Early Church Books

St. Augustine Confessions (Oxford World's Classics)

Saint Augustine

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 46 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In his own day the dominant personality of the Western Church, Augustine of Hippo today stands as perhaps the greatest thinker of Christian antiquity, and his Confessions is one of the great works of Western literature. In this intensely personal narrative, Augustine relates his rare ascent from a humble Algerian farm to the edge of the corridors of power at the imperial court in Milan, his struggle against the domination of his sexual nature, his renunciation of secular ambition and marriage, and the recovery of the faith his mother Monica had taught him during his childhood. Now, Henry Chadwick, an eminent scholar of early Christianity, has given us the first new English translation in thirty years of this classic spiritual journey. Chadwick renders the details of Augustine's conversion in clear, modern English. We witness the future saint's fascination with astrology and with the Manichees, and then follow him through scepticism and disillusion with pagan myths until he finally reaches Christian faith. There are brilliant philosophical musings about Platonism and the nature of God, and touching portraits of Augustine's beloved mother, of St. Ambrose of Milan, and of other early Christians like Victorinus, who gave up a distinguished career as a rhetorician to adopt the orthodox faith. Augustine's concerns are often strikingly contemporary, yet his work contains many references and allusions that are easily understood only with background information about the ancient social and intellectual setting. To make The Confessions accessible to contemporary readers, Chadwick provides the most complete and informative notes of any recent translation, and includes an introduction to establish the context. The religious and philosophical value of The Confessions is unquestionable--now modern readers will have easier access to St. Augustine's deeply personal meditations. Chadwick's lucid translation and helpful introduction clear the way for a new experience of this classic.

The Nag Hammadi Library

James M. Robinson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 68 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Nag Hammadi Library was discovered in 1945 buried in a large stone jar in the desert outside the modern Egyptian city of Nag Hammadi. It is a collection of religious and philosophic texts gathered and translated into Coptic by fourth-century Gnostic Christians and translated into English by dozens of highly reputable experts. First published in 1978, this is the revised 1988 edition supported by illuminating introductions to each document. The library itself is a diverse collection of texts that the Gnostics considered to be related to their heretical philosophy in some way. There are 45 separate titles, including a Coptic translation from the Greek of two well-known works: the Gospel of Thomas, attributed to Jesus' brother Judas, and Plato's Republic. The word gnosis is defined as "the immediate knowledge of spiritual truth." This doomed radical sect believed in being here now--withdrawing from the contamination of society and materiality--and that heaven is an internal state, not some place above the clouds. That this collection has resurfaced at this historical juncture is more than likely no coincidence. --P. Randall Cohan

The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine (Penguin Classics)

Eusebius

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good Church History 3 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

If you want to learn about the early days of the Christian Church, this is the book. Eusibius relates the facts concerning the church until his life (around 400ad). This is great as both an introduction to church history and as a capstone to better your understanding of the early church.

Eusibus takes on the events from the life of Christ and the early apostles and the problems that faced the church to the Time of Constantine. He seems to explain things where much of the bible leaves off. He explains where the bible came from, who wrote them and why some parts were left out (though Constantine did most of the damage).

Eusibus was a scholar and historian to the Emperor Constantine and was instructed to explain the progression of the church and their leader which is often a cause for much debate on many Christian sects today. While it can be a nuisance at times, Eusibus often quotes other historians such as Josephus, the bible and other authors.

While at time this book can be a little difficult to read for the average reader, it is filled with loads of information and reference to other writers and authors.

Enjoy

Editorial Review:

Beginning with persecution at the beginning of the fourth century and ending with the conversion of the Emperor Constantine, the author demonstrates the purity and continuity of the doctrinal tradition of Christianity in its struggle against persecutors and heretics.

The Early Church (The Penguin History of the Church)

Henry Chadwick

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Concise, readable overview. 5 out of 5 stars.
17 of 18 people found this review helpful.

In very few pages, the author manages to give an excellent recap of the key events and forces which shaped church history in the first 6 centuries. He goes into enough detail, howwever, that I'll bet even avid readers of church history will still find here material previously unknown to them. His organizing the material according to topics rather than by a strict chronological order makes it particularily easy to understand how the church grappled with its' earliest issues and crises. He does not seem to hold any partisan view: he even seems to regret that Arianism did not take hold in the mainstream church!

This book can be recommended for readers at any level who wish to learn about church history.

Understand The Names You Recognize! 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

"The Early Church" provides the reader with an excellent history of the first six centuries of Christianity. Author Henry Chadwick covers structural and doctrinal development, along with the rise and fall of heresies and introductions to the leading characters of the period.

