We will start with JI Packer and his classic, Knowing God. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation Justo L. Gonzalez. The best books about early Christianity, according to experts. 486 ratings — Packer, How Should We Then Live? Avelino Gonzalez, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington who works at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. published 1967, avg rating 4.06 — Along with others you'll find here, I recommend: Bruce Shelley, Church History in Plain Language (4th ed), Thomas Nelson. 1,612 ratings — published 2005, avg rating 4.29 — Early Arabic Printed Books from the British Library: Religion and Law. We need you. 921 ratings — It presents human history as a cosmic conflict between two cohorts or groups of people. published 1934, Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew (Paperback), Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth (Hardcover), The New Testament and the People of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, #1), Backgrounds of Early Christianity (Paperback), How Jesus Became God: The Exaltation of a Jewish Preacher from Galilee (Hardcover), How on Earth Did Jesus Become a God? Couple praises Padre Pio's recipe for a happy marriage, 'An American Blessed': A documentary to thank God in 2021. John Burger-published on 09/18/20. The Lost History of Christianity: How The Thousand-Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia–and How It Died, Philip Jenkins, HarperOne, 2008. 1: I Clement/II Clement/Ignatius/Polycarp/Didache (Hardcover), Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity (Hardcover), Early Christian Women and Pagan Opinion: The Power of the Hysterical Woman (Paperback), The Sex Lives of Saints: An Erotics of Ancient Hagiography (Hardcover), The Body and Society: Men, Women and Sexual Renunciation in Early Christianity (Paperback), Adam, Eve, and the Serpent: Sex and Politics in Early Christianity (Paperback), Augustine of Hippo: A Biography (Paperback), The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine (Paperback), The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations (Hardcover), Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography (Paperback), Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why (Paperback), Divine Consciousness: The Secret Story of James the Brother of Jesus, St Paul and the Early Christian Church (Paperback), The Early Church (The Pelican History of the Church, #1), Jesus Through the Centuries: His Place in the History of Culture (Paperback), Paul's Idea of Community: The Early House Churches in Their Cultural Setting (Paperback), On God and Christ, The Five Theological Orations and Two Letters to Cledonius: St. Gregory of Nazianzus (Paperback), On the Soul and the Resurrection (Paperback), Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2 Vols (ebook), Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity (Paperback), The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad Suggested Reading, History of the Ancient World: A Global Perspective Suggested Reading. 2 ratings — This enables our readers to see for themselves what the early church believed. “No one person or group of people could have brought, “Gnosticism, as we refer to it here, is not primarily a system of beliefs based on the set of writings found at Nag Hammadi or on the teachings of various groups during the early centuries of Christianity. published 2003, avg rating 4.30 — published 1987, avg rating 3.91 — ). Peter M.J. Stravinskas, executive director of the Catholic Education Foundation. 63,022 ratings — Jews claimed an ancient tradition with law codes for daily life (the Laws of Moses) and revelations from their god through Prophets. published 1996, avg rating 4.09 — All Books on Early Christianity In this collection of books, we have chosen easy-to-read translations of select Early Christian works. 9,119 ratings — published 1967, avg rating 4.00 — 2: Epistle of Barnabas/Papias & Quadratus/Epistle to Diognetus/The Shepherd of Hermas (Hardcover), The Apostolic Fathers, Vol. “Their insights are timeless. published 397, avg rating 3.91 — published 2006, avg rating 3.94 — published 2017, avg rating 4.14 — published 100, avg rating 3.73 — 12,453 ratings — 114 ratings — 96 ratings — Freeman narrates the development, diversity, and spread of Christianity with originality and verve. published 2009, avg rating 3.83 — We have also included historical books that allow us to put the Early Christian writing in their historical context. Fr. Christian History Made Easy “Christian History Made Easy” covers a basic overview of Christian church history from the early church through the multiple denominations at the end of the 20th century. published 2013, avg rating 4.11 — Another time I can do some classics everybody ought to read, some of the older books, but for now let’s just focus on ten books, modern books, every Christian ought to read. Error rating book. I believe that this is his best work. 497 ratings — It only takes a minute. 63 ratings — published 1991, avg rating 4.12 — The Potluck Club (The Potluck Club, Book 1) by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson. 831 ratings — published 1891, avg rating 3.97 — Are you curious about what happened to each of the Apostles, and how the Church spread from Jerusalem to various parts of the world? published 2002, avg rating 4.06 — I am the room mom, cheer my kids on from the sidelines on the weekends, and write a blog in my spare time. published, avg rating 3.94 — 296 ratings — 10 Best Books on Early Christian Church History 1. 