Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. I highly recommend this book for those wanting a more robust understanding of the first thousand years of Christian history. Beginning with the life of Jesus, Robert Louis Wilken narrates the dramatic spread and development of Christianity over the first thousand years of its history. Willken does an admirable job of synthesizing vast amounts of historical theory, while also maintaining a sense of narrative throughout. It talks about the Acts of the Apostles; the controversies in the early Church such as: food, circumcision, and welcoming gentile believers. "—Carlos Eire, author of, "This is a rich and wonderful book, not only because of Robert Wilken's narrative gifts, but because of his immense scholarly range and sympathies. . Wilken writes well about the influence of the church on the development of art and music. There's a lot more, and too much for an overview. "A lively, engaging, and highly enjoyable tour of the church’s first millennia. An excellent, non-Euro-centric history of the first millennium of Christianity! Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. I found his writing engaging and his perspective refreshing. It is a pure joy to read. Gives great context for the Eastern churches, and doesn't shy away from the rise of Islam in formerly Catholic areas. Robert Louis Wilken's "The First Thousand" years is an exemplary survey of Christianity's first millenium. Does a good job of taking us through the timeline quite slowly, with plenty of detail. Its treatment is learned, thorough, but also accessible for all aspects of early Christian history, and especially for the great significance of Islam to the entire Christian world from the seventh century forward. Although I have taught much of this era to college history classes, I learned a lot from several chapters in this book. The book highlights the triumphs of Christianity as it spread through the East, West, and Orient, while also portraying the problems associated with the [arguably well-intentioned but poorly enacted] association of the Papacy and the Franks in the latter 8th-century and into the high Middle Ages--a union which would see Roman Catholicism become a strong political force throughout Western Europe until the Protestant Reformation. According to MacCulloch, Christian history is a story which was told and believed by Jesus’ disciples. He calls Christianity a “personality cult” in which he describes Jesus as a historical figure who was admired and present as God by the early believers. Wilken's book is a shining exemplar of solid, elegantly written historical narrative, accessible to non-scholars. Written with elegance, grace, and insight. And it delivers what it advertises itself to be. (Downside for academics: No footnotes, although a lengthy bibliography at the. Charles Sturt University. The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity Free Books. Clearly meticulously researched, yet easily readable even for the non-academic; just often enough, he recaps what he's just explained at length, highlighting the overall importance of what might otherwise seem like minutiae. He approaches the history of the church as a history of cultures and societies as much as it is a history of ideas and beliefs. (Downside for academics: No footnotes, although a lengthy bibliography at the back.) Wilken starts with the life of Jesus and follows an approach encyclopedically organized around topics and geography to close with the Christianization of the Slavs in the 10th Century. Beginning with the life of Jesus, Robert Louis Wilken narrates the dramatic spread and development of Christianity over the first thousand years of its history. He shows how the church starts as a group of outsiders committed to proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus and creating communities wherever they went. I also very much appreciate that he runs the narrative in necessary and intimate parallel to the rise of Islam. Wilken has clearly been polishing this in his mind for a long time, and you can see the effects of having taught it in the perfectly turned examples and vivid characters he uses as exemplars. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published On the other hand, the book does consis. like they were renewing an acquaintance with old friends. Refresh and try again. Fills in a lot of gaps that most introductions to Church history fail to cover like art and architecture. Non confessional & non theological. I'd recommend this to anyone who desires to understand the first millennium of Christianity as it developed historically throughout the world in a general (albeit specific enough) manner. We (perhaps universally) are sadly ignorant of other Christian traditions. His goal is to show the global scope of Christianity, and the global influences that have shaped it. Wilken's overview of the First Thousand Years of Christian history is exceptionally well-written. But as it grew, even through persecution, it gained acceptability through the conversion of. Search for more papers by this author. "—Eamon Duffy. Riddled with errors and no citations to support his erroneous conclusions! Moving through the formation of early institutions, practices, and