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The name given to the early teachers and expounders of Christianity, whose wirtings have thrown light upon the history, doctrines, and observances of the Christian Church in the early ages. Those of them who were, during any part of their lives, contemporary with the apostles, are called apostolic fathers, These are five; Clement fo Rome, Barnabas, Hermas, Ignatius, and Polycarp. Those of the first three centureis, including the five above named, are sometimes styled primitive fathers, to distinguish them from the fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries-their names, in addition to the five just mentioned, are, Justin, Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, Irenaeus, bishop of Lyon, Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, Origen of Alexandria, Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, Tertulianus of Carthage. The fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries are generally ranged in two classes-fathers of the Greek or Eastern church, and fathers of the Latin Church. The former are, Eusebius of Caesarea, Athanasius, Basil the Great, bishop of Caesarea, Gregory Nazianzenus, Gregory of Nyssa, Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, Chrysostom, patriarch of Constantinople, Epiphanius, bishop of Salamis in Cyprus, Cyril, bishop of Alexandria. To the above must be added Ephraim, the syrian deacon of Edessa. The fathers of the Latin Church are, Lactantius, Hilary, bishop of Poictiers, Ambrose, archbishop of Milan, Jerome, the translator of the Bible, Augustin, bishop of Hippo.

To adopt; to ascribe to one as his offspring or production.