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The Story of Christianity #1
The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation
“This crisp retelling of Christian history from the days of the apostles to the eve of the Reformation is filled with insight.”
— Mark A. Noll, Wheaton College The Story of Christianity, Volume 1 is a narrative history of Christianity, from the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation, from Justo L. Gonzalez, author of the highly praised three-volume History of Christian Thought .
— Mark A. Noll, Wheaton College The Story of Christianity, Volume 1 is a narrative history of Christianity, from the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation, from Justo L. Gonzalez, author of the highly praised three-volume History of Christian Thought .
429 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
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About the author
Justo L. González
154 books185 followersJusto L. González, author of the highly praised three-volume History of Christian Thought and other major works, attended United Seminary in Cuba, received his MA at Yale, and was the youngest person to be awarded a PhD in historical theology at Yale. He is one of the few first generation Latino theologians to come from a Protestant background. He helped to found the Association for Hispanic Theological Education and the Hispanic Theological Initiative. Dr González is now on the faculty of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 476 reviews
August 18, 2010
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 anybody remotely curious to begin learning the basics of church history.
If I had the choice, however, I would certainly not be using it as a textbook for an undergraduate-level introduction to church history course. I would prefer using Kenneth Latourette's "A History of Christianity" (Volume 1). Really, I'd prefer using something several decades NEWER than Latourette, but am not aware of anything current that matches or outdoes him.
Gonzalez's book leaves a lot to be desired, but the two most significant problems I have with this book are:
1. He comments too much on the history, rather than simply offering the facts of the narrative. His attempt to make various connections is commendable, however, his numerous value judgments are unwelcome interruptions serving to distract or mislead the reader into Gonzalez's preferred interpretation of the narrative.
2. He makes very little mention or entirely neglects some significant historical moments in Christianity. My biggest concern is that he brushed over the Inquisition, and made absolutely no mention of "witch-hunting." There was very little mention of the Great Schism of 1054 between Eastern and Western Christianity. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 earned barely a paragraph. He has no problem dealing with some of Christian history's darker moments, but, for whatever reason, chooses to ignore these extremely significant facets of medieval Christianity.
3. It is very heavily slanted toward Western Christianity, and generally neglects the vast riches of Eastern Christianity.
So, read the book for a very basic introduction, but do so with a grain of salt. Don't take everything you read here as Gospel truth, and don't think he is telling you everything either.
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 anybody remotely curious to begin learning the basics of church history.
If I had the choice, however, I would certainly not be using it as a textbook for an undergraduate-level introduction to church history course. I would prefer using Kenneth Latourette's "A History of Christianity" (Volume 1). Really, I'd prefer using something several decades NEWER than Latourette, but am not aware of anything current that matches or outdoes him.
Gonzalez's book leaves a lot to be desired, but the two most significant problems I have with this book are:
1. He comments too much on the history, rather than simply offering the facts of the narrative. His attempt to make various connections is commendable, however, his numerous value judgments are unwelcome interruptions serving to distract or mislead the reader into Gonzalez's preferred interpretation of the narrative.
2. He makes very little mention or entirely neglects some significant historical moments in Christianity. My biggest concern is that he brushed over the Inquisition, and made absolutely no mention of "witch-hunting." There was very little mention of the Great Schism of 1054 between Eastern and Western Christianity. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 earned barely a paragraph. He has no problem dealing with some of Christian history's darker moments, but, for whatever reason, chooses to ignore these extremely significant facets of medieval Christianity.
3. It is very heavily slanted toward Western Christianity, and generally neglects the vast riches of Eastern Christianity.
So, read the book for a very basic introduction, but do so with a grain of salt. Don't take everything you read here as Gospel truth, and don't think he is telling you everything either.
July 22, 2020
If I had to recommend one overview of Christian history, Justo González's accessible, even breezy Story of Christianity is it.
The title gives you a sense of González's approach to the subject; he's not writing a dense textbook but telling a story of how a small band of people convinced that their rabbi was the long-awaited Jewish Messiah founded a religion that came to rule the western world.
Not only is González an excellent writer, but he makes sure to plug the gaps left by many other church histories. A Cuban American who has written extensively about Latin American Christianity, González tries where possible to avoid "great man" recitations of events, pointing out women and people of color who profoundly influenced the history of Christianity. In his hands, church history is less a collection of popes and emperors (though there are plenty of those) and more a story of people, rich and poor, establishment and non, seeking to better live out the call of Christ in their lives – and sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing miserably.
