Early Christian Literature in Lesser Known Languages

Background

• The Nestorian Steele Content | Early Church of History

Background

• The Ancient Chinese Jesus Sutras | Early Church History

Early Sutras (written in the late 630s–650s):

• The Sutra of the Teachings of the World-Honored One
• The Sutra of Cause, Effect, and Salvation
• The Sutra of Origins
• The Sutra of Jesus Christ

Late Sutras (written by Chinese monks primarily at the end of the eighth century)

• Taking Refuge in the Trinity
• Invocation of the Dharma Kings and Sacred Sutras, or Let Us Praise
• The Sutra of Returning to Your Original Nature
• The Christian Liturgy in Praise of the Three Sacred Powers, or The Supreme

Feng Yun Gospel (风云福音) (8th or 9th century)

• Charbonnier, Jean-Pierre. The Chinese Christology of T’ang Dynasty: A Study of the Feng Yun Gospel. (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1993).

Míng jiào yào lüè (明教要略) (late 8th – early 9th century)

Title in translation: “Book of Luminous Religion,” “Essentials of the Luminous Religion,” “Luminous Religion Scripture,” or “Luminous Religion Classic”

• Moule, A. C., ed. The Book of Luminous Religion: (Ming-Chiao Yao-lueh): A Parallel-text Edition. San Francisco: Chinese Materials Center, 1974.