This excellent book provides an overview of so many things which casual students of Church history probably heard of but may not have really understood. From my reading of this book I have a better understanding of early heresies including Arianism (Jesus was not co-eternal with the Father), Donatism (no reconciliation with apostates) Manichaeism (a secret, gnostic type sect) and Pelagianism (denial of original sin). The role of councils, such as Nicaea, in combating heresy and guiding the development of orthodoxy is made clearer. A greater understanding of the roles of the Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian, Theodore of Mopsuestia, St. Jerome and St. Augustine is gained by the reader of this book.

From a theological or historical perspective this book is a treasure. One test I apply to books is whether they inspire me to study more. This one does. I am confident that it will do the same for you.

Editorial Review:

Examines the beginning of the Christian movement during the first centureis AD, and the explosive force of its expansion throughout the Roman world.

The Bondage of the Will

Martin Luther

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 48 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The Ongoing Debate 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I purchased Luther's book for my "Formation of Modern Christianity" class and am in the process of using it to write my term paper on the debate between Erasmus and Luther on the issue of free will. Luther does an excellent job in this book when presenting his case for the bondage of free will by demonstrating that humans are completely depraved and cannot choose salvation, therefore we do not have the free will to do both good and evil, but only evil. Buy this book if you want a clear picture on this ongoing debate, but make sure to also purchase "Discourse on Free Will" to gain a picture of Erasmus' point of view, as well.

Editorial Review:

First published in 1525, Martin Luther's Bondage of the Will is acknowledged by theologians as one of the great masterpieces of the Reformation. It is Luther response to Desiderius Erasmus' Diatribe on Free Will, written in his direct and unique style, combining deep spirituality with humor. Luther writes powerfully about man's depravity and God's sovereignty. The crucial issue for Luther concerned what ability free will has, and to what degree it is subject to God's sovereignty. For Luther, this key issue of free will is directly connected to God's plan of salvation. Is man able to save himself, or is his salvation entirely a work of divine grace? This work is vital to understanding the primary doctrines of the Reformation and will long remain among the great theological classics of Christian history.

Ancient-Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God's Narrative (Ancient-Future)

Robert E., Webber

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

It surprised me...actually quite good 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.

This is the first Webber book I have read. I was originally uncomfortable with his ideas (about five years ago) but having recently been dismayed with all modernist Christianities (be they liberal, Evangelical, or some Reformed), and given a recent interest in Patristic thought, I decided to give this book a chance.

Webber defines "ancient-future" worship as "publically enacting God's narrative." The worshipping church tells God's narrative, which Webber carefully defines, following the Eastern tradition, as "Creation-Incarnation-Recreation." Given this, an ancient-future church will proclaim God's Scriptures as "true," but not merely in the Enlightenment style of "proving the Bible."

Ancient-future worship will climax in the Eucharist. Don't worry, he isn't advocating Roman transubstantiations. His "Word and Table" model, in my humble opinion, is the best I have ever seen. The Eucharist tells the story of the Incarnate, who while being in the womb of the Virgin, united humanity to his nature so that he may redeem humanity and the world. The bread and wine symbolize the life of the world; the life being given to the world. Christ is really present. The Patristics, contra the moderns (be they conservative or liberal), saw the reality inherent in a sign.

Conclusion:
I don't have any cons with this book. It is very easy to read and flows very well. Webber cuts across the so-called "worship wars." He notes how staid traditionalism and silly happy-clappyism easily tend toward idolatry and man-worship. An ancient-future model provides a glorious alternative.

Editorial Review:

With the many models of worship available, choosing a style to worship God can be a bit overwhelming. Is it better to go with traditional or contemporary models? Christians may find themselves asking how early believers worshiped and whether they can provide insight into how we should praise God today. Rooted in historical models and patristic church studies, Ancient-Future Worship examines how early Christian worship models can be applied to the postmodern church. Pastors and church leaders, as well as younger evangelical and emerging church groups, will find this last book in the respected Ancient-Future series an invaluable resource for authentic worship.

On the Incarnation: De Incarnatione Verbi Dei (Popular Patristics Series)

St. Athanasius

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A great introductory work to the early church fathers. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

First, the introduction by C. S. Lewis is alone worth the price of this short work. Lewis argues that these works by the early church fathers are far easier to read than the commentaries of the works of the fathers. He also argues that we need to read at least one out of three books out of our century. He doesn't use the phrase "chronological snobbery," but the argument is the same. We need to read perspectives of other cultures and ages to help keep ourselves from falling into the errors of the present age.

Second, the book is not terribly difficult to read. The book is short and well organized. Some of the passages take rereadings, but the arguments for the most part are fairly straight forward and accessible. Meditating on what God did through the incarnation, the reasons for the incarnation, and its impact on our lives and history as a whole can not be a bad thing.

