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History of the Christian Church
History of the Christian Church: The Middle Ages, A.D. 1294-1517
Book by Schaff, Philip
808 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1960
About the author
Philip Schaff
1,729 books69 followersPhilip Schaff was educated at the gymnasium of Stuttgart, and at the universities of Tübingen, Halle and Berlin, where he was successively influenced by Baur and Schmid, by Tholuck and Julius Müller, by David Strauss and, above all, Neander. At Berlin, in 1841, he took the degree of B.D., and passed examinations for a professorship. He then traveled through Italy and Sicily as tutor to Baron Krischer. In 1842 he was Privatdozent in the University of Berlin, where he lectured on exegesis and church history. In 1843 he was called to become professor of church history and Biblical literature in the German Reformed Theological Seminary of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, then the only seminary of that church in America.
On his journey he stayed in England and met Edward Pusey and other Tractarians. His inaugural address on The Principle of Protestantism, delivered in German at Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and published in German with an English version by John Williamson Nevin was a pioneer work in English in the field of symbolics (that is, the authoritative ecclesiastical formulations of religious doctrines in creeds or confessions). This address and the "Mercersburg Theology" which he taught seemed too pro-Catholic to some, and he was charged with heresy. But, at the synod at York in 1845, he was unanimously acquitted.
Schaff's broad views strongly influenced the German Reformed Church, through his teaching at Mercersburg, through his championship of English in German Reformed churches and schools in America, through his hymnal (1859), through his labours as chairman of the committee which prepared a new liturgy, and by his edition (1863) of the Heidelberg Catechism. His History of the Apostolic Church (in German, 1851; in English, 1853) and his History of the Christian Church (7 vols., 1858-1890), opened a new period in American study of ecclesiastical history.
In 1854, he visited Europe, representing the American German churches at the ecclesiastical diet at Frankfort and at the Swiss pastoral conference at Basel. He lectured in Germany on America, and received the degree of D.D. from Berlin.
In consequence of the ravages of the American Civil War the theological seminary at Mercersburg was closed for a while and so in 1863 Dr. Schaff became secretary of the Sabbath Committee (which fought the “continental Sunday”) in New York City, and held the position till 1870. In 1865 he founded the first German Sunday School in Stuttgart. In 1862-1867 he lectured on church history at Andover.
Schaff was a member of the Leipzig Historical Society, the Netherland Historical Society, and other historical and literary societies in Europe and America. He was one of the founders, and honorary secretary, of the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance, and was sent to Europe in 1869, 1872, and 1873 to arrange for the general conference of the Alliance, which, after two postponements on account of the Franco-Prussian War, was held in New York in October 1873. Schaff was also, in 1871, one of the Alliance delegates to the emperor of Russia to plead for the religious liberty of his subjects in the Baltic provinces.
He became a professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York City in 1870 holding first the chair of theological encyclopedia and Christian symbolism till 1873, of Hebrew and the cognate languages till 1874, of sacred literature till 1887, and finally of church history, till his death. He also served as president of the committee that translated the American Standard Version of the Bible, though he died before it was published in 1901.
His History of the Christian Church resembled Neander's work, though less biographical, and was pictorial rather than philosophical. He also wrote biographies, catechisms and hymnals for children, manuals of religious verse, lectures and essays on Dante, etc. He translated Johann Jakob Herzog's Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche into English.
On his journey he stayed in England and met Edward Pusey and other Tractarians. His inaugural address on The Principle of Protestantism, delivered in German at Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and published in German with an English version by John Williamson Nevin was a pioneer work in English in the field of symbolics (that is, the authoritative ecclesiastical formulations of religious doctrines in creeds or confessions). This address and the "Mercersburg Theology" which he taught seemed too pro-Catholic to some, and he was charged with heresy. But, at the synod at York in 1845, he was unanimously acquitted.
Schaff's broad views strongly influenced the German Reformed Church, through his teaching at Mercersburg, through his championship of English in German Reformed churches and schools in America, through his hymnal (1859), through his labours as chairman of the committee which prepared a new liturgy, and by his edition (1863) of the Heidelberg Catechism. His History of the Apostolic Church (in German, 1851; in English, 1853) and his History of the Christian Church (7 vols., 1858-1890), opened a new period in American study of ecclesiastical history.
