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by Garry Trompf (Guest Editor)
Patristics, or the focused study of the Fathers and Mothers of the ancient Christian churches, is a well-established discipline within the wider fields of Historical Theology, the History of Religion, the History of Late Antiquity, and Studies in Religion. It has garnered remarkable international engagement, and over the last fifty years, scholars from Australia have played an increasingly important role in its expanding development. This Special Issue of Religions serves to exemplify the current involvement and future potential of Australian researchers in this knowledge domain, displaying the fresh insights they bring from their diverse ethnic backgrounds and language skills, as well as additional expertise across various fields of study. Proper recognition of the Australian contribution is long overdue, and at this particular point in time, the array of scholars collaborating in the highly multicultural State of New South Wales deserves the attention that the following collection offers. This Special Issue covers all the major aspects of Patristic Study, highlighting the diversity of specialist interests and gender perspectives involved in shaping its Australian landscape. The topics span key ideas and doctrines, archaeology, expositions, translations, apologists, and missionaries. They also include subjects ranging from orthodoxy to heresy and Gnosticism, socio-religious theory to imperial rulership, and ancient monastic or ascetic institutions to modern instruments of pedagogy and dialogue.
