A Feast of Anglican Spirituality
by Robert Backhouse
From the Celtic and Saxon saints whose vision was to shape he English church, to the prophetic voices of our own day, this splendid collection draws on over a thousand years of spiritual writing and provides an engaging portrait of the rich diversity of Anglican worship, doctrine and life. The classical Anglican synthesis of scripture, reason and tradition finds various expression in the writings of over two hundred figures including Augustine, Hilda, Bede, Anselm, Wycliffe, Cranmer, the seventeenth-century divines, Wesley, Newman, Evelyn Underhill, Austin Farrer, C S Lewis, Desmond Tutu and many more. Beginning with the roots of Anglican spirituality and the shaping of Anglican identity, this anthology explores the Anglican understanding of worship, the sacraments, prayer, mission, the Bible, the Church and living as a Christian in the world. A Feast of Anglican Spirituality celebrates the heritage of Anglicanism in all its breadth and variety, its triumphs and its failures, its ability to recognize other points of view and, above all, its indebtedness to the wider Christian tradition of which it is a part.
by Roland H. Bainton
Written by an eminent church historian, this Anvil tells the stirring story of Christianity during its first five centuries. The struggle with the Roman Empire and with rival religions, the attitude of the Church toward ethical and social questions, and the reasons for the triumph of Christianity in the Roman Empire are clearly outlined in an absorbing narrative and brief selections from crucial documents. The author carries the history forward through periods of triumph and bitter controversy up to Justinian's reign in the east and Augustine's era in the west.
Behold the Christ: A Portrayal of Christ in Words and Pictures
by Roland H. Bainton
This book is a treasure trove of illustrations: drawings, paintings, and sculptures, with anecdotes and personal reflections of the author.
by John E. Booty
The Episcopal Church in Crisis
by John E. Booty
Booty provides a clear, succinct, balanced appraisal of the Episcopal Church from the 1950s to the present. Both perceptive and fair, he reveals the strengths and weaknesses of various groups in the church. He covers a broad range of topics, from theological revision, liturgical renewal, and the development of lay ministries to responses to the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, the women's movement (including the ordination of women), and revised concepts of church mission and of church ecumenicity. While he correctly cites homosexuality as one of the big, unresolved issues, he should perhaps have added broader issues of sexuality as well as relations to other faiths. Recommended for general and seminary libraries. Carolyn M. Craft, Longwood Coll., Farmville, Va.
by John E. Booty
This unique approach to understanding the history of the Anglican and Episcopal Churches was originally part of the 1979 Church’s Teaching Series. Rather than writing a simple chronological history of the Church, John Booty, one of the premier experts in church history, explores the subject thematically. Booty addresses four major areas: ? the Church and its essential nature ? how a weak and faltering Church can be renewed and reformed ? how Christ, culture, church, and state relate to one another ? the Church’s historical and current understanding of its mission Throughout, Booty concentrates not only on the history itself, but how that history relates to today’s Church. Excellent for course work, or for lay study. John Booty taught Church History at Virginia Seminary and the Episcopal Theological School. He was also professor of Anglican Studies at The University of the South, where he served as Dean of the School of Theology. He currently resides in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire
How to Read Church History: From the Beginnings to the Fifteenth Century Vol.1
By Jean Comby
Specifically geared to the adult learner; adaptable to individual, parish, and other group needs; and richly illustrated with photos and charts, this two volume set helps teachers and students connect the content of each text with their own life experiences and the community in which they live.
How to Read Church History: From the Reformation to the Present Day Vol. 2
By Jean Comby
This second volume takes up the story where the first left off. Like its predecessor it has three features which make it different from other histories, so that it is aimed at the widest possible audience. First, it does not separate church history from the wider history of the world in which it is set. Christians live in that wider world, and political, social and economic developments often determine the life of the church. Secondly, it provides direct quotations from the written sources. To make sure that the account covers British and American, as well as French and European, history, an English-speaking historian joins the French author. 'The approach is ecumenical, covering with good balance the full range of denominational developments in the Western church and its missionary outreach. In general this is a clear, well-written account the language is accessible not only to an adult but also to a student readership' (Expository Times).
Eerdsmans' Handbook to the History of Christianity
by Tom Dowley
Illustrates a period-by-period survey of the origins and worldwide expansion of Christianity that spotlights major movements, personalities, and breakthroughs.
