General

Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church

by jibin johnson · Published 2026-07-18

299 chapters 216,292 words ~865 min read English

1. PREFACE
2. INTRODUCTION
3. C. Church History as a Guide
4. D. Church History as a Motivating Force
5. E. Church History as a Practical Tool
6. F. Church History as a Liberalizing Force
7. IV. THE ORGANIZATION OF CHURCH HISTORY
8. A. Branches of Church History
9. B. Periods of Church History
10. Revivalism, Missions, and Modernism, 1789–1914
11. Church and Society in Tension Since 1914
12. SUGGESTED READING
13. ANCIENT CHURCH HISTORY 5
14. THE FULLNESS OF THE TIME
15. B. Intellectual Contributions of Greeks
16. II. RELIGIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE JEWS
17. ON THIS ROCK
18. I. THE HISTORICITY OF CHRIST
19. II. THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST
20. III. THE WORK OF CHRIST
21. B. The Mission of Christ
22. C. The Message of Christ
23. D. The Miracles of Christ
24. E. The Meaning of Christ
25. TO THE JEW FIRST
26. I. THE FOUNDING OF THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM
27. II. THE CHURCH IN PALESTINE
28. I. PAUL’S ENVIRONMENT
29. II. PAUL’S WORK
30. D. Paul as a Polemicist
31. THE BOOKS AND THE PARCHMENTS
32. C. Polycarp (ca. 69–ca. 155/160)
33. D. The Epistle of Barnabas
34. E. The Epistle to Diognetus
35. F. The Second Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
36. G. Papias (ca. 60–ca. 130)
37. II. APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE
38. III. CATECHETICAL LITERATURE
39. SUGGESTED READING
40. WITH THE BISHOPS AND THE DEACONS
41. I. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH
42. II. THE WORSHIP OF THE EARLY CHURCH
43. III. THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
44. CHRIST OR CAESAR
45. A. Persecution to 100
46. B. Christianity Under State Ban, 100–250
47. C. Universal Persecution After 250
48. III. RESULTS OF PERSECUTION
49. FABLES OR SOUND DOCTRINE
50. I. LEGALISTIC HERESIES
51. II. PHILOSOPHICAL HERESIES
52. B. Manicheanism
53. C. Neoplatonism
54. III. THEOLOGICAL ERRORS
55. A. Montanism
56. B. Monarchianism
57. IV. ECCLESIASTICAL SCHISMS
58. A. Easter Controversy
59. B. Donatism
60. I. THE APOLOGISTS
61. A. Eastern Apologists
62. B. Western Apologists
63. A. Irenaeus, the Anti-Gnostic Polemicist
64. B. The Alexandrian School
65. C. The Carthaginian School
66. SUGGESTED READING
67. THE CHURCH CLOSES RANKS
68. I. THE MONARCHICAL BISHOP
69. II. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RULE OF FAITH
70. III. THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON
71. IV. LITURGY
72. THE CHURCH FACES THE EMPIRE AND THE BARBARIANS
73. I. THE CHURCH AND THE STATE
74. II. THE CHURCH AND THE BARBARIANS
75. CONCILIAR CONTROVERSY AND CREEDAL DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN 313 AND 451
76. I. THEOLOGY—THE RELATIONSHIPS OF THE PERSONS IN THE TRINITY
77. THE GOLDEN AGE OF CHURCH FATHERS
78. B. Theodore (ca. 350–428)—Exegete
79. C. Eusebius (ca. 260–ca. 340)—Church Historian
80. II. WESTERN POST-NICENE FATHERS
81. A. Jerome (ca. 331–420)—Commentator and Translator
82. B. Ambrose (ca. 339–97)—Administrator and Preacher
83. C. Augustine (ca. 354–430)—Philosopher and Theologian
84. SUGGESTED READING
85. THE CHRISTIANITY OF THE CLOISTERS
86. SUGGESTED READING
87. HIERARCHICAL AND LITURGICAL DEVELOPMENTS
88. II. THE GROWTH OF THE LITURGY
89. MEDIEVAL CHURCH HISTORY
90. THE FIRST MEDIEVAL POPE
91. I. MARKING AN ERA
92. II. GREGORY THE GREAT
93. CHRISTIAN LOSSES AND EXPANSION
94. EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY TO 1054
95. II. MISSIONARY ACTIVITY IN THE WEST
96. THE REVIVAL OF IMPERIALISM IN THE WEST
97. I. THE MEROVINGIAN DYNASTY
