R. Dean Peterson - Concise History of Christianity

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Peterson, R. Dean

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R. DEAN P

E T E R S O N

A CONCISE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY

Digitized by the Internet Archivein 2018 with funding fromKahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/concisehistoryofOOOOpete

TO MY FAMILYConnie, Shelley, and Robfor their encouragement, support and love through the yearsI hope this book will pay them backin small measure.

TO MY TEACHERS

who shared their knowledge, expertise, and insight with meThrough this book I hope to share the same with others

1 INTRODUCTION 1

Christianity and History 2Historians and History 3The Historical Process and Church History 4The Jewish Background of Christianity 5The Founding Fathers and the Exodus 5The Judges and the United Kingdom 8The Prophets 9The Babylonian Captivity 11The Greek Period 13

The Roman World of Jesus of Nazareth 13The Jewish World of Jesus of Nazareth 15The Messiah and the Kingdom 15Jewish Groups 16Conclusions 17Notes 17

Additional Readings 18

PART I EARLY CHRISTIANITY

2 B EG I N N I N GS (6 B.C.E.-100 c.E.) 21

The Life, Teachings, and Ministry of Jesus 22The Life of Jesus 26The Teachings of Jesus 27The Miracles and Ministry of Jesus 28The Post-Resurrection Church 29

The Question and the Power of the Resurrection 30The Church at Jerusalem 31The Church Spreads 31

Pauline Christianity 33

Paul as Missionary and Pastor 33Pauline Theology 34

Johannine Christianity 36

The Church at the Close of the First Century 38The Church and the World 38Emerging Orthodoxy 39

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CONTENTS

Conclusions 40Notes 40

Additional Readings 40

3 THE FAITH OF THE FATHERS

Persecution to EstablisFiment (100500 C.E.) 43

TFie GrowtFi and Decline of the Roman Empire 44Republic to Empire 44The High Point of the Empire 48A Declining Empire 49Reforms of Diocletian and Constantine 49CFiurcFi-State Relations 51

Persecution and Conflict 51Fourth-Century Persecution 57

Christ and Culture: TFie Apologists 58Christ Against Culture 59Christ in Dialogue with Culture 59Beginnings of an Age-Old Dispute 59TriumpFi and New CFiallenges 60Constantine and the Donatists 62Triumph and Establishment 63

The Rise of Monasticism 63Conclusions 65Notes 66

Additional Readings 67

4 THE FAITH OF THE FATHERS

Controversies and Councils (100500 C.E.) 69

TFie Quest for AutFiority 70

The Establishment of an Official Canon 71The Development of Creeds 12

The Establishment of Bishops 73

TFie Nature of Christ and the Trinity 75One God: Monarchianism 76

The Ecfuality of Christ: The Arian Controversy 76Coeternal and Coequal. Father, Son, and Holy SpiritAugustine: TFie TFieologian of the West 80Augustine's Life 81Controversy with the Manichees 82Controversy with the Donatists 83Controversy with Pelagius 84

Controversy with the Pagans 84

TFie CFiurcFi at the Close of the Patristic Period 85Conclusions 88

CONTENTS

Notes 88

Additional Readings 89

5 THE CHURCH IN THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES

Chaos, Darkness, and Emerging Order (500- 1000 C.E.) 93

The World in the Early Middle Ages 94The Byzantine Empire 96The State and the Church in Western Europe 97The Rise of Islam 101

The Eastern Church 103

Symphonia 103Monastics 104

The Expansion of Eastern Christianity 105Controversies and the Seven Councils 106The Western Church 108

The Rise of the Papacy 108The Decline of the Papacy 114Missionary Expansion 115

The Body and Blood of Christ and Other Controversies 119The Church at the Close of the Early Middle Ages 121Conclusions 122Notes 123

Additional Readings 124

6 THE CHURCH IN THE HIGH MIDDLE AGES

Flowering of Christian Society (1000 1500 C.E.) 127

Western Europe in the High Middle Ages 128Nation Building, Trade, and New Rights 128Black Death and Rebirth 129