611 ratings — That said, it is still a most worthwhile and important text, a genuine starting point for anyone who wants to learn about the Church’s origins.”, Martignoni, who is also Director of Evangelization for the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, and Host of EWTN Radio’s Open Line Monday, adds that Eusebius also gives “fascinating accounts of the Apostles, the martyrs, and other prominent figures of the early Church as well as more background on some of the characters that receive just passing mention in the New Testament.”. published 429, avg rating 4.14 — published 1988, avg rating 4.29 — 01/19/2021 07:29 am GMT . Refresh and try again. published 1992, avg rating 4.28 — They are the secret teachings of wisdom passed down through the ages.”, avg rating 3.91 — April 09, 2020: Sourcing top-notch books on the history of Christianity is tricky for a few reasons. The Best Books about Early Christianity, According to Experts – John Burger at Aleteia +1 The Inspiring Holiness of St. Padre Pio, In One Awesome Infographic – ChurchPOP +1 … 46 ratings — published 150, avg rating 4.42 — published 1991, avg rating 4.03 — 169 ratings — published 1995, avg rating 4.33 — published 70, avg rating 5.00 — 100 Must-Read Books About Christianity.According to Pew Research, Christianity is the world’s largest religious group, so it’s worth knowing something about it, whether you’re a Christian or not. published 1988, avg rating 4.01 — Is the history of early Christianity so remote for you that you don’t know much about anything after Pentecost? “This is a short book, easy read, that gives a snippet of a glimpse into the thinking and practices of the Church at the end of the first century,” says John Martignoni, Founder and President of the Bible Christian Society. Try these works. Alien Parasites: 40 Gnostic Truths to Defeat the Archon Invasion. 207 ratings — 4. © Copyright Aleteia SAS all rights reserved. .css-tadcwa:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}John Burger - @media screen and (max-width:767px){.css-ij9gf6 .date-separator{display:none;}.css-ij9gf6 .date-updated{display:block;width:100%;}}published on 09/18/20. Gonzalez continues. 2,732 ratings — I had never seen anything like it before. 4,325 ratings — It's a notoriously complex subject that spans thousands of years, so comprehensive histories are either exceptionally long or must abridge and leave out certain concepts and occurrences. I believe this book is the best one-stop source for skeptics of Christianity and believers who want to be better equipped to defend the faith. 1,564 ratings — published 2003, avg rating 4.42 — 10,162 ratings — 228 books based on 163 votes: Mere Christianity by C.S. "A History of Early Christianity is a masterful book, and a pleasure to read. Is the history of early Christianity so remote for you that you don’t know much about anything after Pentecost? published 379, avg rating 4.17 — A New History of Early Christianity shows how our current debates., New History of Early Christianity | Yale University Press Recently, I completed a series of posts listing what I believe to be the most helpful books on each locus of systematic theology. 15,679 ratings — The Story of Christianity, Vol. Related: 17 Best Books on Finding Your Passion and Purpose in Life. 5,382 ratings — Only those who make up the society within the City of God will be saved. “One of its key features is that Eusebius presents detailed lines of succession of the bishops of all the major sees. published 2003, avg rating 4.26 — published 2014, avg rating 4.31 — I enjoy the book so much that I’m reading it for a third time. Scroll Publishing Co. carries a number of the writings of the early Christians, including the Ante-Nicene Fathers set. Editor's Notes. Cassian Folsom, O.S.B., founding prior of the, 20 million users around the world read Aleteia.org every month, Aleteia is published every day in eight languages: English, French, Arabic, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, and Slovenian, Each month, readers view more than 50 million pages, Nearly 4 million people follow Aleteia on social media, Each month, we publish 2,450 articles and around 40 videos, We have 60 full time staff and approximately 400 collaborators (writers, translators, photographers, etc. $24.99 #31. The book presents the first attempt at a philosophy of history. We’re reached out to a number of prominent Catholics, authors and intellectuals to get a run-down on what resources are available for the unenlightened, the curious, and those who want to broaden their horizons on the history of the Church in the first few centuries. 13 ratings — 1,485 ratings — Christianity and the Roman Government: A Study in Imperial Administration. Find the top 100 most popular items in Amazon Books Best Sellers. This book takes a close look at Roman history, allowing you to get a feel for what happened on both sides of the conflict. Confessions book. 559 ratings — 1,724 ratings — Can We Trust the Gospels? The Conflict of Christianity with Heathenism. 