Use Logos to find Early Church Fathers
How can I use Logos to find patristic works that examine the word in Greek λόγος and explain its use in the early ancient world and hopefully the Gospel of John? Maybe I did not do the searching correctly. Is this something to use Google to help me instead of Logos Bible Software?
I did this search and it found mainly theological works and lexical resources. https://app.logos.com/search?case=ignore&engine=lexical&form=all&kind=books&q=%CE%BB%CF%8C%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%82&ref=default&resources=allResources&source=searchPanel&syntax=v2&view=book
This search found no results. https://app.logos.com/search?case=ignore&engine=lexical&form=all&kind=books&q=%CE%BB%CF%8C%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%82+NEAR+%22patristics%22&ref=default&resources=allResources&source=searchPanel&syntax=v2&view=book
This search only got 2 results. https://app.logos.com/search?kind=all&q=%CE%BB%CF%8C%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%82+NEAR+patristics&resources=allResources&source=searchPanel&syntax=v2
This search got 1 result. https://app.logos.com/search?kind=all&q=%CE%BB%CF%8C%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%82+NEAR+%22early+church%22&resources=allResources&source=searchPanel&syntax=v2
Comments
-
Probably not helpful to you, but I have my Logos set up, primarily to (a) have the appropriate resources for quick access, and (b) arranged in my main layout.
So, if I were as you describe,
- I'd find a key passage that centers on the issue. John 1:1 quickly comes to mind
- Check my CitedBy patristics panel (tagged patristic volumes), which scans for discussion of the above. Quickly I browse thru Athanasius, Augustine, Clement, and so forth. I especially watch for John commentaries (eg Cyril, etc).
- Then I look thru my ACCS (already linked to my verse) for stray, not-well known comments. And finally ACT (more patristic commentaries).
- Lastly, I check my CitedBy for pseuepigrapha/apocrypha, both OT and NT, which often reflects arguments on the subject.
I 'could' have done some sort of unsatisfying search (as you tried). Even checked a patristic topic index (I think there is one). But mostly I try to read content, not search snippits. And avoid the 'discussions' until later. Outside Logos, of course, the answer is different.
BTW search-wise I get my best results (as an example) in the supplied BWS searches (bottom of results). Patrologia (greek and latin) are especially helpful.
And for patristics, I remember to do both latin and greek (especially for Latin Africa).
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
0 -
The Ancient Literature and Catholic Topical Index sections of the Passage Guide are your best entry points to the Church Fathers. Run a Passage Guide of those two sections on the last Gospel (John 1:1-19) using the Ancient Literature's Apostolic Fathers and Early Fathers portions. Chose the topic Logos in the Catholic Topical Index.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
0 -
MJ. Smith said:
The Ancient Literature and Catholic Topical Index sections of the Passage Guide are your best entry points to the Church Fathers.
First, good suggestion. And just chatting.
But just comparing the methods, it sure seems to me constricted (the guide results). I assume by available tagging. My PG>Ancient doesn't reach into Brannan's Fragments (simple example; FL source). If one wanted to expand into the demiurge and logos (another example), I assume Logos doesn't go there. I guess I'm maybe whining that the guides quietly direct thinking.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
0 -
DMB said:
it sure seems to me constricted (the guide results).
Yes, both sections are curated data that is not necessarily updated regularly with the addition of resources. But since the question was at a basic level, I was comfortable giving a basic answer rather than a comprehensive one. At the mid-level, I would direct him to resources such as Jurgens and Bercott.
Orthodox Bishop Alfeyev: "To be a theologian means to have experience of a personal encounter with God through prayer and worship."; Orthodox proverb: "We know where the Church is, we do not know where it is not."
0 -
MJ. Smith said:
The Ancient Literature and Catholic Topical Index sections of the Passage Guide are your best entry points to the Church Fathers
Thanks, MJ. I have never used the Catholic Topical Index and only recently began using the Ancient Literature Guide. This was helpful to me.
0 -
Mark said:
I have never used the Catholic Topical Index and only recently began using the Ancient Literature Guide.
Me either but that is not really what I am looking for. It is partially though. I want to know anytime a early church father from 1 AD to 400 AD uses the word in its Greek form or Latin, Hebrew and any other language from the time period.
MJ. Smith said:Chose the topic Logos in the Catholic Topical Index
That did help a bit more. We are hitting all around the topic but not getting to the vortex. I am going to keep playing with it. Hopefully I can come back with more fruitful basis of what I am exactly looking for.
0 -
If you want church fathersin greek, you'd need church fathers in greek (and latin). Unavoidable. Else the english equivalent.
"If myth is ideology in narrative form, then scholarship is myth with footnotes." B. Lincolm 1999.
0
