Best books on early church history?

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Mic_zw

Mic_zw

Puritan Board Freshman
I am about to study an introductory course on early church up to the start of the middle ages. The set book is "2,000 Years of Christ's Power: Part One: The Age of the Early Church Fathers" by Nick Needham. I'd like to get a second book. Could you recommend a couple of good ones for an introductory seminary level?

Thanks!
 
Sola Fide said:
Chadwick's book is a classic, somewhat less easy to read than Needham but containing quite a bit of extra detail. The course I followed on Early Church History used both these books.
Amazon.com: The Early Church (The Penguin History of the Church) (v. 1) (9780140231991): Henry Chadwick: Books
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What perspective is this book written from? I have read the F.F. Bruce book and would like to follow up with another, preferably from a Christian perspective.
 
Originally Posted by Sola Fide
Chadwick's book is a classic, somewhat less easy to read than Needham but containing quite a bit of extra detail. The course I followed on Early Church History used both these books.
Amazon.com: The Early Church (The Penguin History of the Church) (v. 1) (9780140231991): Henry Chadwick: Books
What perspective is this book written from? I have read the F.F. Bruce book and would like to follow up with another, preferably from a Christian perspective.
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Chadwick was a well-respected Anglican scholar - though not, as far as I know, one of strong Reformed or evangelical convictions. He writes in an academically neutral way, I would say.
 
The late Peter Toon goes through the Seven Ecumenical Councils in his book Yesterday, Today and Forever, (Swedesboro NJ: Preservation Press, 1996)
A useful, in an academically neutral way, and readable history of the early Church is The Rise of Christianity, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984) by H. C. Frend
 
One of best modern ones, and one that is used in a lot of seminary classes, is Justo L Gonzalez, Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation. I have read Chadwick which is decent, not too in-depth, and older, (we read in in my secular college history class) and I remember reading Church History in Plain Language but it was a while ago, thought it was okay if I remember right. Gonzalez is the one I enjoyed the most for in-depth, and it is available on kindle which is nice.
 
Thanks everyone for the help. I will definitely pick up a few of these titles to supplement my reading.
As mentioned, I guess it is alright to read a church history book by a non-evangelical author. I know that no account of history is without some degree of interpretation or bias of events, but even still, some non-evangelical historians have made helpful contributions.
 
CuriousNdenver said:
Has anyone read "Church History in Plain Language" by Bruce Shelley? I know this covers more than just early church history, but have seen it and wondered if it is worth purchasing.

http://http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec/product_id/5959/nm/Church+History+in+Plain+Language+(Third+Edition)+(Paperback)
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I own it. I find it well laid out and readable. I would encourage people to have multiple church history books and typically this one would be recommended. I haven't covered all the bases but it's a good read for what it is.
 
I would check out the Ante-Nicene Vol 1&2 and read some of the primary sources. You can find a downloadable copy on the web- CCEL.org for starters. Besides some of the ones already mentioned I would also check out Eusebius' "Ecclesiology of the Church", and Mark Noll's "Turning Points".

Hope that helps,

Patrick
 
Bruce L. Shelley-Church History in Plain Language is an excellent resource.A very good introduction in church history.
 
@curious.Shelley's volume is definitely worth the purchase.You can usually get it for a good price if you look around.
 
I know that Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley has already been mentioned a few times. I wanted to add that I also found it to be an excellent overview of early church history and beyond to the modern church. What makes it such a great tool for further study is the list of books for further reading at the end of each chapter in case there is a particular period that you want to dig dipper into. I found that at the end of every chapter I wanted to read all of the books that were recommended! Bruce Shelley does a great job of giving you just enough information to get you a basic knowledge of each period in church history and then directs you to some helpful resources for those with the time and desire to study further.
 
I'd also recommend F.F. Bruce's "New Testament History" and also Everett Ferguson's "Backgrounds of Early Christianity". Both of these will situate "the early church" within the world around it.

Here's a sample:

Triablogue: Search results for Ferguson

May the Lord be with you in your studies.
 
tangleword said:
One of best modern ones, and one that is used in a lot of seminary classes, is Justo L Gonzalez, Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation.
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We used Gonzalez in Shawn Wright's classes at Southern Seminary in Louisville (Vols. 1 & 2). I think Gonzalez is Catholic, which comes through a little (at points). But on the whole, it was a helpful and fascinating read. We supplemented with several volumes (Alister McGrath, Mark Noll, & Michael Haykin spring to mind) along with a good dose of primary-source reading. Have fun! Church history is wonderful to study!
 
I've found him usually pretty fair, though on Protestant Scholasticism he makes you cringe: he's actually a good preacher as well.
 
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