98. II. THE CAROLINGIAN RULERS
99. III. THE CHURCH AND EMPIRE IN THE EAST
100. THE EMERGENCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
101. I. THE DECLINE OF THE CAROLINGIAN EMPIRE
102. D. Viking, Slav, and Magyar Invasions
103. II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CAROLINGIAN EMPIRE
104. III. THE TENTH-CENTURY REVIVAL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
105. I. RENEWAL IN THE WEST
106. II. THE ORIGIN OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
107. The Supremacy of the Papacy, 1054 – 1305
108. THE ZENITH OF PAPAL POWER
109. I. GREGORY VII ASSERTS PAPAL SUPREMACY
110. II. PAPAL SUPREMACY UNDER INNOCENT III
111. III. DECLINE OF PAPAL POWER UNDER BONIFACE VIII
112. CRUSADERS AND REFORMERS
113. CRUSADES
114. II. MONASTIC REFORM
115. III. LAY REFORMING MOVEMENTS
116. B. The Puritan Waldenses
117. C. The Eschatological Joachimites
118. SUGGESTED READING
119. MEDIEVAL LEARNING AND WORSHIP
120. I. SCHOLASTICISM
121. F. Results of Scholasticism
122. II. THE RISE OF UNIVERSITIES
123. III. MEDIEVAL LIFE AND WORSHIP
124. Medieval Sunset and Modern Sunrise, 1305–1517
125. ATTEMPTS AT INTERNAL REFORM
126. B. John Hus (ca. 1373–1415)
127. C. Savonarola (1452–98)
128. IV. THE REFORMING COUNCILS, 1409–49
129. A. The Council of Pisa (1409)
130. B. The Council of Constance (1414–18)
131. C. The Councils of Basel and Ferrara (Florence) (1431–49)
132. I. THE RENAISSANCE
133. A. The Italian Renaissance
134. B. The Biblical Humanists
135. II. THE RISE OF THE NATION-STATES AND THE MIDDLE CLASS
136. A. The Rise of the English Nation-State
137. B. The Rise of the French Nation-State
138. C. The Rise of the Spanish Nation-State
139. III. THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, 1305–1517
140. I. EMERGENCE OF AN EXPANDING DYNAMIC WORLD
141. II. NAME AND DEFINITION OF THE REFORMATION
142. III. THE GENESIS OF THE REFORMATION
143. B. Causes of the Reformation
144. LUTHER AND THE GERMAN REFORMATION
145. IV. THE ERA OF GERMAN RELIGIOUS WARS AND TERRITORIAL CHURCH ORGANIZATION, 1531–55
146. V. LUTHERANISM, 1555–80
147. VI. LUTHERANISM IN SCANDINAVIA
148. THE REFORMATION IN SWITZERLAND
149. I. THE ZWINGLIAN REFORMATION IN THE GERMAN CANTONS OF NORTHERN SWITZERLAND
150. II. THE RADICAL REFORMATION, 1525–80
151. III. THE CALVINISTIC REFORMATION IN GENEVA
152. THE RADICAL REFORMATION
153. THE REFORMED FAITH
154. II. THE REFORMED FAITH IN GERMANY
155. III. THE REFORMED FAITH IN HUNGARY
156. IV. THE REFORMED FAITH IN SCOTLAND
157. V. THE REFORMED FAITH IN IRELAND
158. VI. THE REFORMED FAITH IN HOLLAND
159. SUGGESTED READING
160. THE REFORMATION AND PURITANISM IN ENGLAND
161. I. REFORMING THE CHURCH IN ENGLAND
162. C. Protestant Reformation Under Edward VI (1547–1553)
163. D. Roman Catholic Reaction Under Mary Tudor (1553–1558)
164. E. The Settlement Under Elizabeth (1558–1603)
165. II. PURITANS AND SEPARATISTS
166. C. The Puritan Struggle With the Stuarts
167. SUGGESTED READING
168. COUNTER-REFORMATION AND EVALUATION
169. I. THE COUNTER-REFORMATION
170. ROMAN CATHOLIC EXPANSION, 16TH CENTURY
171. B. Reaction Against Protestantism
172. II. THE THIRTY YEARS’ WAR
173. III. THE REFORMATION IN RETROSPECT
174. SUGGESTED READING
175. Rationalism, Revivalism, and Denominationalism, 1648 – 1789
176. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY IN NORTH AMERICA
177. I. THE PLANTING OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY
178. C. Planting the American Baptist Churches
179. D. Planting Roman Catholicism in Maryland
180. E. Pennsylvania and the Quakers
181. F. Presbyterianism in America
182. G. Methodism in the Colonies
183. II. EDUCATION IN THE COLONIES
184. III. THE GREAT AWAKENING
185. IV. THE CHURCHES AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
186. RATIONALISM, REVIVALISM, AND ROMAN CATHOLICISM
187. I. RATIONALISM AND RELIGION
188. A. The Origin of Deism
189. B. The Dogmas of Deism
190. C. The Spread of Deism
191. D. The Results of Deism
192. II. MYSTICISM AND RELIGION
193. A. On the Continent
194. B. In England
195. III. REVIVALISM AND RELIGION
196. A. On the Continent
197. B. In England
198. IV. ROMAN CATHOLICISM
199. V. THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IN RUSSIA
200. SUGGESTED READING
201. Revivalism, Missions, and Modernism, 1789 – 1914
202. ROMAN CATHOLIC VICTORIES AND VICISSITUDES
203. I. REVOLUTION AND THE PAPACY, 1789–1815
204. II. RESTORATION OF PAPAL POWER, 1814–70
205. III. RESISTANCE TO PAPAL POWER, 1871–1914
206. SUGGESTED READING
207. RELIGION AND REFORM IN GREAT BRITAIN AND EUROPE
208. I. RELIGIOUS LIFE IN ENGLAND BETWEEN 1789 AND 1914
209. 2. The Broad Church Movement.
210. 3. The Oxford Movement.
211. B. Among the Nonconformists
212. II. ENGLISH PROTESTANT MISSIONARY EFFORT
213. III. DIVISION AND REUNION OF THE SCOTTISH CHURCHES
214. IV. THE CHURCH IN IRELAND
215. V. THE CHURCH ON THE CONTINENT
216. FOES OF THE FAITH
217. A. The Philosophic and Theological Background of Biblical Criticism
218. B. Biblical Criticism
219. II. MATERIALISM
220. III. CREATIONISM VS. EVOLUTION
221. IV. COMMUNISM
222. THE AMERICAN CHURCH IN THE NATIONAL ERA
223. IV. THE PROBLEMS OF URBANIZATION
224. V. THEOLOGICAL LIBERALISM IN AMERICA
225. VI. INTERDENOMINATIONAL AND NON-DENOMINATIONAL COOPERATION
226. Church and Society in Tension
227. THE CHURCH IN CHANGING WORLD CULTURE
228. I. THE CHURCHES IN TWO WORLD WARS AND IN REVOLUTIONS
229. II. CHURCH AND STATE TENSIONS
230. III. ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS STATE NATIONALISM
231. THE DECLINE OF LIBERAL, NEO-ORTHODOX, AND RADICAL THEOLOGIES
232. I. THE RISE AND DISSOLUTION OF LIBERALISM
233. II. NEO-ORTHODOXY OR THE THEOLOGY OF CRISIS
234. III. RADICAL THEOLOGIES
235. B. Theology of Hope
236. C. Process Theology
237. D. Liberation Theology
238. SUGGESTED READING
239. THE RISE OF ECUMENICAL ORGANIZATION
240. I. INTERDENOMINATIONAL COOPERATION
241. II. ORGANIC REUNION
242. III. NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATIONS
243. EVANGELICAL UNITY IN DIVERSITY
244. B. The Evangelical Mainstream
245. C. The Neoevangelicals
246. D. The Jesus People
247. E. The Pentecostal-Charismatic-Third Wave Groups
248. F. The Holiness Churches
249. G. Evangelical Parachurch Organizations
250. H. Evangelicals for Social Action
251. I. Evangelical Feminist Movements
252. J. Return to Evangelicalism in Mainline Churches
253. K. Changed Attitudes Among Roman Catholics
254. DECLINE AND EXPANSION IN CHURCH GROWTH
255. I. THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH GROWTH
256. II. CHURCH GROWTH IN MISSIONS
257. III. FORCES OPPOSING CHURCH GROWTH
258. IV. WORLD DECLINE AND EXPANSION OF CHRISTIANITY
259. A. In Africa
260. B. Asia
261. C. In Europe
262. D. In Latin America
263. CONCLUSION
264. PROBLEMS, PATTERNS, AND PROSPECTS
265. I. PROBLEMS
266. A. The Secular Warfare-Welfare Democratic and Totalitarian State
267. B. Missions
268. C. Moral Decline
269. D. Urbanization
270. E. Minorities
271. F. The Environment
272. II. PATTERNS
273. III. PROSPECTS
274. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
275. Copyright
276. NOTES
277. CHAPTER 8
278. CHAPTER 9
279. CHAPTER 10
280. CHAPTER 11
281. CHAPTER 12
282. CHAPTER 13
283. CHAPTER 14
284. CHAPTER 15
285. CHAPTER 16
286. CHAPTER 17
287. CHAPTER 18
288. CHAPTER 19
289. CHAPTER 20
290. CHAPTER 21
291. CHAPTER 22
292. CHAPTER 23
293. CHAPTER 24
294. CHAPTER 25
295. CHAPTER 26
296. CHAPTER 27
297. CHAPTER 28
298. CHAPTER 29
299. CHAPTER 30

