History

Philip Schaff's classic work colloquially known as Early Church Fathers, is an invaluable resource filled with the primary documents, and early theological building blocks for the Christian Church. Comprised of 38 volumes it is broken into three parts, the Ante-Nicene Fathers, and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First and Second Series.

What did the Lutheran Reformation look like in a specific locality? Rev. Dr. John A. Maxfield reveals this by detailing the intellectual, personal, social, and political influences and events that shaped the Lower-Saxon town of Brunswick on its journey from evangelical reform to Lutheran culture. Lay historians, students, and clergy alike will see with great clarity how the spark of Luther's evangelical teaching ignited in one particular community amidst ecclesiastical and political challenges.

This abridgement of Ford Lewis Battles' Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion will better acquaint readers with the seminal work in Reformed theology. In an easy-to-read, concise format, Donald McKim follows the main development of Calvin's thought, accentuating his contributions without lingering over matters whose importance has become outdated.

This Council spanned the pontificates of five popes and shone as a beacon to all the world, condemning errors of the Protestant Reformation and making pronouncements on a vast number of Church doctrines and disciplines. Covers such topics as Holy Orders, Original Sin, Purgatory, Nicene Creed and much more! Fr. Schroeder's translation demonstrates the authority and clarity with which the Church makes her official pronouncements.

This book, which includes a new preface by the author, offers an engrossing portrayal of the early years of the Christian movement from the perspective of the Romans.

"A fascinating . . . account of early Christian thought. . . . Readable and exciting."--Robert McAfee Brown, New York Times Book Review

"Should fascinate any reader with an interest in the history of human thought."--Phoebe-Lou Adams, Atlantic Monthly

"The pioneering study in English of Roman impressions of Christians during the first four centuries A.D."--E. Glenn Hinson, Christian Century

"This gracefully written study . . . draws upon well-known sources--both pagan and Christian--to provide the general reader with an illuminating account . . . [of how] Christianity appeared to the Romans before it became the established religion of the empire."--Merle Rubin, Christian Science Monitor

Since the 17th century the history of deaconesses in the Church has been the subject of numerous monographs. What is most evident about the history of deaconesses, however, is how complex the whole subject is. In this exhaustive and thoroughly researched work, Martimort presents a very readable analysis that has become the standard study of the role of women deaconesses in the early Church. He presents in as complete and objective fashion as possible the history, who and what these deaconesses were and what their functions were.

Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius (ca. AD 250-336), a Christian presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of God to the Son of God (Jesus of Nazareth). Arius asserted that the Son of God was a subordinate entity to God the Father. Deemed a heretic by the Ecumenical First Council of Nicaea of 325, Arius was later exonerated in 335 at the regional First Synod of Tyre, and then, after his death, pronounced a heretic again at the Ecumenical First Council of Constantinople of 381. Athanasius of Alexandria (b. ca. 296-298 - d. 2 May 373), also referred to as St. Athanasius the Great, St. Athanasius I of Alexandria, St Athanasius the Confessor and (primarily in the Coptic Orthodox Church) St Athanasius the Apostolic, was the 20th bishop of Alexandria. His episcopate lasted 45 years (c. 8 June 328 - 2 May 373), of which over 17 were spent in five exiles ordered by four different Roman emperors. He is considered to be a renowned Christian theologian, a Church Father, the chief defender of Trinitarianism against Arianism, and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century.

Who are you? Where did you come from? People today are obsessed with identity, yet they often have a difficult time identifying themselves.

Only one person knows you completely: God. And He has a lot to say about who you are.

Through Baptism, we are given our identity as part of God's family. Embracing Your Lutheran Identity will help readers understand their identity as children of God and connect with their " family history"--their Christian heritage as Lutherans.

​​​​​Author Gene Edward Veith Jr. will guide readers through that heritage, starting with the Early Church and moving through the Reformation to Lutheranism today. Readers will learn about key people in the history of Lutheranism, from two teenagers who were the first martyrs of the Reformation, through the Saxon immigrants who left everything behind so they could practice Lutheranism freely, to the Lutherans who have stood strong for the faith in our own day..

Edited by Peter Hunermann, Ph.D

New, Updated Edition-Latin and English

This compendium of theological-historical source texts, in a bilingual edition, is completely revised and extended to the pontificate of Benedict XVI. With its unique wealth of official church documents and sources, it is an essential resource for theological work.

Since its first edition in 1854, "Denzinger" has become a standard work and an indispensable tool for serious theological work. It faithfully reflects the history of the Church's faith and its development over the centuries. Indeed, its reference system has become an established part of citing important theological sources.

Peter Hünermann has updated the texts of this compendium and he has provided each text with an introduction. The original language and the English translation are presented in two columns so readers can refer to the original text, while deepening their understanding through the introductions, notes, and reliable English translation.

The final section of the volume features indexes, including a detailed systematic index to aid locating texts on specific themes. The revised, expanded edition of "Denzinger", with its text-critical editing, is a necessary part of any up-to-date theological library.

This book examines the nature of church fellowship in the early history of the church. It explores the vocabulary of fellowship in the Christian community and the evidence from agreement in the confession of the faith and church practice in the Lord's Supper.