The Early Church: Origins to the Dawn of the Middle Ages

An introduction to the history of the Christian church from its inception to approximately 600 C.E., this volume seeks to balance the traditional presentation of notable figures, councils, and controversies with the telling of the story of the ordinary Christian during this era. An important feature of this work is its attendance to the stories of ordinary lay Christians--particularly women--and what Christian faith meant within the overall context of their lives. Other emphases include the church's changing role in society during this period (and the fateful consequences those changes have had for modern Christians) and the development of early Christian spirituality. Employing a socio-institutional approach, Hinson divides his material into five major periods: (1) Beginnings to 70 C.E. (2) 70-180, during which Christianity broadcast itself throughout the Roman Empire and beyond (3) 175-313, wherein the church achieved new status and came under official scrutiny as a threat to the empire (4) 313-400, in which the church faced the major challenge of Christianizing the empire now embracing it (5) 400-600, when the Germanic "invasions" led to a rift between East and West and posed new challenges to the church's survival and growth.

Author: E. Glenn Hinson
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 12/01/1995
Pages: 365
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.23lbs
Size: 9.36h x 5.73w x 0.97d
ISBN: 9780687006038

About the Author
Hinson, E. Glenn: - E. Glenn Hinson was Professor of Spirituality and John Loftis Professor of Church History at Baptist Theological Seminary, Richmond, Virginia, until his retirement in 1999. Hinson taught at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for over thirty years. He has been a member of both the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches, and has chaired or participated in several panels and dialogues on Christian ecumenism.