201 ratings — 6,379 ratings — 1,266 ratings — Here is Aleteia’s guide to the Best Books on Early Christian History: To go right to a primary source, apart from the New Testament, have a look at the brief Didache, also commonly referred to as The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles. $32.43. Read 2 423 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. A New History of Early Christianity shows how our current debates are rooted in the many controversies surrounding the birth of the religion and the earliest attempts to resolve them. published 1980, avg rating 4.30 — 20-year-old filmmaker wins award for powerful 1-minute film about... Meet the dad who's teaching basic skills on YouTube for kids with... Did you know Martin Luther King appreciated the Rosary? What are the best books to read on the history of early Christianity? published 2012, avg rating 4.53 — It is a story that brims over with fascinating accounts, intriguing quotations from figures in the ancient Mediterranean, and illuminating historical analysis. 2,387 ratings — 47 ratings — published 2010, avg rating 3.97 — From iconic novels to poems about God and religion to coloring books featuring your favorite Bible versus, we've rounded up the best spiritual books about Christianity. published 318, avg rating 4.01 — Quo Vadis, by Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz, is probably the best-known novel set in early Christian times. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. by Peter J Williams, and How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind (Rediscovering the African seedbed of Western Christianity) by Thomas C Oden. The best books on Christianity recommended by Richard Harries. published 379, avg rating 4.26 — | Page 1 of 1 3,054 ratings — Want to expand your knowledge of the early … One group belongs to the City of Man and consists of members of the human race dedicated to earthly appetites and the pleasures of the passing world. Buy on Amazon Learn More . I’ve also read and reviewed several other John Loftus books. Public Domain Share John Burger | Sep 18, 2020 Want to expand your knowledge of the early Church, beyond the Acts of the Apostles? published 1958, avg rating 3.76 — Cassian Folsom, O.S.B., founding prior of the Monastery of San Benedetto, located in Norcia, Italy, the birthplace of St. Benedict, says that this work is “profound, easy to read and readily available.”. : Historical Questions about Earliest Devotion to Jesus (Paperback), Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 years (Hardcover), The Historical Figure of Jesus (Paperback), Through the Eye of a Needle: Wealth, the Fall of Rome & the Making of Christianity in the West, 350-550 AD (Hardcover), The Resurrection of the Son of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, #3), Jesus and the Victory of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, #2), The Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God (Paperback), A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus, Volume I - The Roots of the Problem and the Person (Hardcover), The Triumph of Christianity: How a Small Band of Outcasts Conquered an Empire (Audio CD), Destroyer of the Gods: Early Christian Distinctiveness in the Roman World (Hardcover), Dear and Glorious Physician (Mass Market Paperback), Band of Angels: The Forgotten World of Early Christian Women (Paperback), Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible & Why We Don't Know About Them (Hardcover), Books and Readers in the Early Church: A History of Early Christian Texts (Paperback), The Apostolic Fathers, Vol. In my opinion these two books should be part of every leadership training course our churches run. published 400, avg rating 4.04 — 2,671 ratings — Paperback. “It contains a brief treatise on the Two Ways — the way of life and the way of death — and also talks about various sins, fasting and prayer, Baptism and the Eucharist, and several other topics, including the end times.”, “Eusebius’ Church History is generally regarded as the first work of the history of the Church, beginning with Our Lord and continuing into the fourth century (when the work was written),” said Fr. 101 ratings — published 2007, avg rating 3.85 — "A History of Early Christianity is a masterful book, and a pleasure to read. 515 ratings — published 1979, avg rating 4.04 — If you’re reading this article, it’s thanks to the generosity of people like you, who have made Aleteia possible. By reading them, we are inspired to follow Christ more boldly. Prior to that I completed a series of posts listing what I found to be the most helpful commentaries on each book of the Bible.. What I would like to do now is something similar with church history. published 324, avg rating 4.31 — Support Aleteia with as little as $1. Discover the best History of Christianity in Best Sellers. Garry Wills, writing in The New York Review of Books, hailed it as “a masterpiece.” Peter Leithart, writing in Christianity Today, called Mr. Brown’s account of the early Western church’s reconciliation with wealth “deliriously complicated,” leaving the reader in a … Freeman narrates the development, diversity, and spread of Christianity with originality and verve. published 1993, avg rating 4.31 — Ten good reasons, however, are not enough, even with the best of intentions. And authors have not stopped putting their imaginations to work to bring something of early Church history to modern readers. 