" The Story of Christianity, Volume 1," is an informative, interesting, and consistently readable narrative history. It brings alive the people,... read full description
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May 16, 2011
Debbie
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"The Story of Christianity" covers the history of Christianity from the Apostles to John Wycliffe in Vol. 1 and from the Protestant Reformation to the mid-1900's in Vol. 2 of this two-volumes-in-one book. The author traced the controversies in Christian thought and developments in Christian action in roughly chronological order. (He'd talk about developments in one area or county and then sometimes jump back in time a bit to cover a parallel development in another country.) He explaine
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Dec 16, 2009
Mme. Bookling
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I had never before read church history. I was really impressed with this book. Joel taught it at a class I took, and I had no idea how fascinated I was with religious society throughout history. Though seemingly obvious, it was so spiritually freeing to think that at one time there were no church "norms" and that everyone was once a heretic--based on who was in leadership. It frees me to question my faith openly and deal with my doubts honestly.
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Aug 18, 2010
Andrew
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For a very general introduction to the early history of the Church up until the Protestant Reformation, I would recommend this book. But only as a primary introduction.
Its chief virtues are that it is highly readable (high school reading level) and easy to understand; the chapters are brief and generally well-organized; it also provides a basic orientation of Christian history within the context of the larger "secular" history. For these reasons, I would recommend it to any More...
Its chief virtues are that it is highly readable (high school reading level) and easy to understand; the chapters are brief and generally well-organized; it also provides a basic orientation of Christian history within the context of the larger "secular" history. For these reasons, I would recommend it to any More...
Jul 27, 2011
Considerably lesser quality than his first volume. The most glaring deficiencies included (in sequence of the book's chapters): inadequate treatment of Wesley (who didn't even get his own chapter), a highly selective narrative of the Thirteen Colonies, a superficial account of the First Great Awakening, and a noticeable Liberal bias in the latter half of the book. More generally, missions was almost entirely absent; instead, Gonzalez spends too much time trying to detail the secular history arou
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Sep 25, 2007
Rebekah
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Easy reading, but not dumbed-down. One of the most enjoyable history books I've ever read. Doesn't just give a record of facts, but details about theological and ecclesiastical controversies.
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Nov 21, 2011
Debi
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I've become more interested in church history lately, though generally I'm not that interested in reading history type books. So I thought I would give this one a try.
I was pleasantly surprised to find it easy and interesting reading. In spite of the size of the book, the story kept me turning pages and moving along in the history of Christianity from the time of Christ.
It did get confusing with pope rivalries happening during the Middle Ages and more than 1 pope being in power at o More...
I was pleasantly surprised to find it easy and interesting reading. In spite of the size of the book, the story kept me turning pages and moving along in the history of Christianity from the time of Christ.
It did get confusing with pope rivalries happening during the Middle Ages and more than 1 pope being in power at o More...
Jul 27, 2011
A fairly good read. If I could excise one thing, it would be the recurring section in several chapters that does little more than list the popes of the era in question. They aren't covered in enough detail to know much about them, but there is enough text to annoy those looking for a dynamic narration.
Reading other reviews, I'm not sure what people were looking for "in other places." Christianity didn't take substantial hold in Africa. In China, it existed but didn't last long. Perhaps More...
Reading other reviews, I'm not sure what people were looking for "in other places." Christianity didn't take substantial hold in Africa. In China, it existed but didn't last long. Perhaps More...
Sep 19, 2007
DeborahMichael
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i love justo! this history book really reads like a story, quite painless. he is honest and i respect that about him.
Sep 17, 2009
Patrik
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An easy to read survey of the history of Christianity from the early church up through the reformation.
I was especially intrigued to learn about the early church living and growing within the Roman empire and the ebb and flow of persecution, how the church changed after Constantine, the rapid spreading of controvery and the growing need to cannonize what was to be considered scripture and much much more. I definitely learned a lot about the church and the history of Christianity b More...
I was especially intrigued to learn about the early church living and growing within the Roman empire and the ebb and flow of persecution, how the church changed after Constantine, the rapid spreading of controvery and the growing need to cannonize what was to be considered scripture and much much more. I definitely learned a lot about the church and the history of Christianity b More...
Feb 17, 2009
Jacob
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Gonzalez somehow covers nearly 2000 years of church history in only 95 pages - quite a remarkable feat in itself. This book offers a great uber-basic introduction and outline to church history, but you better have your iPhone in hand as you read, or else you will remain relatively clueless about most major happenings. It is perhaps most helpful for constructing a chronology of significant figures and developments, and since you can read it in such a short period of time I definitely think it i
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Apr 12, 2008
Christopher
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This book is a general survey of the history of the Church from the primitive era until the beginning of the Reformation. Gonzalez is a very capable scholar, and writes in a style which is accessible, not only to the scholar, but to the laymen a well. Overall, I found the book engaging and thought provoking.
Gonzalez's treatment of the primitive church is extremely well written. He does a very good job of delineating the social and cultural issues that were at play during the develo More...
Gonzalez's treatment of the primitive church is extremely well written. He does a very good job of delineating the social and cultural issues that were at play during the develo More...
Oct 24, 2011
Daniel
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I thought overall the book tried to give a good picture of Christianity. The later chapters just don't cover it though. The largest problem is its grasp of the drastic effects that Protestant Liberalism has had in Europe. The theological bend of the 20th century has emptied the church in Europe. It emptied the church of true believers because it emptied the gospel of true power. When confronted with these issues in the United States we would do well to consider our own trajectory towards the sam
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Jan 27, 2010
Andre
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I have seen this book a bizillion times and thought about purchasing a bizillion more times. It appears to be the standard work (or working its way towards that) in Seminaries. I am borrowing it from a friend in our Church and am impressed with it thus far. It is extremely readable and chock full of great information. I was a little suspicious originally because it was published by Harper and wondered why a book with this "clout" in evangelical seminaries was not published by Bake
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Aug 29, 2010
Sean
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I only read the first nine chapters, through the 2nd century, in preparation for a message, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. More dates would have helped make things a bit clearer, but maybe that's what made it feel more like a "story" (hence the name of the book) than a timeline. Everybody likes a story.
