patrology

American  

[puh-trol-uh-jee] / pəˈtrɒl ə dʒi /

noun

plural

patrologies

1. Also called patristics.  the branch of theology dealing with the teachings of the church fathers.

2. a collection of the writings of the early church fathers.

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patrology British  

/ pəˈtrɒlədʒɪ, ˌpætrəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

1. the study of the writings of the Fathers of the Church

2. a collection of such writings

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Other Word Forms

• patrologic adjective
• patrological adjective
• patrologist noun

Etymology

Origin of patrology

From the New Latin word patrologia, dating back to 1590–1600. See patri-, -o-, -logy

Example Sentences

It is clear that in the circumstances the terms “father,” “patristic,” “patrology” must be used with much elasticity, since it is now too late to substitute for them any more comprehensive terms.

From Project Gutenberg

It reached its climax, as we should expect to find, in the heroic writers of the fourth century, the golden era of patrology.

From Project Gutenberg