Church Doctors, Chronological List and Encyclopedic Project

Doctors of the Church, Chronological List by Date (or earliest circa date) of Birth; year of declaration, doctoral title.

1. Irenaeus 130-202                                 (2022)     Unitatis

2. Athanasius+ 298-373                          (1568)
   
3. Hilary 300-367                                    (1851)             Divinitatis Christi

4. Ephrem 306-373                                  (1920)

5. Cyril of Jerusalem 315-386                 (1883)

6. Gregory Nazianzus+ 329-389             (1568)

7. Basil the Great+ 330-379                    (1568)

8. Ambrose+ 340-397                             (1298)

9. Jerome+ c. 342-420                            (1298)

10. John Chrysostom+ c. 347-407         (1568)

11. Augustine+ 354-430                        (1568)                Gratiae

12. Cyril of Alexandria 376-444           (1883)                Incarnationis

13. Leo the Great 400-461                    (1754)                Unitatis Ecclesiae

14. Peter Chrysologus 406-450             (1729)

15. Gregory the Great + 540-604          (1298)

16. Isidore of Seville 560-636               (1722)

17. Bede the Venerable 672-735           (1899)               Anglorum

18. John Damascene 676-749                (1890)

19. Gregory of Narek 951-1003             (2015)

20. Peter Damian 1007-1072                  (1828)

21. Anselm of Cantebury 1033-1109     (1720)             Magnifucus, Marianus

22. Bernard of Clairvaux 1090-1153     (1830)              Mellifluus

23. Hildegard of Bingen 1098-1179      (2012)

24. Albert the Great 1193-1280             (1931)              Universalis

25. Anthony of Padua 1195-1231          (1946)              Evangelicus

26. Bonaventure 1221-1274                   (1588)              Seraphicus

27. Thomas Aquinas 1225-1274             (1567)             Angelicus, Communis

28. Catherine of Siena 1347-1380           (1970)

29. John of Avila 1500-1569                   (2012)

30. Teresa of Avila 1515-1582                (1970)             Orationis

31. Peter Canisius 1521-1597                 (1925)

32. John of the Cross 1542-1591             (1926)             Mysticus

33. Robert Bellarmine 1542-1621           (1931)

34. Lawrence of Brindisi 1559-1619       (1959)            Apostolicus

35. Francis de Sales 1567-1622               (1877)            Caritatis

36. Alphonsus de Liguori 1696-1787      (1871)            Zelantissimus

37. Therese of Lisieux 1873-1897           (1997)

These are the worlds' greatest extra-biblical authors, authoritatively declared by the Church.

It would therefore be most beneficial to have an encyclopedic compilation of all of the extant works of all of these Doctors of the Church, in the original languages, ordered chronologically with comprehensive indices, similar to and borrowing from the work done by Migne in the Patrologiae Graecae and Latinae.

Then there would need to be authoritative translations of that Encyclopedia of Doctors into all the major modern languages.

Next there should be much smaller and more selective editions of the same series, choosing from these best authors their best works, organized according to the various academic disciplines, a definitive encyclopedia of The Greatest Books.

With the proper technological tools, this task should be quite attainable today with the immense digital advancement in compiling and organizing data.

Of course, we are mindful that the Greatest Books, par excellence, are, The Holy Bible, The Liturgical Books of the Catholic Church (of all Her various Rites), The Catechism of the Catholic Church and The Code of Canon Law.

In fact, the greatest book is no mere book at all, but the Living Person of the Word of God Himself, Jesus Christ, the Lord, Who has entrusted Himself and His Word to the living Church, His Body, The Church, and these greatest authors and works are all in reference to Him, from Him and for Him, the Incarnate Wisdom Himself.