In 1854, he visited Europe, representing the American German churches at the ecclesiastical diet at Frankfort and at the Swiss pastoral conference at Basel. He lectured in Germany on America, and received the degree of D.D. from Berlin.
In consequence of the ravages of the American Civil War the theological seminary at Mercersburg was closed for a while and so in 1863 Dr. Schaff became secretary of the Sabbath Committee (which fought the “continental Sunday”) in New York City, and held the position till 1870. In 1865 he founded the first German Sunday School in Stuttgart. In 1862-1867 he lectured on church history at Andover.
Schaff was a member of the Leipzig Historical Society, the Netherland Historical Society, and other historical and literary societies in Europe and America. He was one of the founders, and honorary secretary, of the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance, and was sent to Europe in 1869, 1872, and 1873 to arrange for the general conference of the Alliance, which, after two postponements on account of the Franco-Prussian War, was held in New York in October 1873. Schaff was also, in 1871, one of the Alliance delegates to the emperor of Russia to plead for the religious liberty of his subjects in the Baltic provinces.
He became a professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York City in 1870 holding first the chair of theological encyclopedia and Christian symbolism till 1873, of Hebrew and the cognate languages till 1874, of sacred literature till 1887, and finally of church history, till his death. He also served as president of the committee that translated the American Standard Version of the Bible, though he died before it was published in 1901.
His History of the Christian Church resembled Neander's work, though less biographical, and was pictorial rather than philosophical. He also wrote biographies, catechisms and hymnals for children, manuals of religious verse, lectures and essays on Dante, etc. He translated Johann Jakob Herzog's Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche into English.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 29, 2019
The sub-narrative in this volume is “The Emergence of Liberty in the Late Middle Ages.” The trick was to provide for the liberty of the individual man without overfeeding church or state. The minor key is how bad scholasticism is. Schaff is not a neutral historian, but that’s what makes him fun to read.
Schaff has this bad habit of seeing every mystic as a proto-evangelical, which lets him cover up all their faults. He tries to excuse Meister Eckhart’s pantheism by noting that it is “Christian pantheism.” That doesn’t make it better.
Schaff sees the Papacy’s decline beginning with Boniface (11), whose reign contained the diabolical Unum Sanctum. Both swords belong to the church. The temporal is “wielded for it, the spiritual by it.” The disaster of the Avignon Papacy called for the time of conciliarism, whose greatest, yet compromised, moment was in the Council of Constance. It put a theoretical (yet never practical) check on papal power, yet it also burned Jan Huss.
The climax of this volume is Schaff’s fine, if somewhat hagiographical, treatment of the “Reformers before the Reformation.” He gives a good survey of Wyclif’s thought and a heart-wrenching treatment of Jan Huss.
He has a lurid section on the Renaissance Popes. You feel guilty for reading it (since their lives read like dime-store romance novels), but you can’t stop, either.
While he has a good section on the Spanish Inquisition, the section on witchcraft calls for some remarks. He correctly reported the facts (especially in the abominable Malleus Maleficarum). He ridicules the belief in witches. He comes close to mocking the belief in the spiritual world, altogether. Schaff, much like the fanatics he decries, was a child of his time. Respectable people, whether conservative or liberal, just didn’t believe in witches.
That raises a problem, though. The Bible does believe in witches. To be fair, the medieval treatment of witches went far beyond incompetency. The correct response, though, is not a functional deism. Rather, we should investigate what the ancient man, including the biblical writers, actually thought about the spiritual realm.
Nonetheless, it makes for good reading, and Schaff is already and always a good writer.
Schaff has this bad habit of seeing every mystic as a proto-evangelical, which lets him cover up all their faults. He tries to excuse Meister Eckhart’s pantheism by noting that it is “Christian pantheism.” That doesn’t make it better.