I own the book because I was assigned to read it in college or seminary. I'll be going to back to it again with more eagerness when I want more on other centu
I own the book because I was assigned to read it in college or seminary. I'll be going to back to it again with more eagerness when I want more on other centu
Mar 08, 2009
Nathan
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A great overview of Church history that's extremely readable. Gonzalez flies at exactly the right hieght for most readers - high enough to give you the big picture but low enough that you get a taste for what the influential people of the time were like. He's a master of the half-page biography. I highly reccomend Gonzalez for anyone looking to get into church history.
Mar 12, 2009
James
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This is my prefered text for church history.
It is not as "pretty" as say Wright's An Introduction to the History of Christianity but the style is easy to read and the major points are hard to miss. There is also a hardcover version available that combines both vol 1. and vol 2. into a single binding, but I found it much less convenient to carry along.
It is not as "pretty" as say Wright's An Introduction to the History of Christianity but the style is easy to read and the major points are hard to miss. There is also a hardcover version available that combines both vol 1. and vol 2. into a single binding, but I found it much less convenient to carry along.
Mar 12, 2009
James
rated it:
This is my prefered text for church history.
It is not as "pretty" as say Wright's An Introduction to the History of Christianity but the style is easy to read and the major points are hard to miss. There is also a hardcover version available that combines both vol 1. and vol 2. into a single binding, but I found it much less convenient to carry along.
It is not as "pretty" as say Wright's An Introduction to the History of Christianity but the style is easy to read and the major points are hard to miss. There is also a hardcover version available that combines both vol 1. and vol 2. into a single binding, but I found it much less convenient to carry along.
Jun 05, 2010
Doug
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I read this in the two volume format (Volume I: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation and Volume II: The Reformation to the Present Day.) The book is comprehensive, although arguably slanted in focus towards the western branches of the church. The narrative tone I found exemplary, which made the volumes hard to put down.
Aug 07, 2011
Alexis
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A surprisingly readable history. Gonzalez is right to title his volume The Story of Christianity, as his style is closer to prose than it is to the usual dry and lifeless writing of most history texts. The organization is a bit confusing at times--not precisely chronological, but grouped by periods and then thematically within the period--but with so many moving pieces, there really isn't a better way to present the information. All in all, it's a great introduction to the history of Christia
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Jan 12, 2011
Gonzalez' history of the Christianity is an excellent overview of the major movements, events, and individuals of the church. You can get both volumes in one through Prince Press. Reads well. If you want a big picture of church history in one volume (again, see the Prince Press one) then this is a good one.
Jul 27, 2011
This is a very well written church history book that covers a lot of ground. Rather easy to read and an excellent book for any person interesting in church history. Somewhat less scholarly than what I personally would have wanted, but that is probably a postive thing for most.
Jul 27, 2011
This is a very good introduction to church history. The style i simple, yet lucid and interesting. I like how Gonzalez includes some of the philosopher/theolgians as well. I hoped that he would have included more of a South American perspective though. But, you can't get it all.
Aug 06, 2011
Carrie
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This is a great history book! Rather than breaking history down into unpalatable, terse facts, dates, and names, it keeps to the narrative of time and integrates movements to help readers better see the larger picture.
Aug 12, 2009
Nick
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Wow. We've done some great and terrible things as a whole. Can we learn from our mistakes? I hope so. Truth and love are not synonymous and both are needed in a hurt and dying world.
Dec 21, 2009
Sarah
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We used the Gonzalez texts, volume 1 and 2, are our primary texts in Church History (two sections) in my Masters of Divinity program. The course was challenging, and although in college I could have cared less about history one way or the other, I really enjoyed learning all of this church history.
For anyone concerned that Christianity's story might be painted in a nuanced or romanced way, while that is inherent in any telling of history it is not exacerbated by any means by Gonza More...
For anyone concerned that Christianity's story might be painted in a nuanced or romanced way, while that is inherent in any telling of history it is not exacerbated by any means by Gonza More...
Jul 04, 2011
Erin
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this was a thick book with small print and I LOVED it! such a great, well written history book. just delicious. volume 2 is on my shelf to read as vol 1 doesn't even get to Luther.
Apr 16, 2009
The Story of Christianity: Volume 1 : Volume One: The Early Church to the Reformation (Story of Christianity) by Justo L. Gonzalez (?)
Sep 02, 2008
Kj
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I love any book where Louis XIV and Billy Graham share equal page time.
Gonzalez' second volume is again, an excellent survey of the history of (mostly) the Western church, which works hard to attend to not only the big names and movements, but heeds marginalized voices, cultures and many under-told legacies.
Because its now 20 years old, the book only takes you to the beginning of the cultural shifts taking place in the 1980's, but this is still an outstanding resource for More...
Gonzalez' second volume is again, an excellent survey of the history of (mostly) the Western church, which works hard to attend to not only the big names and movements, but heeds marginalized voices, cultures and many under-told legacies.
Because its now 20 years old, the book only takes you to the beginning of the cultural shifts taking place in the 1980's, but this is still an outstanding resource for More...
Nov 21, 2008
Pat
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A very readable introduction to Church History, from the early church to the beginning of the Reformation.
Jan 07, 2012
Mark
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While a concise history, it is nonetheless insightful as it manages to cover the broad movements over time quite well. Highly recommended as an introduction/overview to the history of the Christian church.
