We believe there is an identity crisis in the Western church.
Far from being rooted and secure in the arc of history, many of us are disconnected both from our own history and from the many faithful generations which came before us.
This disconnect is a wound, and there are many among us who bear it.
Rhiza (Greek: ῥίζα, "root") is the natural outgrowth of our own journey. We exist to help believers find their roots in the historic faith.
If you're on the same journey - or would like to be - come walk with us.
With the proper support, we believe anyone can read, enjoy, and understand the voices that shaped the Church.
Our brothers and sisters in the faith - those who have gone before us - have much to share, and we, for our part, are eager to provide the tools to help you root your faith.
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The Apostolic Fathers - Early Witness
Inside this volume
ῥCover image
Volume I of the Journey to Nicaea
What's inside
I.Several of the earliest writings known to our faith
II.Integrated introductions and historical context
III.Discussion questions and study material
A hardcover built to last - hand-wrapped and shipped by our family.
In volume I of the Journey to Nicaea you set foot on a winding path towards the first council of the Church in AD 325. Along the way, you will meet many of the voices who shaped our faith in its formative years.
The Apostolic Fathers - Early Witness opens the series with some of the earliest writings known to our faith.
Each volume carries integrated introductions, historical context, and thoughtful discussion questions, so the texts takes on an immediate and personal relevance as we read relationally, among the family of faith.
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The Cloud of Witnesses
Voices you'll encounter
Clement of Rome·c. 35–99Polycarp·c. 69–155Irenaeus·c. 130–202Basil the Great·c. 330–379Augustine·354–430Anselm·1033–1109Clement of Rome·c. 35–99Polycarp·c. 69–155Irenaeus·c. 130–202Basil the Great·c. 330–379Augustine·354–430Anselm·1033–1109
Ignatius of Antioch·c. 35–108Justin Martyr·c. 100–165Athanasius·c. 296–373John Chrysostom·c. 347–407Benedict of Nursia·c. 480–547Thomas Aquinas·1225–1274Ignatius of Antioch·c. 35–108Justin Martyr·c. 100–165Athanasius·c. 296–373John Chrysostom·c. 347–407Benedict of Nursia·c. 480–547Thomas Aquinas·1225–1274
…and many more across two thousand years of the faith.
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Behind Rhiza
About Ben & Taci
Photo coming soon
Ben & Taci · Dayton, Ohio
We're a family.
We entered this journey ourselves in 2023 following a scandal in our corner of the Church. We were shaken, but by God's grace, our faith did not fail. Instead, we began to re-base every aspect of life and faith on Scripture alone.
Two convictions developed: that the Church was created by God, and that our salvation cannot be separated from our adoption into God's family.
Put plainly: our identity is best understood as part of a whole - the family of faith through all time and space.
We realized that our approach to the Church, the Scriptures, and the Christian life suffered from instability because we were rootless.
As we earnestly read those who came before us, a peculiar conviction settled: that we are no more than a blip in the long story of faith and redemption that spans human history.
And somehow, this was comforting.
How can I articulate the desire
to submerge my individuality
in the rushing stream of history
and then let go?
How can a leaf share with a bird
that being carried by the wind
is not freedom at all?
If I forget everything
in my life
I am told it is amnesia.
If I forget everything
before my life
I am told it is normal.
Can a river flow
without a source?
Can I exist
with no ties to the past?
I cannot find myself,
because I am lost.
I have amnesia.
Charter Pre-order
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15% charter discount on Volume One's first printing
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15% charter discount applied automatically at checkout.
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Frequently Asked
Questions
Does Rhiza promote a particular tradition or ideology?
We own our own story upfront and will respect yours. We are unapologetically Protestant with some Methodist influence. Our faith journey has led us into Evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and Methodist traditions.
You will find that we are willing to honestly and humbly engage any meaningful question raised in our studies. Changing our minds is not a sin. Where some controversy has not been clearly resolved by the Church, we will attempt to present every side in its best light.
In our selection of source material, we prefer those people and ideas which have most influenced the Church, whether or not we agree with them. With that said, we are theologically orthodox (think Apostles' and Nicene creeds) and we do not entertain known heresy.
Shouldn't we focus on the Bible?
Yes. Don't stop reading your Bible! We're parents, and we understand very well that time is a limited commodity. We believe that your faith will be greatly enriched through this journey, and that you can find the time.
We're rooting (pun intended) for you!
What's inside the book?
A curated selection of primary-source texts along with integrated introductions, historical context, discussion questions, and study material. Everything you need to understand and engage the authors on their own terms.
This volume features the Didache, the seven letters from Ignatius, and 1st Clement.
Why emphasize primary sources?
In his introduction to Athanasius' On the Incarnation, C.S. Lewis said it best:
“There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about 'isms' and influences and only once in twelve pages telling him what Plato actually said.
The error is rather an amiable one, for it springs from humility. The student is half afraid to meet one of the great philosophers face to face. He feels himself inadequate and thinks he will not understand him. But if he only knew, the great man, just because of his greatness, is much more intelligible than his modern commentator.
...Now this seems to me topsy-turvy. Naturally, since I myself am a writer, I do not wish the ordinary reader to read no modern books. But if he must read only the new or only the old, I would advise him to read the old.”
What periods of history do you cover?
Eventually all of them.
Rhiza is opening with the first novel in a thematic sequence from the very beginnings of the church to the council of Nicaea (AD 325).
Each volume contains a curated selection of personalities and writings, usually with preference for those most influential either in their own day or at a later date.
When will my book ship?
If you're reserving a charter copy, your hardcover is being printed now - expect it shortly after we launch on August 1st. Each book is hand-wrapped and shipped by our family, so we ask for a little patience; it's worth the wait. Shipping is calculated at checkout.
What if I have a terrible experience?
Talk to us. No chatbots here - just real people. Email us at rhiza@rhizareads.com and we'll make it right. See our Shipping & Returns page for the details.