Editorial Review:

"This is a good translation of a very great book.

"St Athanasius stood contra mundum for the Trinitarian doctrine 'whole and undefiled,' when it looked as if all the civilized world was slipping back from Christianity into the religion of Arius, into one of those 'sensible' synthetic religions which are so strongly recommended today and which then, as now, included among their devotees many highly cultivated clergymen. The glory of St Athanasius is that he did not move with the times; it is his reward that he now remains when those times, like all others, have passed away.

"When I first opened De Incarnatione I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was reading a masterpiece, for only a mastermind could have written so deeply on such a subject with such classical simplicity"

- C. S. Lewis, from the Introduction

On the Incarnation is part of the POPULAR PATRISTIC SERIES.

How Jesus Became Christian

Barrie Wilson

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Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In How Jesus Became Christian, Barrie Wilson asks “How did a young rabbi become the god of a religion he wouldn’t recognize, one which was established through the use of calculated anti-Semitism?”

Colourfully recreating the world of Jesus Christ, Wilson brings the answer to life by looking at the rivalry between the “Jesus movement,” informed by the teachings of Matthew and adhering to Torah worship, and the “Christ movement,” headed by Paul, which shunned Torah. Wilson suggests that Paul’s movement was not rooted in the teachings and sayings of the historical Jesus, but solely in Paul’s mystical vision of Christ, a man Paul actually never met. He then shows how Paul established the new religion through anti-Semitic propaganda, which ultimately crushed the Jesus Movement. Sure to be controversial, this is an exciting, well-written popular religious history that cuts to the heart of the differences between Christianity and Judaism, to the origins of one of the world’s great religions and, ultimately, to the question of who Jesus Christ really was–a Jew or a Christian.

The First Seven Ecumenical Councils (325-787): Their History and Theology (Theology and Life Series 21)

Leo Donald Davis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The best one on the subject 4 out of 5 stars.
17 of 19 people found this review helpful.

I know of no equivalent to this book. It does exactly what one would expect from its title. Even though, as has been pointed in previous reviews, Fr. Davis is a Roman Catholic and assumes a good many more Councils to be Ecumenical. The sub-title, 'Their History and Theology' is absolutely accurate. Fr. Davis gives ample historical and doctrinal introduction to each of the 7 Councils. The necessity and significance of the theology laid down by the Councils is very clearly expressed. Reading this book will definitely help you to gain, maintain, or further inform a sound and orthodox (if not Orthodox ! ) personal theology. Iow it may help you grow in your faith, as an Orthodox or a Catholic, and even a Protestant will walk away with a significant boost to his/her life of faith.

After having read this book, and having familiarized yourself with its contents you will have a good and balanced understanding of the theology of the Councils and you will understand the theology from its historical context which helps understand and underscore the necessity of the doctrinal decisions of the Councils to safeguard and make possible a salvific relationship to the All-Holy Trinity. But the book is not just a good personal read, I would put it to any teacher of theology that this book could very well serve as THE textbook for a Dogmatics 101 course.

Indispensible for those who want to have a good and balanced grasp of the history of doctrine and its relevance for today. I gave it 4 stars because it fails to refer to the Oriental Orthodox as such, the incorrect and derigatory term 'monophysite' is used instead. It also portrays a clear Roman Catholic tendency in its title and its emphasis on the role of the Pope of Rome.

IC XC

Grigorii

Heretics for Armchair Theologians (Armchair)

Justo L. Gonzalez, Catherine Gunsalus Gonzalez

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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A great intro to the early church and its controversies 4 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

"Heretics for Armchair Theologians" is a great addition to a great series. It is easy to understand and has a light tone, even though it explores some very technical ideas that stump many people.

Perfect for church groups, seminarians, and true "armchair theologians" looking to learn about the great figures in the history of the faith, this particular volume focuses on some of the great debates among the early Christians about what was faithful...and what wasn't.

Strange as it may seem to some, it took centuries to work out the core beliefs of Christian faith, particularly surrounding the "personhood"/divinity of Jesus, and the doctrine of the Trinity. Many different perspectives competed with one another, and all had thoughtful, devout adherents with sincere and well-intentioned motives.

This book gives a window into some of the "alternative" perspectives that, in time, or through intense church politics came to be seen as wrong.

Some readers will see that some of these alternatives are still very much around. Others will gain a historical perspective on how basic Christian doctrine came to be.

If you're someone who wonders WHY Christians believe some of the thing we believe, this book will give some answers without preaching or guilt-tactics.

A great resource for thinking Christians and just generally curious people.