The Shorter Works of Tertullian Volume 1


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(5 stars; 7 reviews)

"In the latter part of the second and in the former part of the third century there flourished at Carthage the famous Tertullian, the first Latin writer of the church whose works are come down to us. All his writings betray a sour, monastic, harsh, and severe turn of mind. "Touch not, taste not, handle not," might seem to have been the maxims of his religious conduct. The abilities of Tertullian, as an orator and a scholar, are far from being contemptible, and have doubtless given him a reputation to which his theological knowledge by no means entitles him. Yet the man seems always in good earnest, and therefore much more estimable than thousands who would take a pleasure in despising him, while they themselves are covered with profaneness. It is not for us to condemn, after all, a man who certainly honoured Christ, defended several fundamental Christian doctrines, took large pains in supporting what he took to be true religion, and ever meant to serve God. The Montanists, whose austerities were extreme, and whose enthusiasm was real, seduced at length our severe African, and he not only joined them, but wrote in their defence, and treated the body of christians from whom he separated with much contempt. He, in a great measure, left the Montanists afterwards, and formed a sect of his own, called Tertullianists, who continued in Africa till Augustine's time, by whose labours their existence, as a sect, was brought to a close." (Extracted from Joseph Milner, The History of the Church of Christ, p.267-275) (14 hr 27 min)

Chapters

To Scapula 15:15 Read by InTheDesert
Address to the Martyrs 15:59 Read by InTheDesert
The Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicity 32:09 Read by David Ronald
The Soul's Testimony 24:16 Read by David Ronald
Prescription Against Heretics Part 1 57:00 Read by David Ronald
Prescription Against Heretics Part 2 39:06 Read by David Ronald
Against All Heresies 26:21 Read by David Ronald
Against the Valentinians Part 1 33:30 Read by InTheDesert
Against the Valentinians Part 2 38:18 Read by InTheDesert
Concerning Prayer 44:37 Read by InTheDesert
Concerning Baptism 43:20 Read by David Ronald
To His Wife 44:39 Read by InTheDesert
The Chaplet 51:03 Read by David Ronald
On The Veiling of Virgins 57:09 Read by InTheDesert
On Fasting Part 1 32:06 Read by InTheDesert
On Fasting Part 2 31:19 Read by InTheDesert
On Female Dress 52:33 Read by InTheDesert
On Repentance 46:55 Read by David Ronald
On Modesty Part 1 1:03:18 Read by InTheDesert
On Modesty Part 2 40:54 Read by InTheDesert
On Modesty Part 3 38:30 Read by InTheDesert
On the Pallium 38:53 Read by InTheDesert