Ancient Christianity studies

thumb|Philip Schaff's The Nicene and Post-Nicene FathersPatristics, also known as patrology, is a branch of theological studies focused on the writings and teachings of the Church Fathers, between the first and the eighth centuries AD. Scholars analyze texts from both orthodox and heretical authors. Patristics emerged as a distinct discipline in the 19th century, supported by critical editions like Patrologia Latina and Patrologia Graeca. The field employs textual analysis, archaeology, and historical criticism to analyze early Christianity's doctrinal, cultural, and intellectual development,