The Rise of Christianity: History, Documents, and Key Questions
An outstanding resource for high school readers and first-year college students, this book explores early Christianity from its beginnings in the first century through the fourth century when Christianity went from a persecuted faith to the only legalized faith in the Roman Empire.

How did Christianity become one of the most widespread religions as well as one of the most influential forces in world history that has shaped politics, wars, literature, art, and music on every continent? This book contains more than 40 entries on various topics in early Christianity, 15 primary documents, and 6 argumentative essays written by scholars in the field. The breadth of materials enables readers to learn about early Christianity from a number of different viewpoints and to come to their own conclusions about how historical events unfolded in early Christianity.

This single-volume work focuses on the first four centuries of early Christianity, including topics on Jerusalem, Herod the Great, Paul, Tertullian, Mani, The Arians, Constantine the Great, and many others. Readers will be well equipped to answer three critical questions that scholars of early Christianity deal with when they study this period: Why was Christianity popular? Why were Christians persecuted? How did Christianity spread?

"1121005358"
The Rise of Christianity: History, Documents, and Key Questions
An outstanding resource for high school readers and first-year college students, this book explores early Christianity from its beginnings in the first century through the fourth century when Christianity went from a persecuted faith to the only legalized faith in the Roman Empire.

How did Christianity become one of the most widespread religions as well as one of the most influential forces in world history that has shaped politics, wars, literature, art, and music on every continent? This book contains more than 40 entries on various topics in early Christianity, 15 primary documents, and 6 argumentative essays written by scholars in the field. The breadth of materials enables readers to learn about early Christianity from a number of different viewpoints and to come to their own conclusions about how historical events unfolded in early Christianity.

This single-volume work focuses on the first four centuries of early Christianity, including topics on Jerusalem, Herod the Great, Paul, Tertullian, Mani, The Arians, Constantine the Great, and many others. Readers will be well equipped to answer three critical questions that scholars of early Christianity deal with when they study this period: Why was Christianity popular? Why were Christians persecuted? How did Christianity spread?

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The Rise of Christianity: History, Documents, and Key Questions

The Rise of Christianity: History, Documents, and Key Questions

by Kevin W. Kaatz
The Rise of Christianity: History, Documents, and Key Questions

The Rise of Christianity: History, Documents, and Key Questions

by Kevin W. Kaatz

eBook

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Overview

An outstanding resource for high school readers and first-year college students, this book explores early Christianity from its beginnings in the first century through the fourth century when Christianity went from a persecuted faith to the only legalized faith in the Roman Empire.

How did Christianity become one of the most widespread religions as well as one of the most influential forces in world history that has shaped politics, wars, literature, art, and music on every continent? This book contains more than 40 entries on various topics in early Christianity, 15 primary documents, and 6 argumentative essays written by scholars in the field. The breadth of materials enables readers to learn about early Christianity from a number of different viewpoints and to come to their own conclusions about how historical events unfolded in early Christianity.

This single-volume work focuses on the first four centuries of early Christianity, including topics on Jerusalem, Herod the Great, Paul, Tertullian, Mani, The Arians, Constantine the Great, and many others. Readers will be well equipped to answer three critical questions that scholars of early Christianity deal with when they study this period: Why was Christianity popular? Why were Christians persecuted? How did Christianity spread?


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781610698085
Publisher: ABC-CLIO, Incorporated
Publication date: 12/07/2015
Series: Crossroads in World History
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 212
File size: 661 KB

About the Author

Kevin W. Kaatz is assistant professor in the Department of History at California State University, East Bay Campus, Hayward, CA.

Table of Contents

Alphabetical List of Entries ix

Topical List of Entries xi

How to Use This Book xiii

Preface xv

Timeline xvii

Historical Overview xxiii

The Rise of Christianity: A-Z 1

Primary Source Documents 117

1 Thessalonians 117

Clement of Rome, First Letter to the Corinthians 45-49 119

Matthew 1:15-4:25 122

Ignatius, Letter to the Magnesium, Introduction 126

Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapters 1-3 130

Tertullian, On Baptism, Chapters 18, 19, and 20 133

Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church 136

Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 8, Chapters 2-6 (On the Persecution of Emperor Diocletian) 139

Origen, Against Celcus, Book 1, Chapters I-III 144

Ambrose, Letter 17 to Emperor Valentmian II 146

Augustine, Confessions, Book 1:9:14-1:11:18 150

Eusebius of Caesarea, Life of Constantine, Book 1, Chapters 1-7 153

Key Questions 159

Question 1 Why Were Christians Persecuted? 159

Question 2 How Did Christianity Spread? 171

Question 3 Why Was Christianity Popular? 183

Select Annotated Bibliography 197

Index 205

About the Author and Contributors 211

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