A History of the Early Church to A.D. 500

by John William Charles Wand

A concise treatment of the early development of Christianity that emphasizes its teachings, forms of worship, and ecclesiastical organization

Genres: Nonfiction, Christianity

300 pages, Paperback

First published March 13, 1975

About the author

John William Charles Wand KCVO PC was an English Anglican bishop. He was the Archbishop of Brisbane in Australia before returning to England to become the Bishop of Bath and Wells before becoming the Bishop of London.

Reviews

[John Nash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book is like drinking from a fire hydrant. The amount of information and names referenced per page was absurd. And the chronology would keep jumping forwards and backwards at random. It was not a good primer on the early church, but has interesting content for someone more familiar with the church’s history.

Three stars for the effort and amount of information. And she’s a generous three stars.

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was intrigued to read this book, as I wanted to be more informed on the Church's history and its early developments. Although I was expecting a great amount of information, I wasn't expecting the heavy jargon and countless name drops that require one to do their own research in order to understand the references being made. I would recommend this book for someone who is more knowledgeable than the average person in this matter, or at least someone who wishes to be academically challenged.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the first centuries of the church. Not written from an orthodox POV, so read with caution.

[Nixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Need to read this book

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated, and he has a problem with all the "barbarians" out to destroy the noble Roman Empire. Also, have a glossary handy to keep the heresies straight...

[Jeff Youngstrom]

My review from February 27, 1997