González has developed a reputation as a preeminent church historian for good reason, and his first volume of The Story of Christianity is Exhibit A.
The title gives you a sense of González's approach to the subject; he's not writing a dense textbook but telling a story of how a small band of people convinced that their rabbi was the long-awaited Jewish Messiah founded a religion that came to rule the western world.
Not only is González an excellent writer, but he makes sure to plug the gaps left by many other church histories. A Cuban American who has written extensively about Latin American Christianity, González tries where possible to avoid "great man" recitations of events, pointing out women and people of color who profoundly influenced the history of Christianity. In his hands, church history is less a collection of popes and emperors (though there are plenty of those) and more a story of people, rich and poor, establishment and non, seeking to better live out the call of Christ in their lives – and sometimes succeeding, sometimes failing miserably.
González has developed a reputation as a preeminent church historian for good reason, and his first volume of The Story of Christianity is Exhibit A.
September 24, 2012
I was a little nervous in the beginning as Gonzalez quickly disregarded the apostle John as the writer of Revelation. I thought this was setting the page for a rather liberal recitation of Christian history, but to my delight, I was proven wrong. Gonzalez does a great job of presenting an extremely large scope of history in an easy to read and engaging manner. I think overall he did a great job of presenting the highs and lows of the movements, while still providing a healthy balance.
I think he could have spent a little more time on the Inquisition (as mentioned on a post below), but he did an otherwise good job highlighting the key turning points leading up to the Protestant Reformation. I would recommend this book for anyone who seeks an overall summary of the early church to the dawn of the reformation. The book is a wide, yet shallow net, sure to pique your interest and spur further study.
I think he could have spent a little more time on the Inquisition (as mentioned on a post below), but he did an otherwise good job highlighting the key turning points leading up to the Protestant Reformation. I would recommend this book for anyone who seeks an overall summary of the early church to the dawn of the reformation. The book is a wide, yet shallow net, sure to pique your interest and spur further study.
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April 22, 2025Started the paperback a whole year and a half ago, stopped, and let my guilt about it rise up. Then the catalysts I needed (my husband completing it, as well as finding an audio version) allowed me to finally get through this. Very short and sweet if you consider the massive amount of time covered, and how much has been written about any single page within it. There are plenty of other overviews or deep dives into church history, but this was helpful for a bird’s eye view.
September 8, 2015
This is a fantastic account of early Christianity to the eve of the Reformation. It is highly readable, balanced and accompanied by pictures and maps. Justo Gonzalez writes aware that some voices in the Christian Church have tended to be quieter than others and as he recounts the Christian faith's remarkable history he brings to light the contributions of these neglected saints, such as women. Also, he helps set the context for why certain individuals or groups acted the way they did. For instance, the Pharisees are often castigated in sermons but Gonzalez notes that much of the tension between Jesus' followers and the Pharisees was because they came from the same social classes and held to similar tenets such as the final resurrection. I quite enjoyed Gonzalez's account of the medieval Church and the conciliar movement that arose in the period (and when you read about the nepotism, simony and general corruption that infected the church at the time, it was much needed). Gonzalez, who has also written three volumes on the history of Christian thought, concisely explains theological developments and tensions that emerged throughout the centuries. He makes us aware of how Christian belief and practice has shifted; for instance, early Christianity emphasized joyful celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death rather than the later moody obsession with the passion. I learned a lot of new things and interesting tidbits (Gonzalez often explains the origin of terms), especially the final section dedicated to the early Iberian colonization of the New World and missionary activity there. I'm looking forward to reading volume II!
August 15, 2015
As an undergraduate textbook this was a huge hit with my students. It is weak on world Christianity, but so are most textbooks. Really readable and great at combining theology and stories of practical Christians. My students said they planned on keeping it as a resource book.
April 14, 2019
Lots of info on the history of Christianp
My only dislike of this text is the author's (academic) use of CE and BCE; particularly in a Christian work, I find that distinction distasteful.
My only dislike of this text is the author's (academic) use of CE and BCE; particularly in a Christian work, I find that distinction distasteful.
October 9, 2025
There you have it folks, I now have a vaguely surface level knowledge of the church from Christ to the Reformation. Please don’t ask me any trivia about it though or you’ll get a bunch of “ummm”s and “I definitely read about this give me one sec”
June 18, 2022
I always appreciate a good history. This history is well researched, careful, and wide ranging.
