Was the Christianity of the era of the early Church Fathers based on literary creativity?

The answer

The Christian faith was not based on literary creativity, but it sanctifies all that is creative. Both leaders and laity were encouraged to use their creative talents to produce literature. For example, the martyr St. Cyprian of Carthage, who was an eloquent orator before his conversion, in no way diminished in eloquence after he came to the faith. Instead, his faith endowed his eloquence with a singular sweetness that helped him to care for the congregation, whether through spoken or written words. The Church followed the example of the prophets and apostles who wrote in the language of their time and did not undervalue the culture contemporary to them.⁸⁷⁹

What we have said about literary and linguistic creativity and its sanctification for the sake of edifying society in harmony and cooperation with the living and practical faith, we can also apply to the arts. Rather than undervaluing the arts, the early Church was able to sanctify the arts and use them to inflame the heart with divine love and yearning for heaven. A papyrus found in Egypt contains a Christian melody with music.⁸⁸⁰ We also know that the Egyptian Bishop Nepos introduced many praises and psalms sung joyfully by the faithful during the reign of Pope Dionysius of Alexandria (190–265).⁸⁸¹

Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty