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The History of Christianity: From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation
18 hours
Christianity is the largest and most global religious tradition in history. For nearly 2,000 years, the Christian faith has remained at or near the center of Western moral debate and conceptions of human identity, just action, and ultimate meaning. It has both shaped history and responded to history, showing an extraordinary adaptability within greatly differing cultures. Its practice and influence appears in
every land and every language, and one-third of humanity now affiliates in some way with Christianity.
How did this happen? How did a persecuted sect in 1st-century Palestine rise to command such a massive influence on human culture, imagination, and spirit? How did Christianity weather the first critical stages of its historical development and attain its fundamental and enduring cultural role?
Discovering the answers to these questions allows you to understand one of the most significant and integral currents of history, and to correct misconceptions about Christianity’s past; gain deep insight into the origins of Western societies, and to understand the relation of faith to politics, economics, and culture; grasp how Christian institutions, theology, and liturgy originated and developed; better comprehend the cultural present, where 7 out of 10 Americans hold Christian beliefs; and deepen your appreciation of the majestic sweep of history that Christianity’s rise represents.
Speaking incisively to all of this and more, The History of From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation tells the phenomenal story of Christianity’s first 1,500 years, in all its remarkable diversity and complex dimension.
In the company of popular Great Courses Professor Luke Timothy Johnson of Emory University, you follow the dramatic trajectory of Christianity from its beginnings as a “cult of Jesus” to its rise as a fervent religious movement; from its emergence as an unstoppable force within the Roman Empire to its critical role as an imperial religion; from its remarkable growth, amid divisive disputes and rivalries, to the ultimate schism between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Catholicism; and from its spread throughout the Western world to its flowering as a culture that shaped Europe for 800 years.
In 36 enthralling lectures, you meet the towering figures of Christian history, such as Paul of Tarsus, Augustine, the emperor Constantine, and Pope Gregory VII, as well as many other pivotal players—kings, popes, saints, monastic figures, scholars, and mystics. And you delve deeply into the rituals, doctrinal issues, and fascinating theological controversies that defined the faith.
The History of From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation brings to life a truly epic story, giving you a multilayered knowledge of Christianity’s origins, rise, and civilization-shaping presence in our world.
The Forging of a Global Faith
Across the arc of the story, you reckon with the historical and theological milestones that formed Christianity, including these seminal
The Jesus Investigate the passionate claims of the first believers to an experience of ultimate, transforming power—and the means by which the movement exploded in the decades following Jesus’s death.
Critical challenges to the Witness the early Christians’ implacable commitment to the new religion, creating strong institutional and ideological structures even as they answered persecution through martyrdom and “apologetic” literature.
Christianity and Learn how the faith, once it was instated as the official religion by Rome, expanded geographically under imperial authority; how Christian culture developed through architecture, art, and ceremony; and how the religion became fatefully enmeshed in politics in the interface of patriarchs, popes, and emperors from Rome to Constantinople.
Great controversies of Dig deeply into the Trinitarian and Christological controversies that divided Christians between the 4th and 7th centuries, centering on differing conceptions of the nature of Christ and fiercely contested in the famous Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon.
The rupture between East and Grapple with the overlapping factors of cultural distance, misunderstandings, political rivalries, and doctrinal disputes that led to the final split between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in the 11th century.
The flowering of European Experience the extraordinary richness of Christian culture in the Middle Ages, including the complex institution of monasticism, the glory of medieval cathedrals, the birth of universities, and the commanding presence of the papacy.
The Rich Diversity of Christian Experience
In charting the remarkable rise of Christianity, you uncover the specific social and cultural realities that drove the development of the faith.
Early in the course, you locate the b...
Christianity is the largest and most global religious tradition in history. For nearly 2,000 years, the Christian faith has remained at or near the center of Western moral debate and conceptions of human identity, just action, and ultimate meaning. It has both shaped history and responded to history, showing an extraordinary adaptability within greatly differing cultures. Its practice and influence appears in
every land and every language, and one-third of humanity now affiliates in some way with Christianity.
How did this happen? How did a persecuted sect in 1st-century Palestine rise to command such a massive influence on human culture, imagination, and spirit? How did Christianity weather the first critical stages of its historical development and attain its fundamental and enduring cultural role?
Discovering the answers to these questions allows you to understand one of the most significant and integral currents of history, and to correct misconceptions about Christianity’s past; gain deep insight into the origins of Western societies, and to understand the relation of faith to politics, economics, and culture; grasp how Christian institutions, theology, and liturgy originated and developed; better comprehend the cultural present, where 7 out of 10 Americans hold Christian beliefs; and deepen your appreciation of the majestic sweep of history that Christianity’s rise represents.
Speaking incisively to all of this and more, The History of From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation tells the phenomenal story of Christianity’s first 1,500 years, in all its remarkable diversity and complex dimension.
In the company of popular Great Courses Professor Luke Timothy Johnson of Emory University, you follow the dramatic trajectory of Christianity from its beginnings as a “cult of Jesus” to its rise as a fervent religious movement; from its emergence as an unstoppable force within the Roman Empire to its critical role as an imperial religion; from its remarkable growth, amid divisive disputes and rivalries, to the ultimate schism between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Catholicism; and from its spread throughout the Western world to its flowering as a culture that shaped Europe for 800 years.
In 36 enthralling lectures, you meet the towering figures of Christian history, such as Paul of Tarsus, Augustine, the emperor Constantine, and Pope Gregory VII, as well as many other pivotal players—kings, popes, saints, monastic figures, scholars, and mystics. And you delve deeply into the rituals, doctrinal issues, and fascinating theological controversies that defined the faith.
The History of From the Disciples to the Dawn of the Reformation brings to life a truly epic story, giving you a multilayered knowledge of Christianity’s origins, rise, and civilization-shaping presence in our world.
The Forging of a Global Faith
Across the arc of the story, you reckon with the historical and theological milestones that formed Christianity, including these seminal
The Jesus Investigate the passionate claims of the first believers to an experience of ultimate, transforming power—and the means by which the movement exploded in the decades following Jesus’s death.
Critical challenges to the Witness the early Christians’ implacable commitment to the new religion, creating strong institutional and ideological structures even as they answered persecution through martyrdom and “apologetic” literature.
Christianity and Learn how the faith, once it was instated as the official religion by Rome, expanded geographically under imperial authority; how Christian culture developed through architecture, art, and ceremony; and how the religion became fatefully enmeshed in politics in the interface of patriarchs, popes, and emperors from Rome to Constantinople.
Great controversies of Dig deeply into the Trinitarian and Christological controversies that divided Christians between the 4th and 7th centuries, centering on differing conceptions of the nature of Christ and fiercely contested in the famous Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon.
The rupture between East and Grapple with the overlapping factors of cultural distance, misunderstandings, political rivalries, and doctrinal disputes that led to the final split between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in the 11th century.
The flowering of European Experience the extraordinary richness of Christian culture in the Middle Ages, including the complex institution of monasticism, the glory of medieval cathedrals, the birth of universities, and the commanding presence of the papacy.
The Rich Diversity of Christian Experience
In charting the remarkable rise of Christianity, you uncover the specific social and cultural realities that drove the development of the faith.
Early in the course, you locate the b...
18 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 2012
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84 people want to read
About the author
Luke Timothy Johnson
84 books69 followersLuke Timothy Johnson is an American New Testament scholar and historian of early Christianity. He is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology and a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University.
Johnson's research interests encompass the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts of early Christianity (particularly moral discourse), Luke-Acts, the Pastoral Epistles, and the Epistle of James.
Johnson's research interests encompass the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts of early Christianity (particularly moral discourse), Luke-Acts, the Pastoral Epistles, and the Epistle of James.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 21, 2017
This audiobook is much improved by playing at 1.25X speed.
March 3, 2021
A thorough look at how Christianity formed. Not the most riveting lectures, but I'm glad I listened to them. Christianity is not immune to power struggles, oppression, and hypocrisy. Knowing this information and learning how a religion of the people morphed into the pomp, circumstance pageantry, and elitism that we see today is a testament to how humans screw everything up. It's also interesting to learn about the theology debates of the early church and to recognize that a lot of what is considered dogma was not believed or even considered of the early Christians, or how the dogma was widely debated amongst Christians in later centuries.
