Story of Christianity: Volume 1, The: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation

I'm not sure I'd call this "crisp," as one reviewer termed it, because it is a very detailed, 500-page blow-by-blow account of just about every detail of early Christianity from heretics to monks, all the popes (and anti-popes), ecumenical councils, the first atheists, Gnostics, church architects, the Crusades (in excruciating detail), origin of the word "pagan"...whew!I actually picked this up as a library discard somewhere thinking it would be a great way to study up on the Council of Nicaea and other early councils which determined the official canon. But as it happens, I just kept reading on through this (mostly) fascinating 500-page academic treatise that runs through the Spanish and Portuguese colonizations in the 1500s. Although this seems to have a Catholic slant seeing as how it ends at the dawn of the Reformation (the author is Methodist), the book is fair-minded throughout in its treatment of everything from heresies to New World slavery abominations.Fascinating high points:The original atheists? Since Christians worshiped an invisible God, pagans often declared them to be atheists (47). “Death to the atheists!” (54). Meanwhile, the word ‘martyr’ originally meant “witness.” Most conversions were made by anonymous Christians whose “witness” led others to their faith, with the most dramatic form being suffering unto death (115-16).Widows. The term, within the church, came to refer not only to a woman whose husband had died but any unmarried woman supported by the community (114).Roles of women. “In many Gnostic circles women had a prominence they did not have in society at large. It is quite possible that it was partly in response to this feature in Gnosticism that orthodox Christianity began restricting the role of women in the church, for it is clear that first-century woman had roles that the 2nd century began to deny them” (73)Pagan (paganus) originally had nothing to do with religion but was used to refer to an uncouth, rural person. (117) — just as later OE ‘heathen’ originally referred to someone who was a "dweller on the heath”; one inhabiting uncultivated, untilled or desolate land.The fish was one of the earliest Christian symbols, based on the Greek word ICHTHYS—an acrostic for the initial letters of ‘Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior’ as well as representing the miraculous feeding of the multitudes. (117)Persecution. The last and worst persecution broke out in the early 300s (303-311 CE) under emperor Diocletian (121-124)Monasticism. Although there were early monastics throughout the Roman Empire, it was the deserts—esp. the Egyptian deserts—that provided the most fertile soil for the growth of monasticism. The word ‘monk’ is derived from the Greek monachos, “solitary.” The word ‘anchorite’ (a solitary monk) originally meant withdrawn or even fugitive” (164). In some areas of Egypt, there were twice as many women monastics as men (166).Clerical celibacy (Leo IX 1049-1054 CE). While celibacy had been practiced for centuries by many, “fired by monastic example, reformers made this one of the pillars of their program” (331)Crusades (1090's-1270). Under the leadership of Saladin, Sultan of Egypt, the Muslims took Jerusalem in 1187, leading to the 3rd Crusade led by three sovereigns: Richard the Lionhearted (Eng.), Frederich Barbarossa (Holy Roman Emp), and Phillip II Augustus (Fr)…which failed miserably, as did the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th (pp 350-351).Romanesque vs Gothic architecture (381)“The earliest Christians did not consider themselves followers of a new religion. All their lives they had been Jews and they still were.” Thus, not a denial of Judaism but a conviction that the messianic age had finally arrived. (27) With Paul we have the Hellenistic Jewish Christians serving as a bridge to the gentile world, who were joining in such numbers that they soon overshadowed the earlier Jewish/Christian community. (27)Humble folk: The vast majority of Christians during the first three centuries belonged to the lower echelons of society, or at least did not fit well in the higher ranks. They were considered ignorant folk in the kitchens, shops and tanneries (per Celsus, 2nd-century Greek philosopher and opponent of early Christianity.) That is, a despicable rabble (105) or “humble folk” (117).“False martyrs” (aka the “spontaneous”) — those who ran forward and offered themselves for martyrdom (55). Martyrdom was supposed to be something for which you were chosen by God (150)Did you know there were once 3 popes! (instead of just 2). At the council of Pisa in 1409 the cardinals of both “parties” (Rome and Avignon) were weary of the current 2 popes’ refusal to negotiate. Rather than trying to determine the rightful pope, the council declared both unworthy and they were deposed, at which point they elected Alexander V. But the other 2 refused to acknowledge and so there were 3 popes. A year later Alex died and the cardinals elected John XXIII (who was later deposed and declared to be an “antipope” (408, 417)Two John XXIIIs, the first in 1409 CE. He was ruled illegitimate, thus leaving the way open for a second XXIII (1958-1963) (p 408)...though one wonders why a 20th century pope would want the name of a deposed, non-Roman resident.Barbarians, Vandals, Byzantines, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Burgundians & Franks (400s-700s). Arians (aka the Burgundians) rejected the essential and eternal divinity of Jesus (269f)Private (“auricular”) confession to a priest originally developed in Ireland (274)English becomes the language of the Courts in 1362, and then the primary language of elementary schools (412)“burnings of vanities,” 1490s: Savonarola’s program of reformation reaches a high point. Great bonfires came to take the place of the pre-Lent carnival. A great wooden pyramid was built in the main square—people then placed their “vanities” on the steps: “dresses, jewelry, wigs, ostentatious furniture and the like” (423). Also known as the “Bonfire of the Vanities” in 1497 Florence, this is the origin of 1987 satirical novel by Tom Wolfe.Overall: this is well-written, well-sourced and quite readable -- full of fascinating historical details, though you'll have to wade through a lot of very detailed material on nearly every aspect of Christendom to get through.

