Ignatius and Catholicism

Meet the First Christian to Call the Church "Catholic"-and See Why He Meant It!

What if one of Christianity's earliest martyrs-writing within a generation of the apostles-could show us what the Church looked like from the start? And what if that Church looked nothing like today's denominations, but unmistakably Catholic?

In Ignatius and Catholicism, Kenny Burchard leads readers through the seven powerful letters of St. Ignatius of Antioch, written as he journeyed to his martyrdom around A.D. 107. These letters offer a vivid glimpse into early Christian faith-and they don't sound Protestant.

Burchard, a former Protestant pastor turned Catholic, shows how Ignatius' words reveal a Church that is hierarchical, sacramental, and centered on the Eucharist. For Protestants curious about Catholicism, and Catholics eager to rediscover their roots, Ignatius and Catholicism is a challenging, accessible guide.

In this book, you'll discover:

• The first use of the term "Catholic Church"-and what it meant.
• Why the bishop was essential-and why Ignatius said, "Do nothing without the bishop."
• How the Eucharist was not a symbol, but "the flesh of Jesus Christ."
• Why baptism and marriage belonged under the bishop-not private choices.
• Why unity, sacraments, and obedience-not "faith alone"-were essential to salvation.

This book also includes the full text of all seven epistles of St. Ignatius of Antioch, using J.B. Lightfoot's public domain translation.

If you're asking what the early Church believed-before denominations-this book will surprise and challenge you.
Read Ignatius. Rethink Christian history. Rediscover the Church founded by Christ.