The publication in 2011 of a new Ethiopic text of the Apostolic Tradition changed much of what scholars had previously concluded about the text and character of this ancient church order. In addition to providing more reliable readings where the Latin version was missing, this publication confirmed what had only been conjecture and disproved other theories. As a result, earlier commentaries are now out of date, and this volume aims to furnish a replacement that will meet the needs of the beginner and scholar alike, especially in attempting to distinguish the successive chronological layers of which the document is composed.

"Building upon the joint 1992 Hermeneia Commentary on the so-called Apostolic Tradition by Paul Bradshaw, L. Edward Phillips, and me, together with updated scholarship and the addition of the new Ethiopic version by Alessandro Bausi, Bradshaw’s excellent study will surely become the standard English text for students and scholars alike. I welcome its publication and the contribution it will make to the field of liturgical history and to the study of early Christianity in general."
Maxwell E. Johnson, University of Notre Dame
"Modern scholarship on the Apostolic Tradition is intimately connected with the work of Paul Bradshaw. This latest book demonstrates Bradshaw's gifts both as a scholar and a teacher. Scholarly and informed, yet clearly articulated and straightforward, it appeals both to the scholar and the non-scholar. This commentary, presenting Bradshaw's interpretation of the Apostolic Tradition in a very accessible way, is a must read. This book will definitely energize the scholarly debate around the important Church Order known as the Apostolic Tradition."
Rev. Stefanos Alexopoulos, Associate Professor of Liturgical Studies and Sacramental Theology, The Catholic University of America
 

"This little book is a must read. Seldom has so much insight been packed into such short compass with such literary finesse."
Catholic Book Review

"For someone delving deep into the Apostolic Tradition or the pre-Nicene development of the liturgy this is an essential source."
Cistercian Studies Quarterly

Paul F. Bradshaw is emeritus professor of liturgy at the University of Notre Dame and an Anglican/Episcopal priest. The author or editor of over thirty books and of more than 120 articles and essays, he is also a past president both of the North American Academy of Liturgy and of the international Societas Liturgica. From 1987 to 2005 he was editor-in-chief of the scholarly journal Studia Liturgica.