didache

Didache, also known as The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is an early Christian treatise that combines ethical instruction, liturgical guidance, and ecclesiastical organization. Most scholars date its composition to the late 1st or early 2nd century, making it one of the earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament. It is not part of the canonical Bible, but it was widely read in some communities and is considered a key source for early Christian practice. The text was first published in 1883 by the Greek scholar Philotheos Bryennios, from a manuscript likely younger than the original composition but preserving a much earlier tradition.

The work is traditionally divided into two broad parts. The first, the Two Ways, presents a moral catechesis in the form of a contrast between the Way of Life and the Way of Death, emphasizing love of God and neighbor, the moral commandments, and avoidance of sins such as murder, theft, and deceit. The second part, the Church Order, provides instructions for liturgy and church life. It covers baptism (baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, preferably in running water; if unavailable, water may be poured on the head three times), fasting, and prayer, including a version of the Lord’s Prayer. It also outlines the Eucharist, specifying practices for thanksgiving over the bread and wine, and prescribes a structure for church leadership, including bishops and deacons, along with guidelines for recognizing and treating traveling prophets and teachers.

Significance lies in its windows into early Christian worship, baptismal practice, Eucharistic formulae, and ecclesiastical order. The Didache preserves aspects of early Christian devotion and governance that illuminate the transition from a mainly itinerant baptismal community to more settled church structures.