It’s weakness are:
1. Due to its leaning toward Liberation Theology, the history is a bit exhausting because it majors on conflicts. It amplifies rich Christians v poor Christians, this group v that group, and even asserts at least twice that the monastic movements were anti-church hierarchy (without clear examples or quotes from leading monastics).
2. The author loses many personal and impacting stories due to his movement based narrative approach.
It’s weakness are:
1. Due to its leaning toward Liberation Theology, the history is a bit exhausting because it majors on conflicts. It amplifies rich Christians v poor Christians, this group v that group, and even asserts at least twice that the monastic movements were anti-church hierarchy (without clear examples or quotes from leading monastics).
2. The author loses many personal and impacting stories due to his movement based narrative approach.
January 16, 2020
I had to read portions of this book for Church History 1. Gonzalez is such a good writer that I felt compelled to finish it. He truly walks through Christian history in a fantastic story telling way. I would highly recommend both volumes to the learned historian and to the young Christian wanting a better understanding of the history behind Christianity.
July 26, 2021
I’ve been working up the conviction to read this book for a few years, so it came as a complete shock when it turned out to be one of the easiest reads I’ve attempted so far. Justo Gonzalez takes a very complex subject and synthesizes it into a big story, and then breaks that story into accessible, digestible pieces. Each chapter is essentially an extremely well-coordinated sequence of articles about people, events, or concepts. Each piece carefully references others so instead of fracturing the readers’ view of the whole they are reinforcing it.
I love most of the history book that I read, but occasionally I encounter a feat of conceptualization and composition that simply stuns me. This is one of those. Gonzalez is a Christian Christian historian, but he is extremely sober and professional in his work. He is not setting out to “set the record straight” by exalting or vilifying Christianity. Instead of clouding his presentation of history, his sincerity towards the subject drives him to confront its realities all the more clearly. To a mature believer (I’m referring to Gonzalez, not myself), the greatest parts of Christian history are all the more stirring and its nadirs are all the more heartbreaking because it’s a movement that they are a part of. If I were an atheist who deplored all organized religion and especially Christianity, I would still appreciate this book because it provides a lot of evidence to support my position. That said, this book is not litigating the goodness or truth of Christianity. It’s telling a story.
This volume begins with a brief setup of the environment in which Jesus began his ministry and then continues with the apostles and how their teachings ultimately became the gospels. It also follows some of the major teachings that did not become gospels. The early church is often attacked for denouncing certain beliefs as heresy, but it seems clear to me that an essential activity for any new organization is not only determining what it is, but what it is not. I don’t recall Gonzalez presenting the various sects and beliefs that were ultimately determined to be heresies as right or wrong. It seemed to me that he was focused on explaining the process by which the early church leaders made their decisions without endorsing or reproaching them. The story expands from the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. One of Gonzalez’s stated goals with the series was to pay more attention to the previously ignored non-European Christians as well as the contributions of women throughout its history. Europe up until just before Martin Luther begins the Reformation but proceeds into the 18th century in Central and South America because the Spanish and Portuguese there were not engaged in the Reformation conflict. Unfortunately, they were preoccupied being up to all kinds of no good in the New World.
The Story of Christianity is in other respects what a big history is supposed to be. It covers massive amounts of time in few pages while providing slightly more depth for the important stuff. Gonzalez doesn’t limit his description to church organization, politics, or theology; he discusses economic, military, geographic, and all the other perspectives one would hope for in a big history. He resists commentary for the most part, and then usually just to help place a person or event into the larger context. For example, he begins his chapter on the Crusades by stating that they “have the distinction of being one of the most blatant of the many instances in which Christianity, fueled in part by its own zeal, has contradicted its very essence”. It could be argued that this commentary is based on the author’s subjective beliefs about the essence of Christianity, but I think Gonzalez’s observation is fairly concrete regardless of his relationship to the subject. The only omission that I have found in this book is that nowhere have I been able to find an account of the origins of the Jesuits. They just kind of show up at some point without any preamble and go on about their business.
What can I say I have learned about Christianity from a brief history of its first ~1600 years? My expectation was to find Christianity’s history as a sort of linear double-helix by which Christians are in some ways growing nearer to God and in others farther away, but always progressing. This, like all such expectations I’ve ever had, proved to be far too simplistic. It is very challenging to describe what it is I have discovered so far, but the word that keeps coming to mind is “renewal”. Despite the numerous periods of moral decline of its institutions and the sometimes enthusiastic infliction of horrors by its believers, Christianity has an energy to it that has never failed to renew when all material, rational, or philosophical justifications for it are seemingly exhausted. But I’ve only just begun the second volume, which follows Christianity up to our present age.
