Documents of the Rise of Christianity
By: Kevin W. Kaatz
Edition: 1st ed.
Series: Eyewitness to History
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Published: 2023
Place of publication: Santa Barbara
Language: eng
Number of pages: 280
ISBN-13: 9798400641947
Subjects: Religion: general
Description: An introduction to the history of early Christianity, this reference provides roughly 60 primary source documents from the first five centuries of the Christian Era, each accompanied by explanatory material.  Christianity has been one of the most powerful influences on world history, and for this reason the world of the early Christians figures prominently in film, fiction, and popular culture. The first centuries of Christianity provided the foundation for the faith institutions of today; this book examines the history of early Christianity through its use of primary texts written by early Christians. In doing so, it helps readers to understand that multiple sects of Christianity competed for dominance, and it sheds light on the struggles of early Christians that their differences entailed.  The book covers the first five centuries of the Christian Era, with sections devoted to each century. Some 60 primary source documents appear within those sections, and each is accompanied by background information. This chronological arrangement helps readers to understand how Christianity evolved over time, and it provides insights into the theological debates and persecutions that marked the lives of early Christians and characterized the early Church.
Table of contents: title: Preface Evaluating and Interpreting Primary Documents Chronology Introduction Chapter 1 First Century Introduction 1. The Thanksgiving Psalms, Dead Sea Scrolls 2. Some Accounts of the Crucifixion of Jesus from the New Testament (Mark and Luke) 3. Anti-Jewish Texts from the New Testament, New Revised Standard Version 4. Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Life of Nero, 34-37 5. Josephus, Jewish Wars, 5.11.1-2, 4-5 6. Josephus, Jewish Wars, 5.5.4-6: A Description of the Temple Holy of Holies 7. Eusebius, Church History, 3.17-20 on Domitian and Roman History, by Cassius Dio, 67.14, 1-3 Chapter 2 Second Century Introduction 8. Clement of Rome, The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, 1-9 9. Epistle of Barnabas, 1-4 10. Shepherd of Hermas, Book 2, Chapter 1-4 11. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, 1-2, 8-9 12. Tertullian, To the Martyrs 13. Tertullian, On Prayer, 2-8 14. Tatian, Diatessaron 15. Clement of Alexandria, On the Salvation of the Rich Man, Chapters 1-5 16. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Preface 1-3 and Book 3.1-3.2 17. The Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs 18. The Gospel According to Peter Chapter 3 Third Century Introduction 19. Against Celsus by Origen, 1.38-41 20. Origen, Against Celsus II (on the resurrection of the body), 5.14, 18-19, 23 21. Cyprian, Letter 35: To the Clergy, Concerning the Care of the Poor and Strangers and Letter 36: To the Clergy, Bidding Them Show Every Kindness to the Confessors in Prison 22. Cyprian, Letter 26: To the Lapsed and Letter 53: To Cornelius, Concerning Granting Peace to the Lapsed 23. Pontius the Deacon, The Life and Passion of Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr, 1, 14-19 24. Julius Africanus (spurious), The Passion of St. Symphorosa and Her Seven Sons 25. Gregory the Wonderworker, The Oration and Panegyric Addressed to Origen, Argument 6 26. Gregory the Wonderworker, Canonical Letter (Canon 1-2 and 6-10) 27. Alexander of Lycopolis, Against the Manichaeans Chapter 4 Fourth Century Introduction 28. Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, The Plan of the Work 29. Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, 8.1-3 and 8.12 30. Selections of Letters from Arius, Theodoret, Church History, Book 1 Chapter 4; Athanasius, On the Synods, 16 and Sozomen, Church History, 2.27 31. Hilary of Poitiers, On the Councils, 1-10 and 91-92 32. Lactantius, On the Anger of God, 1, 4-5, 16 33. Lactantius, On the Deaths of the Persecutors, 1-4, 7 34. Eusebius of Caesarea, Church History, Book 10.1-3 and 10.9 35. Constantine on the Donatists, Taken from Eusebius, Church History, 10.5.18-24 and Optatus of Milevius, On the Schism of the Donatists, Appendix 3 and 9 36. Emperor Julian, Against the Galileans 37. Ambrose, Letter 22 38. Augustine, Against Fortunatus the Manichaean, Book 2.19-22 39. Augustine, Confessions, Chapter 1.1-3 and 5.3.3-6 40. Augustine, Letter 28 to Jerome 41. Jerome, The Perpetual Virginity of Blessed Mary, Against Helvidius, 1; 20-24 42. The Synodical Letter, Second Ecumenical Council 381 CE Chapter 5 Fifth Century Introduction 43. Socrates Scholasticus, Church History, 1.1; 1.5-6 44. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Church History, Prologue and 1.1 45. Theodoret, Church History, Book 1.5 The Letter of Eusebius, Bishop of Nicomedia, to Paulinus, Bishop of Tyre 46. Helena, the Mother of Constantine, in Eusebius of Caesarea, Life of Constantine, 3.30-32 and Sozomen, Church History, 2.1 47. Canons of Chalcedon, 1-2, 4, 7-8, 10, 15-16, 18, 23, 28 48. Leo the Great, Letter 4 49. Leo the Great, Letter 16 50. Leo the Great, Letter to Augusta Pulcheria, Letter 31 51. Leo the Great's Letters on the Manichaeans, Letter 7 Bibliography Index