Books on Church History

[sastark]

What books would you recommend to someone (me) who is going to start studying Church History?

I plan on getting a Master's degree in Church History, but want to do some reading on the topic first. Any recommendations?

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Your educational plan sounds great, Seth. Understanding the past makes so much difference in understanding the present and working towards a more Reformed vision of the future.

I recommend, for starters:

Philip Schaff's History of the Christian Church:

http://www.ccel.org/s/schaff/history/About.htm

J.H.M. D'Aubigne's History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century:

http://www.apuritansmind.com/Reformation/HistoryReformation/McMahonHistoryReformation.htm

J.A. Wylie's History of Protestantism:

http://www.doctrine.org/history/

J.M. Porteous' The Government of the Kingdom of Christ:

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~jbeggsoc/porteous3-front.html

 

[yeutter]

What era are you thinking of concentrating on?

 

[sastark]

Thomas,

I haven't narrowed it down, really. I most interested in the history of the church in America, but to be honest, I'm not sure. I love history and it is all very interesting to me. I plan on putting a couple of books on my reading list and seeing if my interest holds long enough to get through them. I want to make sure this isn't a "passing fad" before I actually commit to a Master's Degree.

 

[sastark]

Andrew,

Thanks for the links! I've used Schaff's History as a reference before, but I've never read it cover-to-cover. I own D'Aubine's History of the Reformation but it has just been gathering dust on my shelf for a long time. The other two are new to me (I've heard of Wylie's book, but I've never read either of them). Thanks again!

 

[RamistThomist]

American Religious History--be careful, there is much to profit from but you have to read widely and have fixed points of reference. These authors, while I do not endorse much of what they say, are quite useful for getting a grip on what's going on:

George Marsden, Fundamentalism and American Culture and Religion and American Socieity

Nathan Hatch, The Democratization of American Christianity

Mark Noll, Old Religion in a New World, Scandal of the American Mind

The above three are written by "Calvinists" who have a slight pluralistic bent. You have to have it in the academy. Nevertheless, depending on where you go, these guys are foundational. Now on to better things...

Iain Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Seth, You're welcome.

Also fyi, I have a book called the Encyclopedia of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America: Including the Northern and Southern Assemblies, Alfred Nevin, D.D., LL.D., Editor, Philadelphia (Presbyterian Encyclopedia Publishing Co., 1884) which is out of print but portions of it have been reproduced online. You can find some good information about early American Presbyterian church history here:

http://sdss4.physics.lsa.umich.edu:8080/~mckay/amckay/presintr.htm

Here are some additional resources on American Presbyterian church history:

John Edwards Richards, The Historical Birth of the Presbyterian Church in America, Liberty Press, SC, 1986

Frank Joseph Smith, The History of the Presbyterian Church in America, Reformation Education Foundation, Manassas, VA 1985

Morton H. Smith, How is the Gold Become Dim, Jackson, MS, 1973

Charles Hodge, The Constitutional History of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America

Cotton Mather, Magnalia Christi Americana

American Presbyterian Church History info: http://www.americanpresbyterianchurch.org/APCHistory.htm

You find also look for a biography of Francis Makemie, who was the "father" of Presbyterianism in America.

And if the history of the Scottish Covenanters (who influenced the American, Australian, Irish, Cypriot, Japanese and Canadian Covenanters/Reformed Presbyterians) is of interest, then check out this compilation of sources:

http://www.puritanboard.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=7135

For American church history resources that are more broad than just Presbyterianism, you might like to check out the American Society of Church History:

http://www.churchhistory.org/

So many influences have contributed to American church history: Dutch, French Huguenot, German, Scottish, English, Irish, fundamentalism, charismatic/Pentacostal, etc.

So much more could be said, but I hope this is helpful.

 

[Scott]

Seth:

I would advise starting with learning the broad essentials, using a short, general book. Then add detail by reading other books. I would recommend starting with Justo Gonzalez's Church History: An Essential Guide. It is less than a hundred pages. Gonzalez also wrote a larger text that is used in some Reformed seminaries. The larger text is his two volume The Story of Christianity.

BTW, the other recommendations on the thread are good but I would wait to read them until getting the essentials under the belt.

 

[RamistThomist]

Andrew,
What else did Nevin write?

I would also recommend Fighting the Good Fight, which is a history of the OPC.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Originally posted by Draught Horse
Andrew,
What else did Nevin write?

I would also recommend Fighting the Good Fight, which is a history of the OPC.

Here is Nevin's bio (he came from an illustrious Presbyterian family, btw):

Alfred Nevin, clergyman, born in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, 14 March, 1816, was graduated at Jefferson college in 1834, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1837, and in 1840 was graduated at Western theological seminary, Alleghany, Pennsylvania. He held pastorates in Cedar Grove, Chambersburg, Lancaster, and Philadelphia, but in 1861 he resigned to publish and edit the " Standard," a weekly religious newspaper, which was merged into the " Northwestern Presbyterian " at Chicago in 1866. He was editor of the "Presbyterian Weekly " in 1872-'4, and chief editor of the " Presbyterian Journal" from 1875 till 1880. He was lecturer in the National school of oratory, Philadelphia, in 1878-'80. Since 1855 he has frequently been a commissioner to the general assemblies and synods of his church, and he is a member of various historical and literary societies. Lafayette gave him the degree of D. D. in 1855, and Western theological seminary that of LL. D. in 1873. In addition to sermons and addresses, he is the author of " Christian's Rest" (Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 1843); " Spiritual Progression " (Chambersburg, 1848); " Churches of the Valley" (Philadelphia, 1852) ; '" Guide to the Oracles" (Lancaster, 1857) ; " Words of Comfort for Doubting Hearts" (New York, 1867); "Commentary on Luke" (Philadelphia, 1867) ; "The Age Question" (1868) ; "Popular Commentary" (1868); "The Voice of God" (1873); " Sabbath-School Help " (1.874) ; "Notes on Exodus" (1874);" Men of Mark of Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania " (1876); " Notes on the Shorter Catechism" (1878); "Glimpses of the Coming World " (1880); " Triumph of Truth" (1880) ; " Prayer-Meeting Talks" (1880) ; "Parables of Jesus" (1881) ; " Letters to Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll" (1882) ; " How they Died" (1883) ; " Folded Lambs" (1885) ; and "Twelve Revival Sermons" (1885). He has edited the "Presbyterian Encyclopaedia" (1884) and a Presbyterian year-book for 1887-'8 (1887).

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Seth,

Although most of the places I mention in my travelogue are on the East Coast, you nevertheless might find this information useful regarding American church history:

http://www.puritanboard.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=6675

 

[sastark]

Andrew, I did find that very interesting, actually. Thanks!