I love most of the history book that I read, but occasionally I encounter a feat of conceptualization and composition that simply stuns me. This is one of those. Gonzalez is a Christian Christian historian, but he is extremely sober and professional in his work. He is not setting out to “set the record straight” by exalting or vilifying Christianity. Instead of clouding his presentation of history, his sincerity towards the subject drives him to confront its realities all the more clearly. To a mature believer (I’m referring to Gonzalez, not myself), the greatest parts of Christian history are all the more stirring and its nadirs are all the more heartbreaking because it’s a movement that they are a part of. If I were an atheist who deplored all organized religion and especially Christianity, I would still appreciate this book because it provides a lot of evidence to support my position. That said, this book is not litigating the goodness or truth of Christianity. It’s telling a story.
This volume begins with a brief setup of the environment in which Jesus began his ministry and then continues with the apostles and how their teachings ultimately became the gospels. It also follows some of the major teachings that did not become gospels. The early church is often attacked for denouncing certain beliefs as heresy, but it seems clear to me that an essential activity for any new organization is not only determining what it is, but what it is not. I don’t recall Gonzalez presenting the various sects and beliefs that were ultimately determined to be heresies as right or wrong. It seemed to me that he was focused on explaining the process by which the early church leaders made their decisions without endorsing or reproaching them. The story expands from the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. One of Gonzalez’s stated goals with the series was to pay more attention to the previously ignored non-European Christians as well as the contributions of women throughout its history. Europe up until just before Martin Luther begins the Reformation but proceeds into the 18th century in Central and South America because the Spanish and Portuguese there were not engaged in the Reformation conflict. Unfortunately, they were preoccupied being up to all kinds of no good in the New World.
The Story of Christianity is in other respects what a big history is supposed to be. It covers massive amounts of time in few pages while providing slightly more depth for the important stuff. Gonzalez doesn’t limit his description to church organization, politics, or theology; he discusses economic, military, geographic, and all the other perspectives one would hope for in a big history. He resists commentary for the most part, and then usually just to help place a person or event into the larger context. For example, he begins his chapter on the Crusades by stating that they “have the distinction of being one of the most blatant of the many instances in which Christianity, fueled in part by its own zeal, has contradicted its very essence”. It could be argued that this commentary is based on the author’s subjective beliefs about the essence of Christianity, but I think Gonzalez’s observation is fairly concrete regardless of his relationship to the subject. The only omission that I have found in this book is that nowhere have I been able to find an account of the origins of the Jesuits. They just kind of show up at some point without any preamble and go on about their business.
What can I say I have learned about Christianity from a brief history of its first ~1600 years? My expectation was to find Christianity’s history as a sort of linear double-helix by which Christians are in some ways growing nearer to God and in others farther away, but always progressing. This, like all such expectations I’ve ever had, proved to be far too simplistic. It is very challenging to describe what it is I have discovered so far, but the word that keeps coming to mind is “renewal”. Despite the numerous periods of moral decline of its institutions and the sometimes enthusiastic infliction of horrors by its believers, Christianity has an energy to it that has never failed to renew when all material, rational, or philosophical justifications for it are seemingly exhausted. But I’ve only just begun the second volume, which follows Christianity up to our present age.
May 28, 2022
So. Many. Popes.
Justo does a great job of fitting 1500 years or so of (church) history into 500 pages. Engaging and reads easily throughout.
Justo does a great job of fitting 1500 years or so of (church) history into 500 pages. Engaging and reads easily throughout.
January 28, 2025
Since my knowledge of Christianity's history ends with the book of Acts, I figured it would be helpful to learn more about what has happened from then till now. This is part 1 of an overview of Christian history (from basically the end of acts to the reformation). I learned A LOT from this introduction. Let me tell you, a lot of good and unfortunately a whole lot of bad has happened under the banner of 'Christian.' I think it is really important to understand where my religion has come from and consider how the past impacts the issues I see today.
For all the good it did me, I must warn you that reading this book was like trying to enjoy a mouthful of sand. It was SO DRY. I would not have finished it if I didn't listen to it via audiobook at work.
Shout out Troy Stambaugh for recommending this book!
