The principal patristic texts of interest to Gnostic studies are listed in this section (all texts from Alexander Roberts, ed. The Ante-Nicene Fathers and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers collection). The writings of Augustin against the the Manichaeans are also included.
A collection of the complete patristic writings, all carefully and recently reedited, is available at the CECL Early Church Fathers collection. This site offers the entire Ante-Nicene Fathers and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers collections (about 38 volumes in the print edition), and includes a search function.
The advantage of our Gnostic Society Library collection is that all the "anti-gnostic" patristic writings, as well as numerous Gnostic works, are indexed here together by our search function. This allows rapid comparative searches on key names and subjects.
Patristic Polemical Works Against the Gnostics
Listed by Author
Ireneaus of Lyon:
- Against All Heresies, Book 1.
- Against All Heresies, Book 2.
- Against All Heresies, Book 3.
- Against All Heresies, Book 4.
- Against All Heresies, Book 5.
Tertullian:
- Against Marcion, Book 1
- Against Marcion, Book 2
- Against Marcion, Book 3
- Against Marcion, Book 4
- Against Marcion, Book 5
- Against Hermogenes
- Against Praxeas
- Against the Valentinians
- Appendix: Against All Heresy
- Prescriptions Against Heretics
- Scorpiace
Origen:
- Contra Celsum, Book 1.
- Contra Celsum, Book 2.
- Contra Celsum, Book 3.
- Contra Celsum, Book 4.
- Contra Celsum, Book 5.
- Contra Celsum, Book 6.
- Contra Celsum, Book 7.
- Contra Celsum, Book 8.
Hippolytus:
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 1.
- Refutations of all Heresies, (Books 2 and 3 are not extant.)
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 4.
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 5.
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 6.
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 7.
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 8.
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 9.
- Refutations of all Heresies, Book 10.
Clement of Alexandria:
- Pseudo-Clementine, Recognitions, Book 2
(The Duel Between Simon Magus and Peter) - Pseudo-Clementine, Recognitions, Book 3
Augustine:
- Contra Epistolam Fundamenti Manichaei (Against the Fundamental Epistle of Mani)
- Contra Faustum Manichaeum, Books I - XV (Against Faustus, the Manichaean)
Contra Faustum Manichaeum, Books XVI-XXII
Contra Faustum Manichaeum, Books XXIII-XXXIII - De Moribus Ecclesiae Catholicae (On the Morals of the Catholic Church)
- De Moribus Manichaerorum (On the Morals of the Manichaeans)
- De Duabus Animabus Contra Manichaeos (Concerning Two Souls: Against the Manichaeans)
- Disputatio Contra Fortunatum Manichaeum (Disputations Against Fortunatus, the Manichaean)
- De Natura Boni, Contra Manichaeos (Concerning the Nature of Good: Against the Manichaeans)
Others Writers:
