Christian Book Guide - Church History

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The Birth of the Church By Ivor J. Davidson Using the most recent biblical and historical research, Davidson's initial volume in this new series explores the first 300 years of church history. Includes an examination of themes such as the role of popular religion, women, and the history of the Bible; as well as recurring problems found in ecclesiastical relationships with governing bodies, other faiths, and secularism (A.D. 30-312).

A Public Faith By Ivor J. Davidson Drawing on the most up-to-date biblical and historical scholarship, the second volume in this authoritative series surveys the tumultuous years of A.D. 312-600. Davidson's accessible study of this crucial period in early Christian history provides an informative look at how the church defended itself against unorthodox views and clarified its definitions of Jesus Christ.

Early Christian Doctrines By J.N.D. Kelly This revised edition of the standard history of the first great period in Christian thought has been thoroughly updated in light of the latest historical findings. Kelly organizes an ocean of material by outlining the development of each doctrine in its historical context. He lucidly summarizes the genesis of Christian thought from the close of the apostolic age to the Council of Chalcedon in the fifth century--a time teeming with fresh and competing ideas. The doctrines of the Trinity, the authority of the Bible and tradition, the nature of Christ, salvation, original sin and grace, and the sacraments are all extensively treated in these pages.

Early Christian Creeds By J.N.D. Kelly Kelly's study of the rise, development, and use of formularies during the foundational eras of the church is the standard work on the subject. He examines New Testament doctrinal elements; explores the relation of creeds to baptismal rites; and compares Roman, Eastern, and Western catechisms to those (familiar and obscure) propounded by 4th-century councils.

Reform and Conflict By Rudolph W. Heinze As Europe entered the Renaissance, significant political, social, economic, and theological forces transformed the Western church. Heinze's well-researched fourth volume in Baker's acclaimed series evaluates and interprets the most recent biblical and historical scholarship to demonstrate the lasting impact of such events as the Great Schism, Reformation, and Thirty Years' War on the course of church history (A.D. 1350-1648).

The Age of Reason By Meic Pearse Accurate research and accessible reading are the hallmarks of this authoritative resource. Covering the period from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I through the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, Pearse surveys ecclesiastical changes and loss of power in Europe; the effect of Muslim rule on the Eastern church; and the development of Christianity in the Americas (A.D. 1570-1789).

The Reformation of the Church By Iain Murray An anthology of documents, drawn largely, but not exclusively, from the 16th and 17th centuries, presenting in a readily accessible form the finest thinking of the Reformed fathers on church issues.

The Reformation By T.M. Lindsay First published in 1882, T. M. Lindsay's "Hand Book on the Reformation" is still one of the best summaries of the sixteenth century Reformation available. Understanding the Reformation to be a revival of religion, the author maintains that it cannot be successfully described unless this, its essential character, is kept distinctly in view. Here is a thrilling record of the triumph of the Gospel in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Scotland, and England in short compass. The final section of the book explains the principles that governed the movement for reform.

Reformers & the Theology of the Reformation By William Cunningham A series of addresses on the leading historical characters and the great biblical doctrines of the Reformation, including chapters on Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Beza, Assurance, and Calvinism and Arminianism.

The Christian Leaders of the Last Century By J.C. Ryle Anglican bishop J.C. Ryle's biographical account of The Christian Leaders of the Last Century examines the lives and ministries of 11 "scholars on fire . . . who shook England from one end to another" during the evangelical awakenings of the 1700s. George Whitefield, John Wesley, Daniel Rowlands, Augustus Toplady, William Romaine, Henry Venn, and others give evidence that "when God takes a work in hand, nothing can stop it."

Five English Reformers By J. C. Ryle The conviction that martyrs, though dead, can still speak to the church, led J. C. Ryle to pen these pungent biographies of five English Reformers. Along with an analysis of the reasons for their martyrdom, he points out the salient characterictics of their lives.

Revival & Revivalism By Iain H. Murray This historical study traces the landmark changes of revival in both understanding and practice from the mid-18th to mid-19th centuries. More than just a record of the church's past, this volume delves into the distinction between ''revival'' and ''revivalism'' and offers insights that provide a key to understanding contemporary evangelicalism and its deep needs.

The Puritan Hope By Iain H. Murray Today the Church's hope in respect to her mission of discipling all nations is in eclipse. The world gives Christianity no future and evangelicals themselves doubt whether the cause of Christ can ever attain to a greater triumph before his Second Advent. Many questions are brought to the fore in this book and the author, employing both exposition of Scripture and much historical and biographical material, sets out the case for believing that it is not 'orthodox' to indulge in gloom over the prospect for Christianity in the world.

The English Puritans By John Brown This work is intended to give, within moderate compass and in the light of recent research, the history of the rise, growth and decline of the puritan movement which, for a hundred years, so vitally affected the course of our national life.

Pocket History of the Church By D. Jeffrey Bingham How do we begin to grasp the action played out on such a gigantic screen? This book is the ideal place to start. D. Jeffrey Bingham has skillfully selected key people and episodes from Christian history to tell a grand and humbling story. From Roman persecution to the early creeds, from the monastic movement to the Reformation, from the rise of liberalism to missionary expansion, he chronicles the ups and downs of a people and a faith.

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