Early Christianity
by Mark Humphries
Examining sources and case studies, this book explores early Christianity, how it was studied, how it is studied now, and how Judaeo-Christian values came to form the ideological bedrock of modern western culture.
Looking at the diverse source materials available, from the earliest New Testament texts and the complex treaties of third century authors such as Lactantius, to archaeology, epigraphy and papyrology, the book examines what is needed to study the subject, what materials are available, how useful they are, and how the study of the subject may be approached.
Case study chapters focus on important problems in the study of early Christianity including:
- the book of Acts as a text revelatory of the social dynamics of cities and as a text about the inherent tensions in Hellenistic Judaism
- orthodoxy and organization in early Christianity
- early Christianity and the Roman empire.
Also including a comprehensive guide for students that lists major collections of literary and non-literary sources, major journals and series, and major text books, it is an excellent aid to the study of Christianity in history.
The Real Jesus: The Misguided Quest for the Historical Jesus and the Truth of the Traditional Gospels
by Luke Timothy Johnson
The Real Jesus—the first book to challenge the findings of the Jesus Seminar, the controversial group of two hundred scholars who claim Jesus only said 18 percent of what the Gospels attribute to him—"is at the center of the newest round in what has been called the Jesus Wars" (Peter Steinfels, New York Times). Drawing on the best biblical and historical scholarship, respected New Testament scholar Luke Timothy Johnson demonstrates that the "real Jesus" is the one experienced in the present through faith rather than the one found in speculative historical reconstructions. A new preface by the author presents his point of view on the most recent rounds of this lively debate.
The Creed: What Christians Believe and Why it Matters
by Luke Timothy Johnson
This thoughtful, fully accessible exploration of the creed, the list of beliefs central to the Christian faith, delves into its origins and illuminates the contemporary significance of why it still matters.
During services in Christian communities, the members of the congregation stand together to recite the creed, professing in unison the beliefs they share. For most Christians, the creed functions as a sort of “ABC” of what it means to be a Christian and to be part of a worldwide movement. Few people, however, know the source of this litany of beliefs, a topic that is further confused by the fact that there are two different versions: the Apostle’s Creed and the Nicene Creed.
In The Creed, Luke Timothy Johnson, a New Testament scholar and Catholic theologian, clarifies the history of the creed, discussing its evolution from the first decades of the Christian Church to the present day. By connecting the deep theological conflicts of the early Church with the conflicts and questions facing Christians today, Johnson shows that faith is a dynamic process, not based on a static set of rules. Written in a clear, graceful style and appropriate for Christians of all denominations, The Creed is destined to become a classic of modern writings on spirituality.
by Paul Johnson
First published in 1976, Paul Johnson’s exceptional study of Christianity has been loved and widely hailed for its intensive research, writing, and magnitude—“a tour de force, one of the most ambitious surveys of the history of Christianity ever attempted and perhaps the most radical” (New York Review of Books).
In a highly readable companion to books on faith and history, the scholar and author Johnson has illuminated the Christian world and its fascinating history in a way that no other has. Johnson takes off in the year 49 with his namesake the apostle Paul. Thus beginning an ambitious quest to paint the centuries since the founding of a little-known ‘Jesus Sect’, A History of Christianity explores to a great degree the evolution of the Western world. With an unbiased and overall optimistic tone, Johnson traces the fantastic scope of the consequent sects of Christianity and the people who followed them. Information drawn from extensive and varied sources from around the world makes this history as credible as it is reliable. Invaluable understanding of the framework of modern Christianity—and its trials and tribulations throughout history—has never before been contained in such a captivating work.
New Millennium, New Church: Trends Shaping the Episcopal Church for the Twenty-First Century
by Richard Kew
Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage: How Understanding the Jewish Roots of Christianity Can Transform Your Faith
by Curt Landry
Rabbi Curt Landry, founding pastor of House of David Ministries, reveals how understanding the Jewish roots of Christianity leads to a more vibrant, secure, and powerful Christian walk.
The church was created by Jesus, who was born Jewish yet primarily rejected by his family and his people. His early followers were both Jewish and gentile, and the church's early culture was rooted in Judaism and a Jewish understanding of God's relationship to his people. Over time, however, Christianity became increasingly more Roman than Jewish, and the church lost its identity.
Rabbi Curt Landry's personal story is remarkably similar. Born out of wedlock to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, Landry was put up for adoption. For over thirty years, he had no understanding of his heritage, his roots, or who his parents were. But when he discovered the truth of his story, his life changed completely.
