STH: Church History

Citing The Ante-Nicene Fathers (ANF)

Both ANF and NPNF are considered classical Greek and Latin references, falling under 14.242-14.252 of the Chicago Manual of Style. To cite them, supplement the Chicago (or Turabian) citation style by using The SBL [Society of Biblical Literature] Handbook of Style.

The full SBL explanation for citing ANF and NPNF can be found at: https://sblhs2.com/2017/07/13/citing-text-collections-6-anf-and-npnf/.

1. Footnotes:

Footnotes should include the author, "work," and where the citation can be found in the classic text (chapter, section, and paragraph numbers may be given, as available, separated by periods) as well as the ANF volume and page numbers.

Example: 

1. Irenaeus, Against Heresies XIV.3 (ANF 1:541).

This footnote shows a citation of paragraph 3 of chapter XIV of Irenaeus's Against Heresies, which is found on page 541 of volume 1 of ANF. Note that both Against Heresies and ANF are italicized.

2. Bibliography:

Your bibliography should list the standard bibliographic entry for ANF (see that SBL link above), with our library copy's reproduction information (highlighted in yellow below) at the end.

Example:

The Ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. 10 vols. 1885–1887. Repr., Grand Rapids, Mich. : Eerdmans, 1989.

ANF only needs to be listed once in the bibliography regardless of how many authors or volumes were consulted.

The Ante-Nicene Fathers (ANF) and A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (NPNF) are multi-volume sets that contain what is considered the now standard English translation of the writings of the Church Fathers.

NPNF First Series covers Augustine of Hippo and John Chrysostom. The Second Series includes church histories by Eusebius, "Socrates," and Sozomenus; writings from the rest of the church fathers through Gregory the Great, and finally a volume on the first seven ecumenical councils.

Citing The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (NPNF)

Both ANF and NPNF are considered classical Greek and Latin references, falling under 14.242-14.252 of the Chicago Manual of Style. To cite them, supplement the Chicago (or Turabian) citation style by using The SBL [Society of Biblical Literature] Handbook of Style.

The full SBL explanation for citing ANF and NPNF can be found at: https://sblhs2.com/2017/07/13/citing-text-collections-6-anf-and-npnf/.

1. Footnotes:

Footnotes should include the author, "work," and where the citation can be found in the classic text (chapter, section, and paragraph numbers may be given, as available, separated by periods) as well as the NPNF series/volume and page numbers.

Example: 

1. Eusebius, The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine I.3.2 (NPNF 1/1:482).

This footnote shows a citation of Book I, chapter 3, paragraph 2 of Eusebius's The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine, which is found on in the First Series volume 1 on page 482.Note that both The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine and NPNF are italicized.

2. Bibliography:

Your bibliography should list the standard bibliographic entry for NPNF (see that SBL link above), with our library copy's reproduction information (highlighted in yellow below) at the end.

Example:

A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. 28 vols. in 2 series. 1886–1889. Repr., Grand Rapids, Mich. : Eerdmans, 1989.

If you use a different copy (online or at a different library), you should change the reproduction information (yellow above) for the same information from the back of the title page of the copy that you used.

NPNF only needs to be listed once in the bibliography regardless of how many authors or volumes were consulted.