charles I for uniform public worship in Scotland. It follows the structure of the English Book of Common Prayer while including Scottish provisions and defenses of prescribed liturgy and church ceremonies.
Church of England
The 1689 Proposed Book of Common Prayer: Morning PrayerA proposed revision of the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer, including revised rubrics and forms for daily morning and evening prayer. The text retains the traditional structure while introducing suggested changes to vestments, lessons, responses, and liturgical language.
The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America
The 1928 Book of Common Prayer: Morning PrayerThe 1928 American Book of Common Prayer provides liturgical orders and prayers for daily Morning Prayer, including Scripture sentences, confession, absolution, the Lord’s Prayer, canticles, psalms, lessons, and seasonal variations. It represents the worship and devotional standards of the Episcopal Church.
Church of Ireland
The Book of Common Prayer of the Church of Ireland: Front MatterThe authorized 1926 revision of the Book of Common Prayer for the Church of Ireland, containing liturgical services, prayers, the Psalter, catechism, Articles of Religion, and ecclesiastical regulations. Its preface explains the revision process and theological and liturgical changes from the 1878 edition.
Unknown
The DecretalsA collection of forged papal decretals produced in the ninth century and falsely attributed to early bishops of Rome. The text examines their historical use in establishing papal authority and the Western canon-law system.
Palladius of Helenopolis
The Dialogue of Palladius concerning the Life of St. John Chrysostom (1921). English translation. Pp. 1-199.**The Dialogue of Palladius concerning the Life of St. John Chrysostom (1921).
Lactantius
The Divine InstitutesMen of great and distinguished talent, when they had entirely devoted themselves to learning, holding in contempt all actions both private and public, applied to the pursuit of investigating the truth whatever labour could be bestowed upon it; thinking it much more excellent to investigate and know the method of human and divine things, than to be entirely occupied with the heaping up of riches...
Martin Luther
The Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and ExplainedE. H. Gilett, translator and scholar of The Epistle of St. Peter and St. Jude Preached and Explained, describes the value of this book with the following sentence: "The relation of faith to works is clearly and carefully defined, while the subjects presented in the text afford full opportunity for discussing the great questions that concern the relative duties of civil and social life." He conc...
Pacian, Bishop of Barcelona
The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp. 317-327. Letter 1: On the Catholic Name.**The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp.
Pacian of Barcelona
The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp. 327-335. Letter 2: Concerning Novatian's Letter.**The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp.
Pacian of Barcelona
The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp. 336-362. Letter 3: Against the treatise of the Novatians.**The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp.
Pacian of Barcelona
The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp. 364-377. Paraenesis, or, Treatise of exhortation to penance**The Extant Works of S. Pacian, Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church 17 (1842) pp.