1-16 of over 1,000 results for Books: Religion & Spirituality: Christianity: Early Church The Nag Hammadi Scriptures: The Revised and Updated Translation of Sacred Gnostic Texts Complete in One Volume “This historical and theological classic by St. Augustine of Hippo is considered to be one of the greatest works of Western literature for a good reason,” said Fr. 4.7 out of 5 stars 652. published 1996, avg rating 4.15 — Lewis, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek make the claim that all belief systems and world views require faith, including atheism. published 2016, avg rating 4.32 — It does not just include spirituality, but also a theme of reliable investigation to what made Christianity different to other religions. Public Domain. With hundreds of thousands of books out there, we need to know where to start. 15,308 ratings — published 1536, avg rating 3.66 — published 2009, avg rating 4.26 — 355 ratings — Lewis, Knowing God by J.I. As you can imagine, these numbers represent a lot of work. Peter J Williams, and Thomas C Oden: Books worth reading. published 215, avg rating 3.76 — 1,860 ratings — 49,449 ratings — 1,813 ratings — “In this interpretation of salvation history, St. Augustine argues that paganism or the sin of idolatry practiced in the Roman Empire contained within itself the seeds of its own destruction, that is, that the City of Man was inherently nihilistic,” Fr. The former bishop of Oxford tells us about books that explore what it means to be a Christian – from St Augustine and medieval mysticism to grappling with Dostoyevsky and more modern dilemmas. 514 ratings — As a best-selling book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is a unique approach to proving Christianity. After suffering several national defeats by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and the Babylonians in 587 BCE, their prophets claimed that God … published 530, avg rating 3.79 — While recognizing various powers in the universe, Jews nevertheless differed from their neighbors by only offering worship (sacrifices) to their one god, Yahweh. Best books on early christianity Details of Book The relevance of Christianity is as hotly contested today as it has ever been. When I first read WBA, I was blown away by the level of knowledge that Loftus had on Christianity. A two-minute review. Early Christian Writings: the New Testament, Apocrypha, Gnostics, and Church Fathers: information and translations of Gospels, Epistles, and documents of early Christianity. “The desert fathers (and mothers) are larger-than-life heroes of the fourth to fifth centuries, whose radical way of life and pithy sayings cut to the quick,” Fr. The Best Nonfiction Books of 2020 As the world went into lockdown early in 2020, many of us without frontline jobs and lucky enough not to fall sick with Covid-19 found more time to read than usual. How scholars, fans, and on-field stars have related faith and athletics. published 2005, avg rating 4.32 — History itself is presented as the unfolding of God’s divine plan for the salvation and happiness of the human race. 725 ratings — The Lost History of Christianity makes the list both because it is a great read and also because it illuminates a previously neglected chapter in the history of Christianity. The sudden change to a slower gear also left more room to reflect on … 3,691 ratings — “A question for the contemporary reader is why does it seem that more people throughout history seem to choose the City of Man rather than the City of God, when self-annihilation is inevitable in the former.”, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers: The Alphabetical Collection, .css-1q1joro{font-weight:400;}Fr. I am a middle class Christian woman in my early 40s. These are not going to be in any particular order, also these are all contemporary books. The second group consists of the City of God or members of humanity dedicated to eternal truths of God, and following the incarnate Word of God and Redeemer of Mankind, Jesus Christ. … At times, Eusebius diverges from what we today might expect of an historian as he moves more into the mode of a hagiographer. It is a story that brims over with fascinating accounts, intriguing quotations from figures in the ancient Mediterranean, and illuminating historical analysis. Folsom says. “It was written in a very precarious, and I would say relevant, moment in the history of Western civilization, the Fall of the Roman Empire (410 A.D.). published 1985, avg rating 3.83 — published 2013, avg rating 4.39 — 1,782 ratings — Welcome back. Thank you! The author, Qureshi, recounts his dramatic and inspiring journey from Islam to Christianity. 346 ratings — What if you think you missed your calling in life? 8,363 ratings — 309 ratings — 1,532 ratings — published 1994, avg rating 3.89 — Remote for you that you don ’ t know much about anything after Pentecost Chef Usborne... Leadership training course our churches run Apostolic Fathers, Vol relevance of Christianity with originality verve! Listing what i believe to be the most helpful books on each locus of systematic theology you you. And his classic, Knowing God them, we are inspired to follow Christ more.. Conflict between two cohorts or groups of people i live in the suburbs in a small Tennessee and! Reviews from the world 's largest community for readers history to modern readers Christianity with originality verve. You missed your calling in life of reliable investigation to what made Christianity different other. The Roman Government: a Study in Imperial Administration Parasites: 40 Gnostic Truths Defeat. Most popular items in Amazon books best Sellers development, diversity, a... Class Christian woman in my opinion these two books should be part of leadership... You in to your Goodreads account themselves what the early Church to the Dawn of the Justo! History as a best-selling book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is a story that over! Of Christianity is a masterful book, and spread of Christianity with originality verve. 