Please recommend books/websites about early church history..

AK - Jeff

I am reading Shelly's 'Church History in Plain Language', and enjoying it's down to earth 'layman' style very much.

I would like to read some books on the evolution of church doctrine - hopefully written in the same style. I am no biblical/historical scholar by admission - and would love to read some literature on how doctrines altered and changed in the early centuries - something that doesn't put one to sleep with it's long-windedness - but also detailed enough, and in plain language enough, to keep me interested.

Many of you folks must have favorites - can you recommend them ?

Jeff

jgnat

My favorite sites are:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/index.html - the Catholics own up to the ambiguity of the early Church, unlike some modern Protestant religions. And....

http://chi.gospelcom.net/index.php - from this site http://chi.gospelcom.net/GLIMPSEF/Glimpses/glmps155.shtml and..

Pliny writes to Trajan about the "Christian Problem" http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/texts/pliny.html

Mary

I would recommend:

The Church of the First Three Centuries

The Early Church by Henry Chadwick

Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic Fathers

AK - Jeff

Thanx Janet and Mary - I have to go, but will look at these suggestions later in the day. Thanx again.

Any others?

Jeff

Sad emo

My Church history tutor has published 3 books covering the early church to the Reformation.

His name is Nick Needham (but on Amazon gets his full name Nicholas R Needham!) and the books are entitled 2000 Years of Christ's Power (part 1 - early church, part 2 - middle ages, part 3 - Rennaissance and Reformation.

They have lots of excellent detail about the developments which shaped the church but are definitely not heavy reading at all. I actually enjoyed reading them and I'm not keen on history books!

You might also find this site helpful if you want to study individual 'notable persons'!

http://www.ccel.org/

It has all the early church fathers writings and also if you hit the Browse button, you'll find some works by later people such as John Calvin.

lovelylil

Jeff,

Thanks for starting this thread, I've also been looking for some good books on church history, ones that are written for laymen and not too dry and boring!

Emo,

I looked at the reveiws of Needhams books on Amazon and most people seemed to really liked them. Also I will go by your personal recomendation about them. They had vols. I and II only but I guess there is a third out and a fourth in the writing? I look forward to reading all of them once I get a moment. I currently have a pile of books on my desk I am digesting. Thank you. Lilly

icocer

www.scrollpublishing.com

David Bercot is an ex-JW. His tapes on the website explain what the early christians believed prior to the Nicene Council. After reading you initial post again, I realized that this was not excactly what you were asking for. If you wanted to know what the early christians believed he does a great job at a very understandable level.

5go

Nicene Council

Man if christians knew how much those guys screwed up that religion I swear.

betterdaze

The Early Christians, In Their Own Words

Edited by Eberhard Arnold
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eberhard_Arnold

What did Chrisitanity look like before it became an institution?

Topically arranged collection of primary sources. Origen, Tertullian, Polycarp, Clement of Alexandria, Justin, Irenaeus, others. Pagan contemporaries — critics, detractors and persecutors — as well.

Free download from Plough Publishing House here:

http://plough.com/ebooks/earlychristians.html

~Sue

Leolaia

It's a bit dated but J. N. D. Kelly's Early Christian Doctrines is a classic survey.

Please recommend books/websites about early church history..

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