Rare Kenneth Scott Latourette / History of Christianity Volume Two Reformation 1997 - Peabody: Prince Press, 1997 [Hardcover] Latourette, Kenneth Scott

by Kenneth Scott Latourette

This rare and vintage book is a perfect addition to any bibliophile's collection

Genres: History, Church History, Theology, Christian, Reference, Religion, Nonfiction

233 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1966

About the author

Kenneth Scott Latourette (August 6, 1884 – December 26, 1968) was an American historian of China, Japan, and world Christianity. His formative experiences as Christian missionary and educator in early 20th century China shaped his life's work. Although he did not learn the Chinese language, he became known for his magisterial scholarly surveys of the history of world Christianity, the history of China, and of American relations with East Asia.

Latourette was born in Oregon City, Oregon, the son of DeWitt Clinton Latourette and Ella (Scott) Latourette. His mother and father both attended Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon, where they graduated in 1878. DeWitt Clinton Latourette was a lawyer in Oregon City. The Latourette family migrated to Oregon in the 1860s; the family's origins are from France where they fled religious persecution as Huguenots and migrated to Staten Island, New York in the 1600s.

In 1904, Latourette was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Linfield College in Oregon. He continued his education in New Haven, Connecticut at Yale, earning a BA in 1906, an MA in 1907 and PhD in 1909.

Latourette served as president of the American Historical Association, the Association for Asian Studies, the American Baptist Convention, the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and the Japan International Christian University Foundation.

He was a leader in the ecumenical movement, and he held leadership positions in the American Baptist Missionary Union, the International Board of the Y.M.C.A., the United Board for Christian Colleges in China and the World Council of Churches.

Throughout his life he remained active in the Yale-in-China Association.

At the Yale Divinity School, the "Latourette Initiative" is a proactive program to preserve and provide access to the documentation of world Christianity. It provides funding for the microfilming of published and archival resources documenting the history of Christian missions and Christian life.

Reviews

[David]

I like Vol. I as a reference book so added this to the library! Haven't used it yet.

7/1/20: dipped into this and Vol. I as research aid on Borgia and Medici popes. Very useful and brightly written

[Stephen Bedard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dated but very helpful of history. The strength of this book is it takes a global perspective rather than just sharing the history of the church in western Europe and North America.

[Frank Peters · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a difficult and often unpleasant book for me to read. I am very interested in Christian History, and thus assumed that I would be interested in this book. Unfortunately, I discovered the Christian History means different things to different people. My interest is around theological and spiritual history. The authors interests seemed to be concerned with the history of politics in the church, whether is was Christian or not. Then, the author included far too much commentary, which I found boring and dreary to get through. I would recommend that anyone who is interested in, or potentially interested in Christian History to avoid this book. It seems to me that the book will suck any interest or enjoyment of the topic from any casual reader (who is able to finish reading the book). I very much feel sorry for any students who are given this book as required reading for a course in Christian History.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kenneth Scott Latourette (1884-1968) was an American historian of Christianity, who had been a missionary to China in the early 20th century; he is also the author of 'Christianity in a Revolutionary Age.' The previous volume was 'A History of Christianity, Volume 1: Beginnings to 1500.'

About Martin Luther, he observes, "Although at the outset he had no thought of breaking with the Pope or the Church of Rome, he was not one to draw back, and prudence and guarded speech were alien to his nature." (Pg. 708) He says, "The reign of Mary witnessed a number of beheadings and burnings, so much so, indeed, that her critics remembered her as 'Bloody Mary.' ... Yet the brief reign was punctuated with rebellions and the spirit of the times regarded as normal the execution of the leaders." (Pg. 809)

He notes about the slave trade: "exploration commenced partly for the purpose of propagating the Christian faith ... had as one of their effects a traffic brutalizing both to those who constituted its wares and to those who conducted it." (Pg. 927) He suggests that in an 1891 encyclical, Leo XIII "put himself on the side of labour in the mounting industrialism. Condemning socialism as a false remedy... he also insisted that ... the employer must not tax his employees beyond their strength." (Pg. 1103)

In his summation, he concludes, "Christianity has ... impelled men to fight suffering, whether ... from disease, war, or natural disasters. It has built thousands of hospitals ... (Christians) wrote into the laws of Spain and Portugal provisions to alleviate the ruthless exploitation of the Indians of the New World... the Christian faith has caused many of its adherents to be uneasy about war... the Red Cross bears witness to its Christian origin. The list might go on indefinitely." (Pg. 1470-1471)

Although it needs to be supplemented with a history of more recent times, this set is a comprehensive, fair, and very balanced survey of the entire scope of Christian history.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has been the standard history of Christianity for generations -- what I read back in the day. Out-dated, I suppose, but is thorough.

[T.R. Estep · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 2 of a very good book.

[Peter Twele]

Read this back in the late 70's.

[Joseph Gascho · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my best books ever

[ccoelophysis]

Second volume was much harder to get through, and longer.