Christ The First Two Thousand Years

The Christians is the history of Christianity, told chronologically, epoch by epoch, century by century, beginning at Pentecost and concluding with Christians as we find ourselves in the twenty-first century. It will consist of approximately twelve volumes, produced over a 10-year period at the beginning of the third Christian millennium. It is written and edited by Christians for Christians of all denominations. Its purpose is to tell the story of the Christian family, so that we may be knowledgeable of our origins, may well know and wisely profit from the experiences of our past both good and bad, and may find strength and inspiration to face the challenges of our era from the magnificent examples set for us by those who went before. - Back cover.

Wide-ranging and authoritative, this book explores Christianity as it has taken root in societies across five continents.

The story of Jesus dominates the history of the first century AD in the Near East, but what was happening elsewhere at this time? This book puts the life of Jesus and the events associated with him within a world context, not in terms of Jesus' world influence, which did not exist at this time, but purely as a means of interesting comparison.

Describes the first 1,000 years of Christian history, from the early practices and beliefs through the conversion of Constantine as well as documenting its growth to communities in Ethiopia, Armenia, Central Asia, India and China.

Much about the early history of mankind had become entirely lost until the restoration of the gospel. These details about the first 2,000 years of human history are all to be found in this exciting volume. We now know that Adam and Eve had two generations of children before Cain and Abel were born. The exact year of the Great Flood can now be calculated. Details about the golden age of Enoch are now available so that we can understand how the law of consecration works and how it eliminates poverty and crime. One of the most magnificent stories in this book is the life of Abraham. He received revelations about astronomy and mathematics which he later taught the Egyptians. He was a remarkable example of faith and obedience, even in offering his own son as a sacrifice to the God he loved. All of these tremendously important new revelations belong to the sweeping panorama of the first 2,000 years of human history. This book is designed to make the study of the Old Testament an inspirational pleasure. Although presented for easy reading, the text is carefully documented so that every important point can be correlated with appropriate passages in the scriptures. The extensive use of maps, charts and illustrations also facilitate the rapid unfolding of the Biblical story. This eBook includes the original index, footnotes, table of contents and page numbering from the printed format.

How has Christ been seen for the last two millennia? From the Christ of the Gospels to the Isa of Islam, this book explores the way Jesus Christ has been viewed, described, promoted, opposed and written about. What did the word 'Christ' mean in the first century, and how did it resonate with the politics and religion of the time? And beyond that, how was Jesus seen in the New Testament, and then onto the time of the Desert Fathers? What of the heretical Christs - and who decided, and why? And from the 2nd century onwards, people started to draw and to paint images of Christ - how did this change and develop? The book then traces the history of Christ through the militant leader of the Crusaders, via the multi-faceted Christ of the Middle Ages, and the opposing views of Him thrown up by the Reformation and the wars that followed. Finally, the authors consider the Christ of the technological age and the age of total war, before looking also at the Christ of Liberation Theology, Marxism, the Developing world, the Dalits, other faiths, and the Post-modern Christ of the 21st century.

“[A] brilliant survey of the development of Christianity . . . tells a riveting story of a struggling young religion searching for an identity.” —Publishers Weekly This sweeping history begins with the life of Jesus and narrates the remarkable story of Christianity as it unfolded over the next thousand years. Unique in its global scope, the book encompasses the vast geographical span of early Christianity, from the regions around the Mediterranean Sea through the Middle East and beyond to central Asia, India, and China. Robert Louis Wilken, beloved professor and renowned author, selects people and events of particular importance in Christian history to bring into focus the full drama of the new religion’s development. The coming of Christianity, he demonstrates, set in motion one of the most profound revolutions the world has known. Wilken tracks the growth of Christian communities around the ancient world and shows how the influence of Christianity led not only to the remaking of cultures but also to the creation of new civilizations. He explores the powerful impact of the rise and spread of Islam on Christianity and devotes several chapters to the early experiences of Christians under Muslim rule in the Middle East, Egypt, north Africa, and Spain. By expanding the telling of Christian history to encompass perspectives beyond just those of the West, Wilken highlights how interactions with new peoples and languages changed early Christian practices, even as the shared rituals of Christian people bound them in spiritual unity despite their deep cultural differences. “Ambitious and wide-ranging . . . [This] highly accessible volume abounds with lively tales and fascinating connections.” — The Christian Century