Schaff sees the Papacy’s decline beginning with Boniface (11), whose reign contained the diabolical Unum Sanctum. Both swords belong to the church. The temporal is “wielded for it, the spiritual by it.” The disaster of the Avignon Papacy called for the time of conciliarism, whose greatest, yet compromised, moment was in the Council of Constance. It put a theoretical (yet never practical) check on papal power, yet it also burned Jan Huss.
The climax of this volume is Schaff’s fine, if somewhat hagiographical, treatment of the “Reformers before the Reformation.” He gives a good survey of Wyclif’s thought and a heart-wrenching treatment of Jan Huss.
He has a lurid section on the Renaissance Popes. You feel guilty for reading it (since their lives read like dime-store romance novels), but you can’t stop, either.
While he has a good section on the Spanish Inquisition, the section on witchcraft calls for some remarks. He correctly reported the facts (especially in the abominable Malleus Maleficarum). He ridicules the belief in witches. He comes close to mocking the belief in the spiritual world, altogether. Schaff, much like the fanatics he decries, was a child of his time. Respectable people, whether conservative or liberal, just didn’t believe in witches.
That raises a problem, though. The Bible does believe in witches. To be fair, the medieval treatment of witches went far beyond incompetency. The correct response, though, is not a functional deism. Rather, we should investigate what the ancient man, including the biblical writers, actually thought about the spiritual realm.
Nonetheless, it makes for good reading, and Schaff is already and always a good writer.
October 31, 2023
Schaff does an excellent job throughout this entire series. The work is thorough and detailed. This work is obviously the result of a lifetime of learning and research. Schaff uses countless resources for reference and citation. His opinions/conjectures remain objectively true throughout the entire series. Although his son takes over beginning in Vol V, it is still mostly the work of Schaff the elder throughout. I would urge any student to learn Church History well and to do so with this series as the focal point of study.
It should be noted that this Publisher is the absolute worst example of publishing I have ever witnessed. The first 4 volumes are missing substantial portions of Greek and the last 4 are missing substantial portions of common English text whenever there is a footnote. There are about 1,000 footnotes in each volume. Purchase from a different Publisher.
It should be noted that this Publisher is the absolute worst example of publishing I have ever witnessed. The first 4 volumes are missing substantial portions of Greek and the last 4 are missing substantial portions of common English text whenever there is a footnote. There are about 1,000 footnotes in each volume. Purchase from a different Publisher.
July 23, 2024
THE SIXTH OF EIGHT VOLUMES OF SCHAFF'S MASTERWORK
Philip Schaff (1819-1893) was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and Church historian, who was a professor at Union Theological Seminary. His 8-volume History is a classic; this sixth volume was actually written by his son David, after the father's death. The next volume in the series is 'History Of The Christian Church Volume VII: Modern Christianity, The German Reformation.'
Schaff says that in the Papal bull 'Unam Sanctam,' "the arrogance of the papacy finds its most naked and irritating expression." (Pg. 21) He observes, "The healing of the schism (of pope/antipope in the 14th century) was accomplished, but the abuses of the Church went on, and under the last popes of the fifteenth century became more infamous than they had been at any time before." (Pg. 179)
About John Wyclif, Schaff says, "In his treatise on the value and authority of the Scriptures... more is said about the Bible as the Church's appointed guide-book than was said by all the mediaeval theologians together." (Pg. 338) He adds that is it unknown whether Wyclif's Bible was used or read by any of the Reformers. (Pg. 345) Later observing that Luther called upon the Roman Church to confess it had done wrong in burning Huss, adds "That innocent man's blood still cries from the ground." (Pg. 383) He concludes, "Huss was the precursor of the Reformation." (Pg. 386)
He argues, "Perhaps no chapter in human history is more revolting than the chapter which records the wild belief in witchcraft and the merciless punishment meted out for it." (Pg. 514) The burning of witches was carried out "with untiring and merciless severity" (Pg. 520) And unlike Christian martyrs, "these unfortunate people did not have before them the prospect of a martyr's crown and the glory of the heavenly estate." (Pg. 530)
He asserts, "The appearance of Erasmus' edition of the Greek Testament ... marked an epoch in the study and understanding of the Scriptures. It was worth more for the cause of religion than ... all the translations and original writings of all the Renaissance writers." (Pg. 638)
Although there are certainly more recent histories of Christianity, Schaff's has justifiably remained in print since its original publication in the 19th century. It deserves a place on any serious theological bookshelf.
