The Didache
The Didache is a second century catechism of the Church, written anonymously, but existing essentially as a work of the early Church Fathers. It consists of 16 short chapters and consists of the teachings of the New Testament. For instance, the first chapter is entitled The Two Ways; the First Commandment and it includes such statements as this: Bless those who curse you, andprayfor your enemies, andfastfor those whopersecuteyou. For what reward is there, if youlovethose wholoveyou? Do not also theGentilesdo the same? which is an echo of Matthew 5:43-47. The Didache also gives recommendations for how to celebrate the Eucharist, when the Church should assemble, how to live the way of life, and so on. It is basically a brief summation of some of the important points of Christian tenets for the early Church.
To the declaration that the Didache is typical religious stuffdo this and dont do thatone could say that it is a teaching text, a text that can be used to supplement multiple lessons. As an early catechism, it consists of the basic bare bones of what is taught in the discussion. Thus, as a...
…point is that the Didache is not a comprehensive or exhaustive manual for Christian living or celebration. It is a helpful text that touches on important points of the Faith. But it should be remembered that most people of the time were not literate: books like today did not exhaust; manuscripts were written out and carefully preserved because they were special and rare. Thus, a text of this
nature would not have been mass-produced for every Christian home but rather it would have been read by Christian leaders or used for educative, i.e., catechism, purposes. That is why the chapters are brief and to the point.
