1. relating to the early Christian church fathers or their writings
Usage: theological

Examples

• The seminary course covered patristic theology from the second to eighth centuries.
• Augustine’s Confessions is considered a masterpiece of patristic literature.
• Scholars debate the patristic interpretation of certain biblical passages.
• The patristic period laid the foundation for Christian doctrine.
• Her dissertation focused on patristic views of salvation.
• The library has an extensive collection of patristic texts.