Justo L. González’s The Story of Christianity: Volume I – The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation is, without a doubt, the best book on church history I have read so far! As a graduate student at Houston Christian University pursuing a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS), I have encountered many historical works, but González’s ability to make church history both accessible and engaging sets this book apart.González masterfully traces the development of Christianity from its earliest beginnings through the medieval period, leading up to the Reformation. His writing is clear, compelling, and deeply informative, making complex historical events easy to grasp without oversimplifying their significance. He does an excellent job of highlighting key theological debates, cultural influences, and the role of major figures such as Augustine, Constantine, and Thomas Aquinas.One of the things I appreciate most about González is his ability to write history with a global and inclusive perspective. As a Latin American theologian, his insights offer a refreshing and much-needed balance to the traditionally Eurocentric narratives of church history. This perspective makes the book even more enriching, providing a broader understanding of Christianity’s growth and diversity throughout the centuries.This book is not just for scholars—it is for anyone who wants to understand the roots of the Christian faith. Whether you are a student, pastor, or layperson, The Story of Christianity: Volume I is a must-read. González’s work has been invaluable in my studies, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a comprehensive, readable, and insightful exploration of church history.

This book is not a theological treatise, but a history, told in story form, of Christianity. And while I do not identify with the Christian church, I am a very old student of life and the world and there can be little argument that Christianity has, since its beginning, been one of the most powerful institutional influences on the world. Understand how it evolved and you might have a better understanding how we, as a global humanity, got to where we are today.Mission accomplished. Justo Gonzalez’ incredibly well researched narrative, told in a matter of fact, neutral voice (or as close to neutral as one can get given the subject), was entertaining to read and enlightening to process. (And I will be processing it for a long time to come.)If you are interested in the theological side of the story I believe you would find it equally informative, although it will take an open mind. Gonzalez covers all sides of the story, warts and all.I daresay that the history of Christianity is one of the least studied histories outside of a narrow segment of the theological community. (Gonzalez is a retired professor of historical theology.) Non-Christians, perhaps, see it as strictly a theological story while Christians, perhaps, are inclined to see the study of theologies outside of that which they have been taught as somehow irrelevant or, at least, compromising.Having read the book, however, I am inclined to believe this is a book we should all read, regardless of religious identity. For starters, it’s fascinating. I am, above all else, a philosopher and found myself marveling at the philosophical implications of the story at every turn. (And there were more turns than you can imagine.) What were they thinking and how did they get to the point of such extreme conviction that they would lead impoverished, lonely lives in the desert?The writing is very good and the author clearly knows his subject. The names of people and places are not familiar to most of us. The timeline (i.e., 1500 years) is expansive for a 500-page book. And it is organized into topical chapters (e.g. The New Order, Eastern Christianity, Movements of Renewal), so the book does not follow a strict timeline. The resulting back and forth introduces, and then reintroduces, several characters. Taken together, these attributes are not conducive to a “quick read” although it is not laborious in the sense that many scholarly texts can be. Nonetheless, I found it helpful to keep an electronic tablet nearby for quick access to Google when I sensed I had lost the thread. (What was Neoplatonic mysticism again?)One of the things that struck me the most about the story is that the theological debates that occurred within the early church can seem a bit tortured by today’s “popular” theological standards. How does one reconcile the trinity? How can Jesus be both divine and human at the same time? How did he get that way? And how can we answer those questions without sacrificing the incarnation, the resurrection, and his saving of humankind? They aren’t the types of questions most Christians wrestle with today, but they are at the heart of what all Christian denominations now believe and teach.A related observation was the degree to which reason and philosophy was an integral part of the story of Christianity and popularly entertained and debated. Formal reason, of course, has been largely eliminated from public discourse today, and I have to wonder if that has not contributed to both the secularization of Western culture and the increasingly polarized and emotional nature of our politics and public discourse.As is always the case, the history of Christianity is not a one-dimensional story. It is a multi-faceted story that involves political power, vast amounts of wealth, more than a little corruption and scandal, lethal oppression, and, of course, faith and theology. And it is almost impossible to sort out what facet had what influence. Those influences, moreover, ebbed and flowed in importance over time.The Buddhists refer to “dependent origination”, the idea that nothing exists in isolation. We can understand many aspects of reality but can never know it completely, meaning that all reality must be interpreted in context. That is no less true of Christianity than anything else.That context, however, is fluid, more akin to energy than matter. That is both the reason we cannot always learn from history and the reason we must study history to fully understand where we are today.This book, in the end, is a book about context. And whether you are interested in Christianity or just understanding the world around you, the context it explores is important. It’s also a fascinating story. What else can a reader ask for?