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Today as it has ever been much about anything after Pentecost C Oden: books worth reading these not... Purpose in life of intentions faith, including atheism, fans, and spread of Christianity is tricky a! Of work 's largest community for readers and his classic, Knowing.! My opinion these two books should be part of every leadership training our. The ancient Mediterranean, and illuminating historical analysis all contemporary books don ’ t know much anything! Originality and verve 228 books based on 163 votes: Mere Christianity by C.S Marie. Scholars, fans, and illuminating historical analysis you don ’ t know much about anything after?. Thank God in 2021 by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson have included! Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson the early … Confessions book Loftus books Roman Government: a in. Make the claim that all belief systems and world views require faith, including.... What the early Church believed reviewed several other John Loftus books Richard Harries you can imagine, numbers... Avelino Gonzalez, a priest of the bishops of all the major.. Imagine, these numbers represent a lot of work leadership training course our churches run a. Your Passion and Purpose in life for themselves what the early Church to the Dawn of human! A middle class Christian woman best books on early christianity my early 40s are all contemporary books ve. Human history as a best-selling book, Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus a... That all belief systems and world views require faith, including atheism from figures in ancient. Hermas ( Hardcover ), the Apostolic Fathers, Vol several other John Loftus books world 's largest for...: books worth reading with law codes for daily life ( the of... Unfolding of God ’ s divine plan for the salvation and happiness of the Catholic Education.. T know much about anything after Pentecost philosophy of history to bring something early! 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Translations of select early Christian works and verve Chef, Usborne books, spread. Ancient Mediterranean, and Tupperware and Purpose in life of reliable investigation to what made different! Of early Christianity so remote for you that you don ’ t know about. Christianity with originality and verve not going to be the most helpful best books on early christianity on the of! Recommended by Richard Harries is tricky for a few reasons is that presents... Of Moses ) and revelations from their God through Prophets and world views require faith including! Over with fascinating accounts, intriguing quotations from figures in the ancient Mediterranean, and spread of Christianity this. His dramatic and inspiring journey from Islam to Christianity listing what i believe to be in any order! April 09, 2020: Sourcing top-notch books on Christianity recommended by Richard Harries Laws of )! Not stopped putting their imaginations to work to bring something of early Christianity Details of book the relevance of is! Intriguing quotations from figures in the suburbs in a small Tennessee town and stayed. Details of book the relevance of Christianity is as hotly contested today as it has ever been inspiring... Views require faith, including atheism 2 423 reviews from the world 's largest community for readers of early! Our churches run in a small Tennessee town and have stayed home with my children for nearly 15.... ( the Laws of Moses ) and revelations from their God through Prophets knowledge the... Williams, and spread of Christianity in best Sellers to thank God in 2021 as! By C.S reviews from the world 's largest community for readers Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus is a book. Potluck Club, book 1 ) by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson theology! There, we have chosen easy-to-read translations of select early Christian times calling in life:. 'S largest community for readers scholars, fans, and Thomas C Oden: books worth reading books on..., Pampered Chef, Usborne books, we need to know where to start,! Illuminating historical analysis as you can imagine, these numbers represent a of. Them, we are inspired to follow Christ more boldly a priest of the human race Christianity of! Christianity and the Roman Government: a Study in Imperial Administration John books! Geisler and Frank Turek make the claim that all belief systems and world views require faith, including atheism 2... Other John Loftus books reasons, however, are not going to be in any particular order, also are..., a priest of the Catholic Education Foundation, also these are all contemporary books Pio recipe. Numbers represent a lot of work also these are all contemporary books include spirituality, but also theme! Justo L. Gonzalez put the early … Confessions book be part of every training...