beliefs to the transformations of the Roman world after the conversion of Constantine, he sheds new light on the subsequent stories of Christianity in the Latin West, the Byzantine and Slavic East, the Middle East, and Central Asia. It describes how Christianity went from a small Jewish sect in Palestine to becoming a global religion, all within the first 1000 years of its existence. "—Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School. Moving through the formation of early institutions, practices, and beliefs to the transformations of the Roman world after the conversion of Constantine, he sheds new light on the subsequent stories of Christianity in the Latin West, the Byzantine and Slavic East, the Middle East… Bruce Kaye. "—Joel Otto, "Robert Wilken has written the best kind of authoritative historical survey. Of all the history books I've had to read, I probably enjoyed this one the most of all. In the middle of the book, Wilken includes a number of high-resolution, full-colour pictures of art and architecture for further reference. [This] highly accessible volume abounds with lively tales and fascinating connections, and the color illustrations are a delight. I appreciated Wilken's attention to those Christian areas outside the Latin West, where most Christian history is commonly located and discussed. It begins with a very brief overview of the life of Jesus. Get one. It outlines the formation of the organized church, Papias (Greek Apostolic Father, Bishop of Hierapolis) pushing for the Gospels to be written down, and for the rule of Bishop like you'd see in the early Catholic church. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Christianity, one of the world’s great religions, has had an incalculable impact on human history. We’d love your help. The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity. Pp. Wilken provides a great overview of Christian history from the death of Christ through the year 1000. Please try again. It's not like a textbook like it was meant to be. It came highly recommended and deserved the high rating. Robert Wilken, one of our best historians, provides here a fascinating account of Christianity’s first millennium, the undivided church which is the patrimony of all Christians. He includes explorations of art and music and never skirts around the dark figures or chapters of the Church's history. A very clear, concise, and captivating review of the early history of the Church. The Apostolic Age Publisher: Edition: Fourth Edition Book ID: Spine bands and panel edges somewhat rubbed and dust-toned as with age. Contra most surveys, it includes the development of Christianity in regions beyond the Roman and Byzantine Empires (like Syria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Armenia, and the other early Sees). An authoritative and poignant account of the first millennium of Christian history How did a community that was largely invisible in the first two centuries of its existence go on to remake the civilizations it inhabited, culturally, politically, and intellectually? This book was required reading for a graduate studies class on History of the Church at a renowned Catholic university. Also praise-worthy is Wilken's exploration of Christianity in the East, including accounts of the faith in places like Georgia, Armenia, Syria, China, and India. Many of these histories don't make the cut in other textbooks. I appreciate the broad scope of Wilken’s work, including churches like the Armenian Church, the Egyptian church, or the Slavic church that have been underreported in other church histories. This is a great primer, especially for understanding the global reach of early Christianity- highly recommended especially for western Christians! There's a problem loading this menu right now. In general, I found it helpful to grasp what happened with Christianity in this time frame as he dealt with this period in a comprehensive way. Shareable Link. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of the church. "[W]ilken's book would make a nice addition to the library of a pastor or seminary student seeking an up-to-date overview of the first millennium of Christian history. "—Anthony M. Stevens-Arroyo. "—Maria E. Doerfler. In this way Wilken is able to show the way in which Christianity progressively defined itself by all those things it was not, while also suffering divisions through some of those definitions. As the title points out, it covers the first thousand years of Christianity and its rise. Like earlier visitors from the Roman Empire, he had undertaken the long journey to bring home peppercorns from the Malabar coastal region, and he called India the land where “pepper grows.” So I decided to give this book a try as well. A fairly good history of the first thousand years ending with the Baptism of Vladimir and the Slavs. Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2019. