PATROLOGIA E PATRISTICA. — Terms of Protestant origin. In Lutheran theology of the seventeenth century, people began to speak of a «theologia patristica» in the sense of a collection of testimonies from the Fathers concerning individual dogmas. This theological concept of the term «patristics» became confused with the literary concept of «patrology», which, as a term, was first used by the Lutheran theologian Johs Gerhardus (d. 1637) in his work Patrologia, sive de primitiva Ecclesiae christianae Doctarum vita ac lucubrationibus opus postumum (Jena 1653). But although the two terms «patrology» and «patristics» are of Protestant origin, the two concepts—one theological and the other literary—for evaluating the ecclesiastical writers of the ancient Church are already found in Catholic literature. The concept of «Father» (v.) is dogmatic in character, having its foundation in the dogmatic proof of tradition, whereas the need to consider ancient writers from a literary point of view is already evident in the De viris illustribus of s. Girolamo. Starting from the dogmatic concept of «father», patristics (or patrology), as a theological discipline, approaches dogmatics or the history of dogma; following the path begun by s. Girolamo, one arrives at the «history of ancient Christian literature», that is, at a particular discipline within the history of the Church. Catholic scholarship has followed both paths.
The work of s. Girolamo already mentioned (eds. by C. A. Bernoulli; Freiburg im Br. 1895, by E. C. Richardson, Leipzig 1896; v.: H. Edmonds, 2nd ed., in Altertum, Leipzig 1941, p. 348 ff.), published in the year 392, is ultimately nothing more than a catalogue, which excludes neither judicial writers (Filone, Flavio Giuseppe, and Giusto di Tiberiade) nor schismatic and heretical authors, and which also includes the Evangelists in its literary list. The little work had an apologetic purpose, since it sought to demonstrate against Celso, Porfirio, and the emperor Giuliano that eloquent philosophers and doctors had never been lacking in the Church. In form, Girolamo copied Svetonio; in content, he depended on Eusebio (Historia ecclesiastica e Chronicon), though there is no lack of information based on his own reading. His criticism of biblical texts is quite free, and his portrayal of the characteristic style of individual authors is superficial (not comparable with the literary criticism of Fazio; concerning Girolamo’s work, cf. C. A. Bernoulli, Der Schriftstellerkatalog des Hieronymus, Freiburg im Br. 1895; St. von Sychowski, Hieronymus als Literaturhistoriker, Münster 1894; A. Feder, Studien zum Schriftstellerkatalog des hl. Hieronymus, Freiburg 1927; P. Courcelle, Les lettres grecques en Occident, Paris 1943, p. 78 ff.). Around 480, the semipelagian priest Gennadio di Marsiglia wrote a continuation of the work of s. Girolamo; consequently, most manuscripts of Girolamo also contain Gennadio’s continuation. Gennadio’s work is more precise and more theological than that of Girolamo, but it also reveals his semipelagian position (B. Czapla, Gennadius als Literaturhistoriker, Münster 1898; F. Diekamp, Wann hat Gennadius seinen Schriftstellerkatalog verfasst, in Römische Quartalschr., 12 [1898], p. 411 ff.; A. Feder, Der Semipelagianismus im Schriftstellerkatalog des G., in Scholastik, 2 [1927], p. 481 ff.; id., Die Entstehung und Veröffentlichung des gennadianischen Schriftstellerkatalogs, ibid., 8 [1933], p. 217 ff.; id., Zusätze des Gennadian. Schriftstellerkatalogs, ibid., p. 380 ff.; P. Courcelle, Les lettres grecques en Occident, Paris 1943, p. 221 ff.). Continuators of s. Girolamo and Gennadio, with particular interest in Spanish writers, were Isidoro di Siviglia (between 615 and 618: PL 83, 1081–1106) and his disciple Ildefonso di Toledo (d. 667: PL 96, 195 ff.; cf. G. V. Dzialowski, Isidor und Ildefons als Literaturhistoriker, Münster 1898; F. Schütte, Studien über den Schriftstellerkatalog des hl. Isidor, in M. Sdralek, Kirchengeschichtliche Abhandlungen, Breslau 1902, p. 75 ff.; M. Ihm, Beiträge zur alten Geschichte und griech.-römischen Altertumskunde [Festschrift für O. Hirschfeld], Berlin 1903, p. 341 ff.; H. Koeppler, in Journal of theolog. studies, 38 [1936], p. 16 ff.). While in Byzantium Fazio resumed the study of the Fathers together with that of ancient authors (his Myriobiblon = Library: PG 103–104), in the West the literature of the De viris illustribus was taken up again in the eleventh century by Sigeberto di Gembloux (d. 1112: PL 160, 547 ff.), in Belgium by Onorio di Autun (ca. 1122) in his De luminarius Ecclesiae (PL 172, 197 ff.) and by the so-called Anonymus Mellicensis (De scriptoribus ecclesiasticis: PL 213, 959 ff.), and in the fifteenth century by Giovanni Tritemio. All these authors rely on s. Girolamo and Gennadio for the patristic period. Their works are important for knowledge of the writers of their own time; for reconstructing the text of Girolamo and Gennadio, this indirect tradition is of little value (v. A. Feder, Studien zum Schriftstellerkatalog des hl. Hieronymus, Freiburg im Br. 1927, p. 90). The line of these «nomenclatores» (v. I. A. Fabricius, Bibliotheca