For all the good it did me, I must warn you that reading this book was like trying to enjoy a mouthful of sand. It was SO DRY. I would not have finished it if I didn't listen to it via audiobook at work.
Shout out Troy Stambaugh for recommending this book!
December 20, 2017
The first book of this two volume series is a concise yet in-depth exploration into the story of Christianity from the church’s birth at Pentecost to right before the Reformation. Gonzalez does a wonderful job at not only presenting the history and key figures instrumental in Christianity’s development but also by providing insight into how these figures and events shaped Christianity (both Protestantism and Catholicism) as we see it today. This book is a wealth of knowledge and insight underlying why we believe what we believe and how our modern day church came to be. It should be a must read for all Christians but most specifically those serving in influential roles of teaching and serving in the church. Great read!
June 2, 2023
I read this book as part of an effort to become more competent in the area of Church History. As far as the general timeline and major people/events goes, this book was very helpful, and for that, I am grateful for the author's work.
I thought González's writings were especially good on the first 500 years of the Church. However, it became clear to me quite early on that González has many liberal presuppositions which affect not only his interpretation of events, but also (probably) his approach to the history itself. This made the history González presented overly negative and, when constantly presented through the lenses of group disparities, rich vs. poor, etc., made me lose trust in him as a historian. It felt like reading Howard Zinn's A People's History, at times.
I thought González's writings were especially good on the first 500 years of the Church. However, it became clear to me quite early on that González has many liberal presuppositions which affect not only his interpretation of events, but also (probably) his approach to the history itself. This made the history González presented overly negative and, when constantly presented through the lenses of group disparities, rich vs. poor, etc., made me lose trust in him as a historian. It felt like reading Howard Zinn's A People's History, at times.
February 26, 2019
This book is a fly over of Christianity from the apostles to the beginning of the Reformation, but every once in awhile you look down from the plane with a telescope.
I felt an affinity for my spiritual ancestors. Sometimes I felt encouraged by their devotion/evangelism/worship, other times I grieved or celebrated their deaths and martyrdom, and often I was deeply saddened by their sin. May we grow from our past.
I felt an affinity for my spiritual ancestors. Sometimes I felt encouraged by their devotion/evangelism/worship, other times I grieved or celebrated their deaths and martyrdom, and often I was deeply saddened by their sin. May we grow from our past.
May 20, 2022
This book has been a standard in religion and theology courses most of the time I have been alive. I used the revised and updated edition in a course I taught this spring. I'm grateful to have learned so much from Gonzalez, especially with regard to the medieval church, while I was preparing lessons for my students.
November 23, 2023
I am biased as a historian, but an amazing book. Well done, good information (though I always want more sources to then go buy more books lol). Truly great highlight is the recommended readings to continue delving into a specific topic.
July 3, 2025
This was my first time really diving deep into church history and I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It didn’t read like an academic book, although of course it had areas of dryness. All in all I learned a lot and have a much better understanding of where things within christianity originated and where it went.
There are a few things that I noted while reading this. Particularly in the beginning of the book, the author does seem to hold a more liberal theology than I do. This wouldn’t be a a huge issue but I noticed he stated some things explicitly and matter of factly despite being hotly debated. For instance he uses the common egalitarian argument for women in leadership positions in the church by stating that Junia was an apostle. I’ve never been convinced from my studies that Junia was a woman at all. He also says that the author of Revelation was not the apostle John. Although these are not huge issues, the fact that he states these so matter of factly has me wondering if he took other liberties that an uninformed reader like me would be unaware of in later parts of the book. He also says that the early church never rejected the Protoevangelium of James, which I believe to be pretty problematic.
I felt like there was a giant portion through the Middle Ages where I completely lost touch of my christian heritage. It was a lot of discussion about the corruption of the papacy, and while it did solidify my convictions that Catholicism is not the true christian religion, I found myself wondering what the average Joe christian was thinking and believing during this time. I recognize that there is a lack of theologians and information during this time and that these events shaped the course of religious history. But if we’re truly following the story of christianity, I lost sight of it for a hot minute. It wasn’t until the Taborites where I felt I found us again. He also spends this entire book on Western christianity, so if there were significant things happening in the east I would have no idea. There are a few major events that only had a sentence or two covering, but I’m okay with that since I’m not expecting this book to be exhaustive.
I’m being nitpicky, but I honestly really did enjoy this! Shout out to Phylicia Masonheimer for picking this book for our church history book club book. Now on to volume II!