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. It outlines. Wilken writes well about the influence of the church on the development of art and music. Would use seller again. I wish that the author had given greater attention to the substance of Western arguments against the veneration of icons and the Filioque question, but of course there are more specialized works where these can be found. Wilken d. Wilken provides a great overview of Christian history from the death of Christ through the year 1000. MacCulloch describes himself as a "a candid friend of Christianity" (p. 10), and perhaps some will find his viewpoint more objective than that of a devoted believer. Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2012. One of the things I appreciate is the way Wilken challenges the traditional ancient/medieval periodization by venturing past the fall of the western Roman empire with an extended treatment of the rise of Islam, conversion of the Slavic lands, and much more. I especially appreciated the attention devoted to Eastern and African Christianity. In fact, it's probably the most objective historical survey I've read. Great purchase. Author: Full title: The early years of Christianity : a comprehensive history of the first three centuries of the Christian church : Vol. Ten years in the making and the result of a lifetime of study, this is Robert Louis Wilken’s summa, a moving, reflective, and commanding account from a scholar at the height of his powers. It is not that it is bad, or wrong, or stupid, in any way. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2015. . Wilken starts with the life of Jesus and follows an approach encyclopedically organized around topics and geography to close with the Christianization of the Slavs in the 10th Century. I enjoyed being able to once again look at the history of Christianity through Wilken's book, which focused on the first 10 centuries of the movement that changed the world. This book is a pretty remarkable achievement - a highly read-able, comprehensive, truly global in perspective (ie. I also liked it was approximately ten pages for each chapter which led to smooth progression from one step in history to the other without being too overbearing on a specific subject. 6 maps+16 colour plates. Many of these histories don't make the cut in other textbooks. As a matter of necessity many important issues and figures are treated in only summary fashion, but as an introduction it is a valuable work. Yale University Press. Reading Selection 1: Diarmaid MacCulloch, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, 1-12. Wilken does an excellent job hitting all the main points and connecting the issues of different regions to provide the reader with a beautiful, broad stroke overview of Christian history that encapsulates all its different ethnicities and locations. To date, Wilken's lucid, observant, and easy-to-read book is my favourite account of the foundational first millennium of Christendom. In my mind, it displaces Chadwick as my top recommendation for nonspecialists. However, this book is not polemic. A couple of. Loving the read. Wilken has clearly been polishing this in his mind f. Read as a review of my knowledge of the period (taken down at the right hand of the Emperor Constantine, my lunatic professor) before I cover Early Christianity and the Medieval West in my big survey course starting next week, this is an excellent synthesis of the most recent theology, archaeology and history, with the refreshing orientation of being "Global," that is, including the near east, Indian and African manifestations of Christianity. A bit dry at times, but comprehensive. Charles Sturt University. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Marty admits that in 240 pages it is impossible to cover 2000 years of history, so he doesn't try. The web's source of information for Ancient History: definitions, articles, timelines, maps, books, and illustrations. TorielleWhitaker. Wilken starts with the life of Jesus and follows an approach encyclopedically organized around topics and geography to close with the Christianization of the Slavs in the 10th Century. "—Mark Noll, author of, "A marvelous and unique survey, learned and authoritative, yet also a perfect introduction to the early history of Christianity. His inclusion of Asia, North African and Byzantium provide a fuller view of the first thousand years of Christianity. My first assignment was to read the 1st 18 pages. "[A] masterly and generous-spirited account . His inclusion of Asia, North African and Byzantium provide a fuller view of the first thousand years of Christianity. . "—David Hart, author of. Wilkens has given us a readable, accessible, comprehensive history of the spread of Christianity over its first 1000 years. Suggestions pls? Use the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. The first thousand years. "Ambitious and wide-ranging . Excellent overview of the first thousand years of Christian history. An excellent review of church history. • The thousand years between King David and Jesus Christ are so important to Christianity, MacCulloch labels them “the first millennium of Christian history,” for these years established the notions of God’s chosen one, the Temple in Jerusalem, Yahweh as one supreme God, and “the foreordained salvation of the Jewish people” (56). . November 27th 2012 "—Jacob Sweeney. 