didache

If you want to talk about early Christian texts, the Didache is instructive.

The Didache is also often considered to be such a work.

The most interesting orthodox writings are probably the Didache and the Shepherd of Hermas.

Paul's letters, the didache, Flavius Joseph, some talmudic writings, John's disciples writings to name a few.

Abortion is condemned in the Didache (late 1st century/early 2nd century CE).

I understand that the Didache doesn't mention Jesus itself.

Good point, I didn’t fact check that part, I probably mixed up hazy memories of some other incidents I read about in the Didache and other early church writings.

The canonical form of the (Christian) Bible wasn't 'officially' established until some time into the history of Christianity (Council of Rome), and to a certain extent it was formalizing what was already accepted practice since the beginning of the faith (as mentioned in the Didache ).

Sure, how about some classics like: The Didache Anselm, Cur Deus Homo Anselm, Proslogion Augustine, City of God Augustine, Confessions Augustine, On Christian Doctrine William Law, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life Luther, The Bondage of the Will Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion Pascal, Pensées All of these are in public domain.

The Didache was most likely part of the letter written by the "pillars in Jerusalem" (James the Just, Peter, and John) after their meeting with Paul.

One of the most flatly incredible manuscript discoveries of the nineteenth century is a short treatise called the "Didache." We knew that such a thing existed, because writers as early as the 3rd century mention it, but it was presumed lost.

For example, if you have never heard of The Didache, your awareness of Christianity is probably focused on only a small subgroup, whose "central claims" don't necessarily correspond to the claims of the broader religion; refuting one of that subgroup's claims may or may not have any relevance for someone from another subgroup.

> Think of the folks fighting the "murder" of children, they come up with baddies (abortion doctors) This has been Christian doctrine for 2000 years: they didn't "come up with it." It's in the Didache, which is a first century document and puts abortion in the same category as pedophilia.

Consider the Didache, a church constitution and katechesis manual dated to the late 1st century AD.

If Christianity is on your list, have you ever read the Didache, or De Principiis?

The earliest writings I know of are Paul's letters and possibly the Didache, and neither of them were written until a couple of decades after Jesus' ministry.