There are a few things that I noted while reading this. Particularly in the beginning of the book, the author does seem to hold a more liberal theology than I do. This wouldn’t be a a huge issue but I noticed he stated some things explicitly and matter of factly despite being hotly debated. For instance he uses the common egalitarian argument for women in leadership positions in the church by stating that Junia was an apostle. I’ve never been convinced from my studies that Junia was a woman at all. He also says that the author of Revelation was not the apostle John. Although these are not huge issues, the fact that he states these so matter of factly has me wondering if he took other liberties that an uninformed reader like me would be unaware of in later parts of the book. He also says that the early church never rejected the Protoevangelium of James, which I believe to be pretty problematic.
I felt like there was a giant portion through the Middle Ages where I completely lost touch of my christian heritage. It was a lot of discussion about the corruption of the papacy, and while it did solidify my convictions that Catholicism is not the true christian religion, I found myself wondering what the average Joe christian was thinking and believing during this time. I recognize that there is a lack of theologians and information during this time and that these events shaped the course of religious history. But if we’re truly following the story of christianity, I lost sight of it for a hot minute. It wasn’t until the Taborites where I felt I found us again. He also spends this entire book on Western christianity, so if there were significant things happening in the east I would have no idea. There are a few major events that only had a sentence or two covering, but I’m okay with that since I’m not expecting this book to be exhaustive.
I’m being nitpicky, but I honestly really did enjoy this! Shout out to Phylicia Masonheimer for picking this book for our church history book club book. Now on to volume II!
September 26, 2023
I selected this book as my textbook for the undergraduate Christianity class I teach. The class has many non-majors and students who grew up with a very specific religious tradition, but not much wider religious education. I think this text is perfect for an audience like that. It is certainly thorough, and the author is sympathetic to Christianity (so he doesn’t immediately offend anyone) while still being scholarly in his work. There are a couple of very small errors, and sometimes the narrative takes a little thinking because Gonzalez has to go over the same period several times to cover various aspects of it, but overall this is an approachable, accessible book that is comprehensive for this level of study.
December 18, 2020
This book is an excellent account of church history from the beginning when Christ was born, lived, died and was raised with the apostles carrying on his message of grace and salvation from sin and death until the beginning of the reformation! Very well detailed and though dense, very well compiled.
April 25, 2024
I would consider this book to be a natural next step for those that have read Bruce Shelley’s “Church History In Plain Language”. This book is still very much a survey of church history, and, as a survey, picks and chooses on what or with whom to spend time exploring. I appreciate Gonzales’s ability to narrate parallel stories of East and West and assist the reader in not getting muddled when one story advances and the other one is returned to in order to “catch up”. That being said, his work seemed sparse on dates. There were multiple instances where I wish he had included more specificity in the timing of events. History is not a collection of facts and dates, but rather a story and Gonzales captures that well here…but dates help. I plan to move to Volume 2 in the near future.
December 24, 2022
While Gonzalez has his opinions on certain theological topics, he does an excellent job of providing as close to an unbiased view of early church history as one can ask for. His writing is in storytelling style and is very entertaining for a history book. While it's a little deep for a novice, I would recommend it to anyone interested in gaining a broad yet comprehensive snapshot of the early and medieval church.
April 1, 2020
Gonzalez has produced a very readable narrative of church history, incorporating significant characters and events.
March 1, 2024
Gonzalez’s historical work is incredible! This is a book that will make the reader excited about church history.
June 1, 2024
I wish I read this years ago.
Dr. González is a fantastic writer. I found his prose simple, while never sparing on the subtlety or nuance. The book is a compelling and enjoyable work. I’m excited to read the second volume.
Dr. González is a fantastic writer. I found his prose simple, while never sparing on the subtlety or nuance. The book is a compelling and enjoyable work. I’m excited to read the second volume.
April 28, 2024
Okay but like this period of Church History was SO FASCINATING!!!
I’m sort of embarrassed to say that it was difficult for me to put this TEXTBOOK down…
I’m sort of embarrassed to say that it was difficult for me to put this TEXTBOOK down…
December 6, 2024
AMAZING!
October 6, 2018
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. (The reason priests are required to be celibate is probably not what you think.) 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 (e.g., that they banished themselves to live 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 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?
June 16, 2023
Just finished the 2016 revised and updated version. This gives a needed perspective and general understanding of the people, events, and issues important to the development of Christianity.
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