The key to a life of power and purpose is understanding who you are. In this revelatory new book, Curt Landry helps Christians discover their roots in Judaism, empowering them to walk in the revelation of who they really are and who they are born to be. Reclaiming Our Forgotten Heritage reveals the mysteries of the church, letting Christians grasp the power that comes from connecting with their identity.
History of Christianity, A Reformation to the Present Vol 2
by Kenneth Scott Latourette
The most useful survey of Christian history for the student or general reader, fully updated by a team of respected scholars.
History of Christianity, A Beginnings to 1500 Vol 1
by Kenneth Scott Latourette
In The Story of Christianity: Volume 1, Justo L. González, author of the highly praised three-volume History of Christian Thought, presents a narrative history of Christianity, from the Early Church to the Dawn of the Protestant Reformation. From Jesus’ faithful apostles to the early reformist John Wycliffe, González skillfully traces core theological issues and developments within the various traditions of the church, including major events outside of Europe, such as the Spanish and Portuguese conquest of the New World. This updated and expanded edition incorporates recent archaeological discoveries about the life of Early Christian Communities, as well as important contemporary research revealing the significant role of women throughout the history of the church. With lively storytelling, The Story of Christianity provides a fascinating and panoramic history of the dramatic events, colorful characters, and revolutionary ideas that shaped the first fifteen centuries of the church.
The House of My Pilgrimage: History of the American House of St. Margaret
by Sister Cathern Louise
Planting of the Lord: History of St. Margaret of Scotland
by Sister Cathern Louise
Nearly Perfect Crime: How the Church Almost Killed the Ministry of Healing
by Francis MacNutt, PhD
Healing prayer, although central to the Gospel, was diminished by Christians until it almost disappeared. Reviewing the history of healing prayer, MacNutt calls for its restoration.
A History of the Church in England
by J. R. H. Moorman
A comprehensive history of the Christianity in Great Britain from the Roman Empire, through the Reformation and the 20th century.
This authoritative account of the Church in England covers its history from earliest times to the late twentieth century. Includes chapters on the Roman, Celtic, Anglo-Saxon, Norman, and Medieval periods before a description of the Reformation and its effects, the Stuart period, and the Industrial Age, with a final chapter on the modern church through 1972.
“[JRH Moorman’s]]] work has all the qualities of that rare achievement, a good textbook. It is written in a plain but eminently readable expository prose . . . a piece of authentic historical writing, in which the author communicates his interest to the reader without misleading him.” ―The Times Educational Supplement
To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration
by Gertrud Mueller Nelson
"Gertrud Nelson has written a book on ritual that is one of a kind. Her exquisitely written volume covers the history, psychology and spirituality of ritual in general and Christian ritual in particular. Enlivened by pithy and insightful examples, many of them drawn from her own family life, Ms. Nelson penetrates to the heart of the meaning of ritual and ceremony in a fresh way. She manages to escape the trap of many writers on this subject―superficial piety―and makes relevant for the modern reader the importance of ritual for connecting us to the meaning and flow of life. I would not have thought in today's rationalistic age that the ceremonies of life could be made vital again as cogently and splendidly as has been don in this book. Sometimes even single sentences speak volumes: 'It is Advent, and we, a people, are pregnant.' This is a book to be read carefully, perhaps only a few pages a day. Reading the book can become a ritual, especially for Christian people to whom it is primarily addressed. Beautiful illustrations by the author add to the expressiveness of this carefully composed work. This book may prove to be a classic treatment of the meaning of ritual for this modern era." ―John Sanford †
The Christian Centuries: From Christ to Dante
by Robert Payne
Here is the vast panorama of the Christian centuries, those exciting years when Christianity was a vivid and creative force in Europe, moving men’s minds and working fiercely on their spirits. They were the years when faith was a simple thing, kept as the most sacred treasure a man could possess.
The sweep of thirteen centuries of Christianity, from the coming of Christ to the fall of Christendom, is outlined by Robert Payne in all its struggle and splendor.
In the early years, Payne points out, men lived in Christ; the shadow of the Cross loomed over them; and the promises made in Jerusalem and Galilee were accepted as the living words of the living God.
For us, coming many centuries later, the vision is dimmed by distance and we look back in bewilderment, wondering how an unknown man from an obscure hill town near the shores of a little lake became so powerful that he conquered the greater part of the known world.