Philip Schaff (1819-1893) was a Swiss-born, German-educated Protestant theologian and Church historian, who was a professor at Union Theological Seminary. His 8-volume History is a classic; this sixth volume was actually written by his son David, after the father's death. The next volume in the series is 'History Of The Christian Church Volume VII: Modern Christianity, The German Reformation.'
Schaff says that in the Papal bull 'Unam Sanctam,' "the arrogance of the papacy finds its most naked and irritating expression." (Pg. 21) He observes, "The healing of the schism (of pope/antipope in the 14th century) was accomplished, but the abuses of the Church went on, and under the last popes of the fifteenth century became more infamous than they had been at any time before." (Pg. 179)
About John Wyclif, Schaff says, "In his treatise on the value and authority of the Scriptures... more is said about the Bible as the Church's appointed guide-book than was said by all the mediaeval theologians together." (Pg. 338) He adds that is it unknown whether Wyclif's Bible was used or read by any of the Reformers. (Pg. 345) Later observing that Luther called upon the Roman Church to confess it had done wrong in burning Huss, adds "That innocent man's blood still cries from the ground." (Pg. 383) He concludes, "Huss was the precursor of the Reformation." (Pg. 386)
He argues, "Perhaps no chapter in human history is more revolting than the chapter which records the wild belief in witchcraft and the merciless punishment meted out for it." (Pg. 514) The burning of witches was carried out "with untiring and merciless severity" (Pg. 520) And unlike Christian martyrs, "these unfortunate people did not have before them the prospect of a martyr's crown and the glory of the heavenly estate." (Pg. 530)
He asserts, "The appearance of Erasmus' edition of the Greek Testament ... marked an epoch in the study and understanding of the Scriptures. It was worth more for the cause of religion than ... all the translations and original writings of all the Renaissance writers." (Pg. 638)
Although there are certainly more recent histories of Christianity, Schaff's has justifiably remained in print since its original publication in the 19th century. It deserves a place on any serious theological bookshelf.
January 8, 2022
Its a long read and a thorough study on Christian history. The footnotes here was more than 2000, and this is another great work by the author. The study was focused on catholic church on the middle age.
February 3, 2023
If you have read any of Philip Schaff, then you know that this historian does a remarkable job of documentation of various points. Back some time ago I heard the name Borgia in connection to popes of the Roman Catholic Church and was told of his astounding corruption. This intrigued me and thus, I grabbed off my shelf, Schaff's book, "The History of The Christian Church-Vol VI, The Middle Ages, A.D. 1294 to 1517. The read did not disappoint as Schaff detailed the perpetual corruption of the church, the rise and fall of various popes and kings, the saddening effect of when the church and government become too intertwined and/or one becomes more powerful than the other, the Spanish Inquisition, the persecution of those who pushed for the true gospel of Jesus Christ, etc. Anyone who loves the Lord should probably break out in joy when he gets to the section on John Wyclif, his teaching, and his push for Bible translations. Schaff also writes of the individuals who led up to the reformation. The last section of the book speaks of things such as witches, paganism, preaching, etc.
As a whole, this was an excellent book to read and I believe any historian or lover of history would find it invaluable.
As a whole, this was an excellent book to read and I believe any historian or lover of history would find it invaluable.
June 29, 2011
Another great Schaff volume, this one covering the end of the Middle Ages (which Schaff places at the beginning of the Reformation, as opposed to the more popular theories of either 1453 or during the Renaissance). Overall, this is a great history of the era, maybe not as good as the previous few books, but there's a lot more terrible stuff going on in this time period, so maybe Schaff wasn't on his A-game. Also, I think this may have been published by his son after his death, so he may not have had a chance to put a final polish on it anyway.
February 22, 2020
Although very outdated, Schaff provides abundant information on the Middle Ages. His discussion on the mystics like John Tauler and mysticism, humanism, Erasmus, the Catholic church in general provides a helpful understanding of the interrelations and controversies between them all.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews