(At this point in our thinking, save your money.)
Davies, J.G. The Early Christian Church: A History of Its First Five Centuries. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Book House, 1965.
When catechetized in the Reformed faith, e.g. the Westminster Confession of Faith, learning is a corollary concern in life; it’s logical and natural to life in the Triune God who creates, sustains and preserves knowledge: Semper Fidelis et Sola Deo Gloria. Of course, good regulated Prayer Book doctrine, worship and piety is another corollary. One further note, before getting involved with Prof. Davies’ volume, we point to Anglican clerics.
Given the modern Anglican bishops throughout England and the USA (some of whom should be summarily defrocked, tossed and thrown overboard), one has to do one’s own reading. They’re not to be trusted. We are reminded of Edwin Sandys who said: "The ministers, you see should teach the right way. He which beareth that name and performeth not this office, is but an ' idol.' ' Let another take his bishopric.' Such drones were better smothered than suffered in that hive, where none should live that will not labour. Such as sow not why should they reap ? Neither is it any new thing to cast out unworthy ministers who cast off care of their duty. Solomon deposed Abiathar the high priest : and Justinian deprived Sylverius and Vigilius, bishops of Rome. These are good precedents for princes in like case to follow." Archbishop Sandys— Ser. 1 Sam. xii. 23, 24. Yes, we need to toss a number of them. But, we digress and return to our theme of Prof. Davies’ volume.
This 313-page volume is available at: http://www.amazon.com/
Prof. Davies taught at the University of Birmingham beginning in 1948 and became the Edward Cadbury Professor of Theology in 1960. Our preliminary review is not favorable, but time will tell. We'll be looking at Prof. Frend's volume shortly.
Contents
Preface
1. THE ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY
The Background—Israel’s Past—Israel’s Hope—Parties in Judaism—John the Baptist
The Sources—Jewish and Pagan—Christian Sources—Paul—Gospels—Testimoni
The Message and Ministry of Jesus—Parables—Miracles—Jesus’
2. THE APOSTOLIC AGE
The Background—Hellenistic Judaism—Pagan Religion—Philosophical Schools—Fate, Astrology and the Mysteries—Gnosticism—Pax Romana
Sources—The Pauline Corpus—Acts—General Epistles
Expansion and Development—The Church in Jerusalem—Beginning of the Gentile Mission—Paul’s Missionary Journeys—Closing Years of Paul’s Life—Fall of Jerusalem—Church’s Interior Development and Structure
Beliefs—God—Work and Person of Christ—Holy Spirit—Church—Last Things—Formulation of Belief
Worship—Sacraments—Baptism—Euc
Social Life—Moral Behaviour—Labour—Social Categories—Food and Clothing
3. THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS AND THE SECOND CENTURY
The Background—Pagan Religion—Superstition and the Mysteries—Origins and Characteristics of Gnosticism—Gnostic Schools—Valentinianism—Marcion
Sources—Apostolic Fathers—Acts of the Martyrs—Apocryphal Scriptures—Heretical Literature—Anti-heretical Literature—Canon of Scripture
Expansion and Development—Methods of Evangelism—Charges Against Christians—Schism—Quarto-decim
Beliefs—God—Work and Person of Christ—Holy Spirit—Last Things—Formulation of Belief
Worship—Baptism—Eucharist—Agap
Social Life—Moral Behaviour—Social Categories—Food, Clothing and Leisure
4. THE CENTURY OF ADVANCE
The Background—Pagan Religion—Philosophy—The Empire—Persecution—The Final Attack—The Peace of the Church
Sources—North African Latin Writers—Writers in Rome—The Alexandrians—Other Writers—Miscellana—the Bible
Expansion and Development—Conversion—Schism—
Beliefs—Dynamic Monarchianism—Modalistic Monarchianism—Tertullian and Western Trinitarianism—Origen and Eastern Trinitarianism—Person and Work of Christ—Church—Last Things—Formulation of Belief
Worship—Baptism—Eucharist—Agap
Social Life—Food, Clothing and Leisure
5. FROM NICAEA TO CONSTANTINOPLE
The Background—Pagan Religion—The Pagan Reaction under Julian—Manicheanism—Philosophy
Sources—The First Church Historian—Athanasius—The Cappodocian Fathers—Cyril of Jerusalem—Hilary of Poitiers—Syrian Writers—Heretical Writers—Monastic Writings—Church Orders and Liturgical Documents
Expansion and Development—The Melitian Schism—The Donatist Schism—Arianism: Its Origins—the Council of Nicaea—From Nicaeae to Tyre—To the Death of Constans—Constantius as sole ruler—Arian Divisions—The Decline of Arianism—The Melitian and Luciferian Schisms—Monasticism—Church Order—Ecclesiastical Divisions of Territory—Councils—The Roman Primacy
Beliefs—Arianism—The Attitude of Nicaea—Athanasius’ Trinitarianism—The Cappodocian Settlement—The Person of Christ—Apollinarianism—The Work of Christ—The Church—Formulation of Belief
Worship—Baptism—Eucharist—The Architectural Setting—The Calendar
Social Life—Food, Clothing and Leisure
6. FURTHER ADVANCE
The Background—Paganism—Church and State—The Empire
Sources—Church Historians—Antiochene and Syrian Writers—John Chyrsostom—Nestorius—Cyril of Alexandria—Western writers: Ambrose—Augustine—Jerome—Papal
Expansion and development—The Conversion of the Barbarians—Extension to the East and South—Schisms and Disputes—Donatism—Disputes with Helvidius, Jovinian, and Vigilantus—The Origenist Controversy—Pelagianism—Semi-P
Beliefs—The Trinity—Augustine and the West—Person of Christ—Church—Man—Work of Christ—Last Things—Formulation of Belief
Worship—Baptism—Eucharist—Arch
Social life—Food, Clothing and Leisure
Conclusion
Notes
Select Bibliography
Index
Chapter 1 is a dreary rehash of basics: OT survey, Jewish parties during Christ’s times, John the Baptist, and the sources: NT, Pliny the Younger, Josephus, Tacitus, Suetonius, Paul and the Gospels. To introduce “Q” into the discussion for a few pages was a specious and dubious digression. Then, we get a brief discourse on Form Criticism and the Sitz em Leben. Prof. Davies, save it for elsewhere, but not in an introduction like this. We get further run-on sections of little merit: a discussion on the nature and purpose of the Gospels, Jesus’ message, parables, miracles, ethical teaching, and Messiahship.
This better pickup.
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