The Library
1696 works catalogued century by century, from the literature the Bible was written among to the present — each with a note on what it is, why it lasted, and where to read it.
101–200
1 work
c. 110–130; survives in fragments
Greek
Papias of Hierapolis · c. 60–c. 130
Five lost books gathering what Papias could learn from those who had heard the apostles, surviving only where Irenaeus and Eusebius quote him — including his notes on how Mark and Matthew came to be written.
201–300
2 works
c. 200–215; survives in fragments
Greek
Hypotyposeis
Clement of Alexandria · c. 150 – c. 215
Eight books of brief notes on the whole of scripture, condemned by Photius for saying strange things and lost apart from quotations. It preserved the tradition that Mark wrote at Rome from Peter's preaching, and that John, seeing the bodily facts already set down, composed a spiritual gospel.
211
Latin
De Corona
Tertullian · c. 155–c. 220
Prompted by a soldier who refused the ceremonial garland, an argument that military service is incompatible with the gospel — and, in passing, a list of Christian customs kept without any scriptural warrant.
401–500
2 works
c. 421–422
Latin
Contra Iulianum
Augustine of Hippo · 354 – 430
Julian of Eclanum, a deposed Italian bishop and much the sharper logician, had accused Augustine of making God the author of evil and of importing Mani into the church. Augustine answers by assembling the fathers — Cyprian, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Basil — to show that original sin was taught before he was born.
434
Latin
Vincent of Lérins · d. c. 445
How to tell catholic truth from novelty: hold what has been believed everywhere, always, and by everyone — with a careful account of how doctrine may nevertheless grow.
1501–1600
2 works
1529
English
Thomas More · 1478–1535
A defence of images, pilgrimage, and the unwritten tradition against Tyndale, arguing that the church precedes and authenticates the scripture.
published 1563
Latin
De Locis Theologicis
Melchor Cano · 1509–1560
A ranking of the sources of theological argument — scripture, tradition, councils, fathers, reason, history — and how much weight each can bear.
1601–1700
1 work
1678
French
Richard Simon · 1638–1712
A Catholic priest argues that the Hebrew text reached us through many hands and cannot be the sole rule of faith, since tradition is needed to establish it.
8 of 1696 works