Thinking About Death from a Different Perspective Patristic Philosophy and Theology

“Church Fathers” is a meaningful term from the perspective of the Vietnamese language. Giao means to teach; Phu means father. Church Father means to consider a teacher as one's father; a respected teacher. When combining the word Church Father into the historical context of the Church during this period, we can understand that Church Father means clergy or lay people who are Christian authors of the early centuries, who perceived, developed, and disseminated theological treatises, had exemplary lives, and were recognized by the Church as Church Fathers. The period of the Church Fathers lasted from the second half of the first century to the eighth century. The ideological content of the Church Fathers was generally reflected in aspects of basic Church life such as: Defending the Christian faith; Communicating the Bible to Christians; Bringing fundamental creeds to the Church through the first General Councils; Establishing the basic structures of the Liturgy in the Church; Forming the structure of the sacred ministers: Bishops, Priests, Deacons.