June 15, 2020
Oct 2015. Consistently interesting, but Johnson is not at his best in this series of lectures, as he acknowledges at the start.
September 22, 2021
I was looking and expecting a History of Christianity. The title of the book is misleading. It's a viewpoint of the author rather than a history. It's not history like who did what, when, and where. It’s just direct criticism of Christianity. One can always criticize others but cannot manipulate and change the course of history. Also, He failed to mention and refer to 3rd or 4th centuries famous historians. One of them, for example, Eusebius of Caesarea the great historian who is one of the most reliable early Christian researchers and historians. He failed to mention any other historical evidence.
The author hardly mentioned anything about the persecution of the early Christians. As we know Paul himself had participated in the persecution of early disciples of Jesus Christ, to the Jews converted to Christianity, before himself converting into Christianity. And he himself had persecuted in later days, the rest of his life. Without mentioning Christian persecution one cannot write a history of Christianity.
He also mentioned the common era instead of Anno Domini. For example, It’s like in my school we had been teaching American Curriculum for more than a decade. Then we appointed someone who is pro-commonwealth countries. And suddenly he started working on changing the entire curriculum into a British curriculum. Trying to hijack the whole system. In India or China on many occasions, they use their own calendar system, not the Gregorian calendar. Likewise, you can always use your CE or BCE without starting from Christ’s birth but start from 1615 when you first started to use your CE.. mark it as 1st CE but why rename BC or AD? Writing Christian history and trying to eliminate Christ from history! No doubt you’ve acquired knowledge on Christianity but also no doubt you are very subjective!
I noted him mentioning many offensive tones and words as well. As an author or scholar, these cannot be acceptable. Well, I've spent enough time listening and writing these. Sorry I couldn't accommodate my time to listen to the whole chapter. It's a waste of time if you're looking for good historical information that is objectively correct. not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing the facts.
The author hardly mentioned anything about the persecution of the early Christians. As we know Paul himself had participated in the persecution of early disciples of Jesus Christ, to the Jews converted to Christianity, before himself converting into Christianity. And he himself had persecuted in later days, the rest of his life. Without mentioning Christian persecution one cannot write a history of Christianity.
He also mentioned the common era instead of Anno Domini. For example, It’s like in my school we had been teaching American Curriculum for more than a decade. Then we appointed someone who is pro-commonwealth countries. And suddenly he started working on changing the entire curriculum into a British curriculum. Trying to hijack the whole system. In India or China on many occasions, they use their own calendar system, not the Gregorian calendar. Likewise, you can always use your CE or BCE without starting from Christ’s birth but start from 1615 when you first started to use your CE.. mark it as 1st CE but why rename BC or AD? Writing Christian history and trying to eliminate Christ from history! No doubt you’ve acquired knowledge on Christianity but also no doubt you are very subjective!
I noted him mentioning many offensive tones and words as well. As an author or scholar, these cannot be acceptable. Well, I've spent enough time listening and writing these. Sorry I couldn't accommodate my time to listen to the whole chapter. It's a waste of time if you're looking for good historical information that is objectively correct. not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing the facts.
August 3, 2020
AT A GLANCE:
A capable and critical professor surveys Christianity up to the Reformation.
CONTENT:
There are 36 lectures presented by topic. These are mostly in chronological order but often not; it is more of a zig-zag than a forward thrust through history. For example, we've already learned of many second-millennium events before we come to the "great divorce" between western Catholicism and eastern Orthodoxy. The lectures cover the topics suitably, especially those on the early Church; it could work as a primer for further study.
NARRATOR:
Prof. Johnson is a former priest and monk, now a celebrated academic. He is quite upfront about his commitments and limitations near the start of the audio lectures. His specialty is in the very early church addressing themes in their Greco-Roman and wider pagan context during the first centuries; if you are seeking a more Medieval focus you'd be better off with the Great Course by William R. Cook on Catholic history. Johnson is articulate but his voice is very slow, for me necessitating a playback speed of 1.25x for the audio portion of the series.