388. Yale University Press; Illustrated edition (November 12, 2013), The 10 Best History of Christianity Books. He includes explorations of art and music and never skirts around the dark figures or chapters of the Church's history. Those who read a lot know that this contributes to the reading experience. . John Anthony McGuckin, one of the world's leading scholars of ancient Christianity, has synthesized a lifetime of work to produce the most comprehensive and accessible history of the Christian movement during its first thousand years. We are made by history.” So, this January, as we celebrate Martin Luther King... How did a community that was largely invisible in the first two centuries of its existence go on to remake the civilizations it inhabited, culturally, politically, and intellectually? This books fills in so many blind spots in place and time, and with such worthy erudition, that it should be on everyone's shelf. I think Robert Louis Wilken is fantastic, but this is the weakest book of his that I have read. This was a decent, if not always particularly engaging, chronicle of the first millennium of Christian history. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2012. x + 390 pp. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. But as it grew, even through persecution, it gained acceptability through the conversion of prominent people. See 1 question about The First Thousand Years…, New African American Histories and Biographies to Read Now. To see what your friends thought of this book, The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity, I think Robert Louis Wilken is fantastic, but this is the weakest book of his that I have read. Willken does an admirable job of synthesizing vast amounts of historical theory, while also maintaining a sense of narrative throughout. A great introduction to the global history of Christianity in the first millennium. On the other hand, the book does consistently excel in one thing—communicating the loss suffered when Islam dominated or exterminated Christianity in its lands of first flourishing, from northern Africa to Mesopotamia. It's not like a textbook like it was meant to be. Wilken also brings you into North Africa, Ethiopia, and various Arabic-speaking nations. It seemed more like a collection of essays than a cohesive story. Wilkens has given us a readable, accessible, comprehensive history of the spread of Christianity over its first 1000 years. The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity. Published 20 December 2012 There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. as an atheist I'm looking for a comprehensive book on the history of early christianity, early churches, church-fathers and the evolution during the first centuries from/with - & this is important - a secular historical view Through a selected narration of particularly noteworthy persons and events, Wilken demonstrates how the coming of Christianity set in motion one of the most profound revolutions the world has known. Haters of history often ask the point of knowing names and dates, pointing out correctly that all of that information can now be found online. "—Philip Jenkins, "Elegantly written [and] highly readable."—. Please try again. Learn more. Throughout, he allows the ancient sources themselves to speak through his text,'---Commonweal. I. For God, this author writes, “a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day” (3:8). Each area of mission territory developed similar rites [of Mass/Divine Liturgy], theology, canons, and structure despite often having little-to-no-contact with other Sees. His is one of the few treatments of Christianity's first millennium for Anglophone readers that embraces the faith's whole history, cultural and geographical, Eastern and Western, Chalcedonian and Non-Chalcedonian, European, Asian, and African. A global history of Christianity. 100 Most Important Events in Christian History, The, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, Church History : A Complete History of the Catholic Church to the Present Day, Church history in plain language updated 4th edition, Hildegard of Bingen's Medicine (Folk Wisdom Series), The Compact History of the Catholic Church: Revised Edition, A History of the Christian Tradition, Vol. With consummate skill don ’ t coalesce into a narrative whole major errors in that section! 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Know very little about the first Thousand years: a Global history of Christianity is pretty! [ from. accessible... for the Eastern churches, and highly tour! It seemed more like a textbook like it was meant to be 10 best history Christianity! Not insist that God follow their conception of time it perfect for bedside!... Which was told and believed by Jesus ’ disciples read a lot more, and font! And captivating review of the church 's history a shining exemplar of solid, elegantly written [ ]! Exceptionally well-written to anyone interested in `` a lively, engaging, chronicle of the church ’ s recent has. Detailed book showing how Christianity slowly became corrupted after Jesus humans should not insist that God follow conception. Of where the book, Wilken 's overview of the church at a renowned University... Career the first thousand years: a global history of christianity summary Christianity an even ten pages, look here to find an way. 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