The Early Years of Christianity: The Apostolic Era

About this book

A history of the church in the apostolic age by the French Protestant historian Edmond de Pressense, presented in English translation. Pressense narrates the founding of the church at Pentecost, the missions of the apostles, and the encounter of the gospel with Judaism and the Roman world. His warm, narrative style made the work a favorite nineteenth-century account of Christianity's beginnings.

Contents

1. Preface to English Edition.
2. Introduction to the American Edition.
3. Chapter I. Commencement of the Christian Church.
4. § I. Actual Foundation of the Church on the Day of Pentecost. Its First Mission and First Persecution
5. § II. The Teaching and First Constitution of the Church at Jerusalem.
6. § I. The Seven Deacons of the Church at Jerusalem. Stephen.
7. § II. The Dispersion of the Christians. The Gospel in Samaria. Simon Magus. Philip and the Eunuch. 🔒
8. § III. Foundation of the Church of Antioch, and Conversion of the Centurion Cornelius. 🔒
9. § IV. The Church at Jerusalem at the time of the First Mission beyond Judæa. 🔒
10. § I. Saul of Tarsus. His Preparation and Conversion. 🔒
11. § II. St. Paul's First Journey. 🔒
12. § I. The Two Conferences. 🔒
13. § II. The Dispute at Antioch. 🔒
14. § I. Second Missionary Journey of St. Paul. 🔒
15. § II. Third Missionary Journey of St. Paul. 🔒
16. § I. Various Phases of St. Paul's Captivity. 🔒
17. § II. Mission of the other Apostles during this period. 🔒
18. § III. Mode of Primitive Evangelization. Origin of the First Three Gospels. 🔒
19. § IV. First Roman Persecution of Christianity. Persecution in Judæa. Death of James, the brother of the Lord. 🔒
20. § I. Fundamental Unity in Diversity. 🔒
21. § II. Doctrine of James. 🔒
22. § III. Doctrinal Type of Peter. The First Two Gospels. 🔒
23. § IV. Doctrine of St. Paul. 🔒
24. § V. God “spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all.” 🔒
25. § VI. The Gospel of Luke and the Epistle to the Hebrews. 🔒
26. Chapter IV. State of the Church During This Period. First Symptoms of Heresy. 🔒
27. § I. The yudaizing tendency in the Churches of Palestine, Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia, and Italy. 🔒
28. § II. Dualistic heresies in Crete, at Colosse, and at Ephesus. 🔒
29. § I. General Principles of Ecclesiastical Organization. 🔒
30. § II. Gifts and offices. 🔒
31. § I. Christian Worship during this Period. 🔒
32. § II. The Christian Life. 🔒
33. § I. Destruction of the Holy City. 🔒
34. § II. Consequences to the Church of the Destruction of the Temple. 🔒
35. § I. Life of St. John. 🔒
36. § II. The Revelation. 🔒
37. Chapter III. The Doctrine of St. John. 🔒
38. § I. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 🔒
39. § II. The Word and the World. 🔒
40. § III. The Word and Redemption. 🔒
41. § IV. The Word in the Christian and in the Church until the end of time. 🔒
42. § I. External Condition. 🔒
43. § II. Internal Condition of the Churches. Heresies. Church Organization. 🔒
44. Note A. Literature of the Subject. 🔒
45. Note B. The Chronology of the Acts. 🔒
46. Note C. On the Principal Source of the History of the Primitive Church. 🔒
47. Note E. The Council at Jerusalem. 🔒
48. Note F. On the Supposed Second Captivity of Paul. 🔒
49. Note G. The Epistles of St. Paul. 🔒
50. Note H. On the Epistles of James and of Jude. 🔒
51. Note I. On the Second Epistle of Peter. 🔒
52. Note J. On the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. 🔒
53. Note K. Diversity of Opinions as to the Theology of the Apostolic Age. 🔒
54. Note L. On the Authenticity and the Date of the Apocalypse. 🔒
55. Note M. Authenticity of the Gospel and Epistles of John. 🔒