OVERALL:
I appreciate Prof. Johnson's work on the early Church and this is well worth a listen, especially for those unfamiliar with the outline of Christian history.
A capable and critical professor surveys Christianity up to the Reformation.
CONTENT:
There are 36 lectures presented by topic. These are mostly in chronological order but often not; it is more of a zig-zag than a forward thrust through history. For example, we've already learned of many second-millennium events before we come to the "great divorce" between western Catholicism and eastern Orthodoxy. The lectures cover the topics suitably, especially those on the early Church; it could work as a primer for further study.
NARRATOR:
Prof. Johnson is a former priest and monk, now a celebrated academic. He is quite upfront about his commitments and limitations near the start of the audio lectures. His specialty is in the very early church addressing themes in their Greco-Roman and wider pagan context during the first centuries; if you are seeking a more Medieval focus you'd be better off with the Great Course by William R. Cook on Catholic history. Johnson is articulate but his voice is very slow, for me necessitating a playback speed of 1.25x for the audio portion of the series.
OVERALL:
I appreciate Prof. Johnson's work on the early Church and this is well worth a listen, especially for those unfamiliar with the outline of Christian history.
May 31, 2015
Johnson is undeniably a top-notch scholar, and the content of this lecture series is good. However, I found his style, organization of material, and his abilities as a lecturer wanting. You're better off picking up Cary's The History of Christian Theology from the Great Courses Instead.
November 16, 2019
This was my first introduction to Christianity's larger history, so I have little to compare it to. But alone, I really enjoyed it. It was thorough and I appreciated his nuanced approach to history, which he emphasized at the beginning and end (and acknowledges, when appropriate, throughout). I appreciated the thematic approach, which makes it easy to refer back to things. My only complaint (and a necessary trade-off) is that sometimes the lectures would sometimes jump back and forth between centuries (in order to trace back the theme), and so I need to do more homework to clarify who lived when precisely. Still, it wasn't a major issue, and I really enjoyed the exposure to the larger history.
A few takeaways:
*) The main outline of Christian history up to 1500 was useful: the Age of Persecution / Dawn of the church, when Christians were finding their footing and slowly growing; the Imperial Age, when Christianity was assigned to be the Roman Empire's "glue" and given imprimatur as a state religion; and the Holy Roman Empire, or Christendom, which is when universities formed, new forms of theology developed, the battles of Popes and Kings began, the Crusades raged on, and Christianity spread in Europe.
*) His final lecture ends powerfully. He talks about the issues of corruption and immoral behavior in the Christian church at certain historical moments, and raises several important questions, one being "Does this behavior invalidate the church's authority?" He points, though, to the lives of the saints and the effect Christianity has had on people, and suggests that while these transformed lives can't answer the question definitively, it must be kept in mind. As a Latter-day Saint (Mormon), in a church very focused on apostasy and authority (and therefore as someone who was never taught to look carefully at the Christian church beyond the first century), this was a good historical corrective: to remember that good people existed in every age of the Christian church, and for every bad Pope and priest (or even inquisition), there were thousands of people who lived better lives because they were Christian‚ many of whom we'll never know. These were true Saints.
*) His penultimate lecture talked about corruptions, and one stuck out to me: the charge that "theology used Scripture as a repository of proof texts [to prove doctrine] more than as a set of compositions that could challenge or energize thinking." I feel like this is something that my own church, the LDS church, struggles with. We read scripture, looking for things that confirm our doctrine, and ignore things that are struggling. Not a universally true trend, but as generalizations go, I think it's more accurate than I'd like.
*) I really enjoyed, to my surprise, learning about the development of monastic communities. I would have enjoyed being a Benedictine monk, I think. Something about that ordered life, in a community, appeals to me in our sometimes overly individualistic culture.
A few takeaways:
*) The main outline of Christian history up to 1500 was useful: the Age of Persecution / Dawn of the church, when Christians were finding their footing and slowly growing; the Imperial Age, when Christianity was assigned to be the Roman Empire's "glue" and given imprimatur as a state religion; and the Holy Roman Empire, or Christendom, which is when universities formed, new forms of theology developed, the battles of Popes and Kings began, the Crusades raged on, and Christianity spread in Europe.