ecclesiastica, Hamburg 1718) was continued among the Lutherans by Giovanni Gerhardus, Giuseppe Hülseemann, etc., and on the Catholic side by s. Roberto Bellarmino in his Liber de scriptoribus ecclesiasticis (Rome 1613), an edition enlarged by F. Labbé (Paris 1670) and by Casimiro Oudin (ibid. 1682). The first major attempt at a critical treatment of ancient Christian literature was made by Louis Elliot Du Pin (d. 1719) with his Nouvelle bibliothèque des auteurs ecclésiastiques, etc. (Paris 1686–1711), in 47 vols. (v. Reusch, Index der verbotenen Bücher, II, 1, p. 586). The book, which was placed on the Index, provoked much literary controversy (M. Petit-Didier, R. Simon, R. Ceillier, and others). The lack of respect in its language and Gallicanism were the principal causes of the condemnation of this work. A work of value is Le Nourry’s Apparatus ad Bibliothecam maximam Patrum veterum (Paris 1604), but the historical-critical masterpiece is the famous Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire ecclésiastique des six premiers siècles by L. S. Le Nain de Tillemont ([b. 1698], Paris 1693–1712), in 16 vols., a work that scholars still consult profitably today. In the Protestant field, the works of Wil-
William Cave, James Usher, John E. Grabe (v.), John Pearson, H. Dodwell, and the Anglicans, who, in order to defend their dogmatic position, were compelled to concern themselves with the Fathers, deserve mention in this period. Alongside them, one may also mention the studies of Le Clerc, Dallaeus, and Oudin. Among the works concerning the history of ancient Christian literature in the modern period are: J. A. Möhler, Patrologie (vol. I [only volume], Regensburg 1840); J. Nirschl, Lehrbuch der Patrologie und Patristik (3 vols., Mainz 1881–85); I. Fessler, Institutiones Patrologiae (2nd ed. by Jungmann, Innsbruck 1890–96); Ad. Harnack, Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur bis auf Eusebius (3 vols., Leipzig 1893–1904); H. Kihn, Patrologie (Paderborn 1904–1908); O. Bardenhewer, Patrologie (3rd ed., Freiburg 1910); id., Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur (5 vols., ibid. 1913–32); H. Jordan, Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur (Leipzig 1911); I. Tixeront, Mélanges de patrologie et d'histoire des dogmes (Paris 1921); H. Lietzmann, Christliche Literatur (Leipzig 1923); F. Cayré, Précis de Patrologie (2 vols., Paris 1927–1930); B. Steidle, Patrologie (Freiburg 1937); U. Mannucci, Istituzioni di patrologie (ed. by A. Casamassa, Rome 1948–50); E. I. Goodspeed, A History of early christian literature (Chicago 1942); B. Altaner, Patrologie (2nd ed., Freiburg 1950; also in an Italian translation revised by A. Ferrua, Turin 1944); J. Quasten, Patrology, I. The Beginnings of Patristic Literature (Utrecht–Brussels 1950). Special works concerning Greek patristics include: K. Krumbacher–A. Ehrhard, Geschichte der byzantinischen Literatur (2nd ed., Munich 1897); O. Stählin, Die altkirchliche griechische Literatur, in W. V. Christ, Geschichte der griechischen Literatur (5 vols., 6th ed., ibid. 1924); A. Puech, Littérature grecque chrétienne (Paris 1928); I. M. Campbell, The Greek Fathers (London 1929). On knowledge of the Greek Fathers in the Latin Church, v.: P. Courcelle, Les lettres grecques en Occident (Paris 1943); A. Siegmund, Die Überlieferung der griechischen Literatur in der lateinischen Kirche bis zum 12. Jahrhundert (Munich 1949). Special works on Latin patristics include: P. Monceaux, Histoire littéraire de l'Afrique chrétienne (7 vols., Paris 1901–23); R. Pichon, Etudes sur l'histoire de la littérature latine dans les Gaules (ibid. 1906); W. S. Teuffel, Geschichte der römischen Literatur (III, 6th ed., Leipzig 1913); the Christian authors are treated by E. Klostermann; M. Schanz, G. Hosius, G. Krüger, Geschichte der röm. Literatur (III, 3rd ed., ibid. 1922; IV, 1, ibid. 1914; IV, 11, ibid. 1920; Christian literature is treated by G. Krüger); U. Moricea, Storia della letteratura latina cristiana, 3 vols. in 5 volumes (Turin 1915–1934); P. Monceaux, Histoire de la littérature latine chrétienne (Paris 1924); C. Weymann, Beiträge zur Geschichte der christlich-lateinischen Poesie (Munich 1926); N. Terzaghi, Storia della letteratura latina da Tiberio a Giustiniano (Milan 1934); L. Salvatorelli, Storia della letteratura latina cristiana (ibid. 1936); E. Bickel, Lehrbuch der Geschichte der römischen Literatur (Heidelberg 1938); P. de Labriolle, Histoire de la littérature latine chrétienne, 3rd ed. by G. Barzy (2 vols., Paris 1947); P. Courcelle, Histoire littéraire des grandes invasions germaniques (ibid. 1948); E. Dellers, Clavis Patrum latinorum (Steenbrugge 1951, in Sacris erudiri, III). For works concerning the Eastern Fathers, V. ORIENTE CRISTIANO. The transmission of the Fathers in the life of the Church during the Middle Ages and the modern period has been treated in the excellent studies of J. de Ghellinck, Patristique et moyen-âge (3 vols., Brussels 1946–48). The influence of Christian literature on European literature is studied by E. R. Curtius, Europäische Literatur und lateinisches Mittelalter (Bern 1948).