In this magnificent picture of the spread of Christianity from Galilee to the courts of Christendom, Robert Payne provides both sound history and inspiring reading. In this chronicle, he dramatizes the reasons for the spread of the new doctrine and the hold it came to have over men's minds and spirits. This edition includes prints and illustrations.
The Prayer Book Through the Ages
by William Snydor
An exploration of the history of the Book of Common Prayer and its revisions, beginning with the 1549 English Prayer Book and continuing up to the present. This revised and expanded version of The Story of the Real Prayer Book (this book’s original title) finishes the story of the final adoption of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Sydnor explores why each revision was necessary, what was changed, added, omitted, as well as what was retained in the “new” book.
By understanding the delicate balance between the need for change and the preservation of what is timeless, William Sydnor believes that Episcopalians will “find anew that common ground of common prayer which is our legacy, our inspiration, and our joy.”
by Stephen Sykes, John Booty, Jonathan Knight
In this authoritative volume, thirty-one of the world's leading Anglican scholars present the first sustained and thorough account of the history and ethos of the Churches of the Anglican Communion from the Anglican reform of the sixteenth century to its global witness today.
The Church in an Age of Revolution
by Alec R. Vidler
The French Revolution dealt a fatal blow to the alliance of Church and State. The Christian church had to adapt to great changes - from the social upheavals of the Industrial Revolution to the philosophical speculations of Kant's 'Copernican revolution', to Darwin's evolutionary theories. Some Christians were driven to panic and blind reaction, others were inspired to re-interpret their faith; the results of this conflict within the fabric of the Church are still reverberating today. In this masterly appraisal of a doubt-ridden and turbulent period in Christianity Alec Vidler concludes with a discussion of the position of the Church in modern times and expertly answers the question: 'Has the Church stood up to the Age of Revolution?'
by Frank Viola
Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we “dress up” for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, and choirs? This ground-breaking book, now in affordable softcover, makes an unsettling proposal: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is rooted, not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of modern Christian church practices. In the process, the authors uncover the problems that emerge when the church functions more like a business organization than the living organism it was created to be. As you reconsider Christ's revolutionary plan for his church―to be the head of a fully functioning body in which all believers play an active role―you'll be challenged to decide whether you can ever do church the same way again.
by Hans von Campenhausen
Hans von Campenhausen’s two volumes, The Fathers of the Greek Church and The Fathers of the Latin Church, are combined into one volume in this new edition. “The Fathers of the Church” traditionally describes the orthodox writers of the early church. The church came to regard these figures as the exponents of divine truth in the age when the church was taking shape. Their interpretations of the early creeds of the church were decisively influential for all later theology. Written with remarkable fluency, this book contains biographical studies of twelve of the most important of the Greek Fathers and seven of the most important of the Latin Fathers. Professor von Campenhausen places the Church Fathers in the context of their own times and surroundings and describes their personalities, intellectual aims, and contribution to the church’s life or doctrine in an engaging style that is a pleasure to read. This is a wonderful introduction to these influential early Christians for scholar and layperson alike.
A History of the Christian Church
by Williston Walker
Since publication of the first edition in 1918, A History of the Christian Church by Williston Walker has enjoyed outstanding success and recognition as a classic in the field. Written by an eminent theologian, it combines in its narrative a rare blend of clarity, unity, and balance. In light of significant advances in scholarship in recent years, extensive revisions have been made to this fourth edition. Three scholars from Union Theological Seminary in New York have incorporated new historical discoveries and provided fresh interpretations of various periods in church history from the first century to the twentieth. The result is a thoroughly updated history which preserves the tenor and structure of Walker's original, unparalleled text.
Chronological and Background Charts of Church History
by Robert C. Walton
See how the rich tapestry of nearly 2,000 years of church history unfolded.
Packed with teaching and learning tools, from charts and timelines, to maps and visual guides, Chronological and Background Charts of Church History will help you quickly grasp the historic foundation on which contemporary Christianity rests.
This revised and expanded edition contains 126 charts (43 of which are new) that cover:
- The history of the ancient church
- The medieval church
- The Reformation
- The modern European church
- The American church
- and more
The accessible visual presentation is perfect for enhancing every type of teaching and learning situation and style, including homeschooling curricula and tutoring, church classes and Sunday school.
The Spirit of Anglicanism: Hooker, Maurice, Temple
by William J. Wolf