*) His final lecture ends powerfully. He talks about the issues of corruption and immoral behavior in the Christian church at certain historical moments, and raises several important questions, one being "Does this behavior invalidate the church's authority?" He points, though, to the lives of the saints and the effect Christianity has had on people, and suggests that while these transformed lives can't answer the question definitively, it must be kept in mind. As a Latter-day Saint (Mormon), in a church very focused on apostasy and authority (and therefore as someone who was never taught to look carefully at the Christian church beyond the first century), this was a good historical corrective: to remember that good people existed in every age of the Christian church, and for every bad Pope and priest (or even inquisition), there were thousands of people who lived better lives because they were Christian‚ many of whom we'll never know. These were true Saints.
*) His penultimate lecture talked about corruptions, and one stuck out to me: the charge that "theology used Scripture as a repository of proof texts [to prove doctrine] more than as a set of compositions that could challenge or energize thinking." I feel like this is something that my own church, the LDS church, struggles with. We read scripture, looking for things that confirm our doctrine, and ignore things that are struggling. Not a universally true trend, but as generalizations go, I think it's more accurate than I'd like.
*) I really enjoyed, to my surprise, learning about the development of monastic communities. I would have enjoyed being a Benedictine monk, I think. Something about that ordered life, in a community, appeals to me in our sometimes overly individualistic culture.
December 9, 2017
Finally finished this series of lectures. It was a very enlightening experience. This series follows Christianity from its early years right after Jesus' resurrection until the Protestant Reformation in the 1500-1600s. I adore learning more about my faith and how it got to where it is today. It started out as a rag tag branch of Judiasm to the world's largest religion.
Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson takes us from the Time of Martyrs (where Christianity was outlawed) then past when it became the official religion of the Constantine empire. The lecture continues toward the great schism between Eastern (based out of Constantinople) and Western Christianity (out of Rome). There were many hurdles along the way, as the Bible does not give us a clear set of instructions in worship, politics, or practice. And man's interpretation can be fallible. This lack of clear instructions of worship also have lead to Christianity being an easily adaptable religion, that can take hold in anyone's heart. What we take for granted today, even in basic theology, was made possible by many councils of Christian leaders before us. For example: Is Jesus' man, is He God, is He half man, half God, is He fully both? Most Christians today feel is He is fully both, however it took countless hours to reach that conclusion in the beginning. I look forward to continuing my research on Christianity after the Protestant reformation.
Dr. Luke Timothy Johnson takes us from the Time of Martyrs (where Christianity was outlawed) then past when it became the official religion of the Constantine empire. The lecture continues toward the great schism between Eastern (based out of Constantinople) and Western Christianity (out of Rome). There were many hurdles along the way, as the Bible does not give us a clear set of instructions in worship, politics, or practice. And man's interpretation can be fallible. This lack of clear instructions of worship also have lead to Christianity being an easily adaptable religion, that can take hold in anyone's heart. What we take for granted today, even in basic theology, was made possible by many councils of Christian leaders before us. For example: Is Jesus' man, is He God, is He half man, half God, is He fully both? Most Christians today feel is He is fully both, however it took countless hours to reach that conclusion in the beginning. I look forward to continuing my research on Christianity after the Protestant reformation.
February 4, 2024
Luke Timothy Johnson, a New Testament Catholic theologian, taught at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. In this audio Great Course, of 36 thirty minute lectures, he delves into his perspective of the history of Christianity. I was especially interested in his information on the growth of Christianity after Constantine. He discusses various early Christian writers and their theories of Jesus’ divinity, the Councils, monasticism, the expansion of Christianity in the East and the development of the Orthodox tradition and then the Crusades. His lecture on Charlemagne and the beginnings of the Holy Roman Empire was more history than religion, but the two definitely dovetailed.
I was pleased with the breadth of the lectures and would like to listen to the last half again some day.
I was pleased with the breadth of the lectures and would like to listen to the last half again some day.
August 9, 2017
Short Review: This is probably a 3.5 star review instead of a 3. But Goodreads doesn't allow that.
I am always glad to read (listen) to different perspectives. And I can hear slightly different emphasis from Luke Timothy Johnson (a former monk and priest) than I do from Diarmaid MacCulloch (an atheist) or the several different flavors of Protestants that I have read Christian history of the same period.
This is a fine, but nothing special Great Courses presentation of early Christianity. I am not a fan of Johnson's voice and overly emphatic presentation. But it isn't horrible.
slightly longer review at http://bookwi.se/history-of-christian...
I am always glad to read (listen) to different perspectives. And I can hear slightly different emphasis from Luke Timothy Johnson (a former monk and priest) than I do from Diarmaid MacCulloch (an atheist) or the several different flavors of Protestants that I have read Christian history of the same period.
This is a fine, but nothing special Great Courses presentation of early Christianity. I am not a fan of Johnson's voice and overly emphatic presentation. But it isn't horrible.
slightly longer review at http://bookwi.se/history-of-christian...
May 21, 2024
This was an audiobook that I borrowed from my library. The presenter was very good but spoke very slowly. Once I sped up the audio playback as someone else had recommended, I enjoyed the narrative much more.
There is a lot of information packed into this lecture series, and I may listen again to try to catch more of the information. Overall a solid history presented in a thoughtful way.
There is a lot of information packed into this lecture series, and I may listen again to try to catch more of the information. Overall a solid history presented in a thoughtful way.
January 18, 2020
Fascinating account of the history of Christianity from the early days to the start of the reformation. The author is highly credible and immensely compelling as a historian and as a speaker. He has an uncanny ability to make even arcane subjects come alive in his telling of them.
January 14, 2023
This is more a history of the Catholic Church until the Protestant Reformation than a history of Christianity. It's good for what it is. But what it leaves out are women, ideological and doctrinal changes, etc.
March 14, 2024
According to the publisher's blurb, "In 36 enthralling lectures, you meet the towering figures of Christian history ..." I admit to be very interested from time to time and I often really appreciate the lecture format; however, I am still waiting to be enthralled.
September 2, 2021
Not his best... a fair number of errors,.and a lot of very strange pronunciations. Jesus and the Gospels is much better.
December 22, 2022
Excellent. He is a great writer.
December 13, 2023
I listened to it at a faster speed, but a fascinating series by a very knowledgeable lecturer
April 21, 2024
I really like this Professor. He is very pleasant and informative. It took me a couple of days and repeats to figure out the Nestorianism vs Monophysitism thing.
August 21, 2025
This was a good starting to understanding the history of Christianity but I don’t believe that it was all impartial. It seemed more a history of the Catholic Church than a history of Christianity.
June 12, 2021
Johnson informs the class his knowledge of the development of the Christian Church after Constantine is not at the level of his knowledge of the NT and Greco-Roman philosophy. The information he provides is accurate and concise but lacks the enthusiasm he has when he teaches the Bible. I admire Johnson for taking on a teaching challenge by expanding his field of expertise. Professors can balk when a fellow academic doesn't "stay in his lane." I was able to take in the material I studied in seminary with the fresh perspective from these lectures.
June 17, 2014
I read (as in, listened) to these lectures while I was studying related topics at Yale Divinity last week. (I also varied my "diet" by also listening to the not-as-beloved series by Bart Ehrman). Johnson is superb. But you do have to give him time (as in several of the first lectures) to ready you for the topic at hand.
February 2, 2020
His voice was so annoying at first! Took me until almost halfway to get used to it. But in the end, he is an excellent teacher - love the way he placed the Christian history within wider world events. Also appreciated details on the Easter-western splits. Unfortunately not much on the reformation, it ends around that time, but still very well done.
September 13, 2013
A good read and general background history on Christianity in the early centuries. Liberal theology leaning.
August 23, 2015
Great content, goofy narrator. His pronunciation of certain words is quite surprising & distracting. Good Christian history, with a catholic bent however.
August 12, 2016
Uneven. Strong in some places, weak in others. But still worthwhile.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews