The First Christian Centuries: Perspectives on the Early Church

by Paul McKechnie

Here is a scholarly examination by Paul McKechnie of select topics in understanding how early Christianity grew to become the religion of the Roman Empire by the fourth century. Topics include growth of the church, Christians in Caesar's palace, Gnosticism and more. The author examines the following key issues: Which ancient sources are reliable? What was the social makeup of the early Christian movement? What can we determine about the growth rate and persecution of first-century Christians? What do we know about the second generation of Christians? How should we assess the reliability of our various sources from the second and third centuries? What were the nature and extent of persecutions in the second and third centuries? What were the long-term consequences of Paul's making converts within the household of Caesar? Can we gain historical perspective on the diversity that traveled under the name Christian in the early centuries? How were women regarded and what roles did they play? And how was it that a Roman emperor, Constantine, was converted--and what were the implications for the Christian movement?

Genres: Christianity, Church History

270 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[68hellhammer]

In 2024, I had the privilege of the author of this book, Paul McKechnie, being my research supervisor, for an essay I wrote on the historical Jesus (Macquarie University). As well as being relevant to my research at the time, this title was of general interest to me, in terms of NT history and the development of Christianity throughout the Graeco-Roman world and the West.

McKechnie argues that Christians may have begun writing much earlier than is generally estimated within the current scholarly consensus, positing the theory of a "Shadow New Testament" upon which the gospel authors eventually based the canonical material that exists today.

A meticulously researched and interesting read!

[James Horgan]

Surprisingly interesting, assuming you have some background in Christian theology and history. McKechnie takes fairly early dates for the New Testament and regards most of it as canonical.

He covers the initial growth rates of Christianity (I think he underestimates the number of Christians by the end of Acts, given the numbers in there, and Stark's 4% likely fails to take into account periods of lesser and higher growth as persecution waxed and waned).

The chapters on 'Christian' sects convincingly shows how they differed in fundamentals from the 'Great Church' and sociologically could never match its growth.

I was unpersuaded by the chapter on women in office which was assumed Phrygian Montanists were typical in the roles they gave women to Christians in the same area. The opposite is just as likely. He also relies on women patrons of house churches, such as Lydia, but provision of property and ministerial status don't necessarily, or even regularly, go together.

The final chapter reached the persecutions under Domitian and the conversion of Constantine, which McKechnie, quoting his own words, considers genuine (I agree). Rejoice in the triumph of the kingdon of Christ in a bare three centuries in the greatest empire of its day. And it grows still!

[Matt Williams]

In 2024, I had the privilege of the author of this book, Paul McKechnie, being my research supervisor, for an essay I wrote on the historical Jesus (Macquarie University). As well as being relevant to my research at the time, this title was of general interest to me, in terms of NT history and the development of Christianity throughout the Graeco-Roman world and the West.

McKechnie argues that Christians may have begun writing much earlier than is generally estimated within the current scholarly consensus, positing the theory of a "Shadow New Testament" upon which the gospel authors eventually based the canonical material that exists today.

A meticulously researched and interesting read!