Preview: PREFACE

A short excerpt from “PREFACE”. The full book contains 299 chapters and 216,292 words.

An examination of available church history texts reveals that most of them reflect a particular denominational or theological bias. This text was written from a conservative, nondenominational perspective. A Christian philosophy of history underlies the presentation.

Because one can never understand the history of Christianity effectively without some conception of the political, economic, social, intellectual, and artistic movements in each era of history, the events of church history are related to their secular environment. The treatment of persons, places, dates, events, ideas, and trends or movements in their proper temporal and geographical setting helps one grasp the flow of church history. I have given attention to the impact of Christianity on its times and to the mark of the times on Christianity. I have attempted to link information, understanding, and interpretation in a relevant synthesis that has value in the present.

I am grateful that after forty years of the use of this text by both teachers and students in the classroom and by the Christian public its continued demand has made an extensive revision desirable and feasible. Constructive suggestions from several people have been most helpful in improving the accuracy and clarity of this work.

Several new maps, charts, and diagrams have been added to aid in understanding historical movements and relationships. Several new pictures have also been included. Bibliographies in the introduction, at the beginning of each of the three major eras of church history, and at the end of each chapter have been expanded and updated to make the best primary and secondary materials available to the reader. Many sections have been expanded and rewritten, for example, those on Scholasticism, the Radical Reformation, Roman Catholicism, and the Eastern churches. The account of the era since World War I has been extensively revised and expanded to take into account new developments, such as the defeat of the rightist totalitarian states of Germany, Italy, and Japan in World War II and the fall of communist leftist totalitarianism in Russia and Eastern Europe in 1989; the decline of liberal, neo-orthodox, and radical theologies; the rise of evangelicalism, especially in the Third World; the decline of liberal politicized ecumenism; the challenge of parachurch and megachurch to denominationalism; recurrent Protestant revival in the Atlantic basin; the Pentecostal-Charismatic-Third Wave emphasis on the Holy Spirit; more power for women in the church; global church growth in spite of heavy persecution; and a more open Roman Catholicism.

I hope that through this book many will become aware of their spiritual heritage and ancestry in a day of existentialism and be constrained to serve God and their contemporaries better by life, word, and deed. I am deeply conscious of the part colleagues, teachers, students, other writers, and many others have played in the development of this text. I trust that through it the cause of Christ may be advanced and the church edified.

Earle E. Cairns

Wheaton, Illinois

About this book

"Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church" is a general book by jibin johnson with 299 chapters and approximately 216,292 words. It covers key insights and practical takeaways on the topic.

This book was created using Inkfluence AI, an AI-powered book generation platform that helps authors write, design, and publish complete books.

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What is "Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church" about?

"Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church" is a general book by jibin johnson covering key insights and practical takeaways on the topic.

How many chapters are in "Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church"?

The book contains 299 chapters and approximately 216,292 words. Topics covered include PREFACE, INTRODUCTION, C. Church History as a Guide, D. Church History as a Motivating Force, and more.

Who wrote "Christianity Through the Centuries A History of the Christian Church"?

This book was written by jibin johnson and created using Inkfluence AI, an AI book generation platform that helps authors write, design, and publish books.