THE PUBLICATION OF PATRISTIC TEXTS. — It was humanism that gave the impetus to the first printing of patristic texts. Some of these publications have the value of a manuscript, because many codices of that period have been lost. The first critical editions appeared in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Among the editors, mention should be made of Fronton le Duc (« Ducaeus », d. 1624), the editor of Chrysostom and John Damascene; Jacques Sirmond (d. 1651); Jean Garnier (d. 1681); Fr. Combefis (d. 1679); I. B. Cotelier (d. 1686); and the great representatives of the Benedictine Congregation of St. Maur
(v. MAURINI): I. L. D'Achéry (d. 1685); MABILLON, JEAN (v.); R. Massuet (d. 1716, editor of St. Irenaeus); P. Constant (d. 1721); Le Nourry (d. 1724); Julien Garnier (d. 1725, editor of Basil); Ch. de la Rue (d. 1739, editor of Origen); B. Montfaucon (v.); P. Maran (d. 1762). The first great collections are the Sacris bibliotheca veterum Patrum (Cologne 1618–22), or Maxima bibliotheca veterum Patrum (27 vols., Lyons 1677).
Still of value today is the Bibliotheca veterum Patrum of Andrea Gallandi (14 vols., Venice 1764–81; 2nd ed. there 1788). Ultimately, the great Patrologie of J.-P. MIGEZIO (v.) is a continuation of these old Bibliothecae Patrum. Migne was able to enlarge his edition as a result of the numerous publications of Cardinals A. MAGI (v.) PETRA (v.); for Migne’s edition, see also F. Cavallera, Patrologiae cursus completus. Series graeca. Indices (Paris 1912); Th. Hopfner, Index locupletissimus (there 1928 ff.). Critical editions of all Latin ecclesiastical writers from the first to the seventh century were planned by the Vienna Academy (from 1866 onward). Thus far, 70 volumes of this Corpus scriptorum ecclesiasticorum latinorum (CSEL or CV) have been published. A corresponding collection for the Greek Fathers is Die griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte (GCS or CB), published by the Berlin Academy (from 1897 onward), of which 41 volumes have appeared to date. The collection Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur, edited by O. V. Gebhardt and A. Harnack (Leipzig 1882 ff.), serves the preparation of the Greek texts. This collection has its counterpart in the collection Texts and Studies. Contributions to Biblical and Patristic Literature, edited by I. A. Robinson (Cambridge 1891), and, in a broader sense, in Studi e testi (publications of the Vatican Library, Rome 1900 ff.; V. A. M. Albareda, Nel cinquantesimo di «Studi e testi», Vatican City 1950). Among the collections for scholastic use, mention should be made of Florilegium Patristicum, edited by B. Geyer and I. Zellinger (44 fascicles, Bonn 1904 ff.); Cambridge Patristic Texts, edited by A. I. Mason (Cambridge 1890 ff.); Textes et documents pour l'étude historique du christianisme, edited by H. Hemmer–P. Lejay (20 vols., Paris 1904–12); Testi cristiani, with an Italian translation by G. Manacorda (Florence 1930 ff.); Corona Patrum Salesiana (Sanctorum Patrum graecorum et latinorum opera selecta, addita interpretatione vulgari), edited by P. Ricaldone (Turin 1937 ff.); Sources chrétiennes, edited by H. de Lubac and J. Daniélou (Paris 1941 ff.).