When the Church Was Young

Voices of the Early Fathers

$22.99

Shipping calculated at checkout.

Fast processing 30-day returns Contact us

The Early Church Fathers come alive in a captivating, story-driven journey that’s inspired over 25,000 readers.

Step into the drama, courage, and faith of the first centuries of the Church. From Clement to Augustine, Polycarp to Basil the Great, bestselling author Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio brings the Early Church Fathers to life with vivid storytelling, blending history, theology, and biography into a narrative that Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., calls “wonderful” and Lord David Alton hails as “a rare feat.”

Inside you’ll find:

A helpful chronology of the Early Church Fathers
26 captivating stories of their lives and teachings
Practical recommendations for deeper study

Readers call When the Church Was Young “captivating, easy to read, and deeply moving,” a rare work that introduces the Early Church Fathers and shows how their wisdom still speaks powerfully to the Church and the world today.

SKU: 9781616367770
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 5.5" x 8.5" x 0.81"
Page Count: 320
Language: English
Series: When the Church Was Young
Publisher: Franciscan Media
Publication Date: Aug 22, 2014

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio (“Dr. Italy”) received his Ph.D. in historical theology from The Catholic University of America under the direction of Avery Cardinal Dulles and has had a prolific career as a Catholic author, internationally-respected speaker, pilgrimage leader, and university professor. He is the Co-founder and Director of The Crossroads Initiative, the author of five books and hundreds of articles, and a regular guest on both secular and Catholic TV and radio programs.

In 2004, Dr. D’Ambrosio co-authored the New York Times bestseller A Guide to the Passion: 100 Questions about The Passion of the Christ with Ascension founder Matt Pinto. In 2019, Dr. D’Ambrosio published the groundbreaking Bible study on the life of Jesus Christ filmed in the Holy Land, Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life, presenting alongside Jeff Cavins and Dr. Edward Sri. In 2022, he became the co-author and co-presenter of What We Believe: The Beauty of the Catholic Faith, together with Dr. Andrew Swafford and Sarah Swafford, and in 2025 was announced as a co-presenter of the groundbreaking Foundations of Faith: A Journey Through the Catechism of the Catholic Church with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, and Dr. Edward Sri.

Dr. D’Ambrosio is currently teaches for the Catholic International University (formerly known as Catholic Distance University). He has previously been on faculty at the Loyola College in Maryland as well as the University of Dallas.

Dr. D’Ambrosio and his wife Susan reside in Dallas, Texas, where they frequently spend time with their many children and grandchildren.

More from Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio →