Early Christian Doctrines

by J.N.D. Kelly

A history of doctrines of the Early Church, written and arranged with exceptional clarity by a leading patristic scholar. Canon Kelly describes the development of the principal Christian doctrines from the close of the first century to the middle of the fifth, and from the end of the apostolic age to the council of Chalcedon.

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

511 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

John Norman Davidson Kelly FBA (1909–1997) was a prominent academic within the theological faculty of Oxford University and Principal of St Edmund Hall, Oxford between 1951 and 1979 during which the Hall transformed into an independent constituent college of the University and later a co-educational establishment.

Early life
John Kelly was born in Bridge of Allan, Perthshire on 13 April 1909 and was the fourth of five children to his Scottish schoolmaster father and English mother. John was home-schooled by his father and graduated initially at the University of Glasgow after which he went up to Queen’s College, Oxford having secured a scholarship. At Queen’s he read classical moderations, Greats, and theology and graduated with first-class honours. Despite an upbringing as a Presbyterian he was confirmed into the Church of England and entered the ministry, attending St Stephen's House, Oxford before being made deacon in Northamptonshire.

Academic achievements
John Kelly was prominent in the theology faculty throughout his association with St Edmund Hall. He was speaker’s lecturer in biblical studies from 1945 to 1948 and subsequently held a university lectureship in patristic studies until 1976. He published widely, writing on the development of the early Christian Creeds and doctrines, his Early Christian Creeds and Early Christian Doctrines becoming standard secondary works and seminary textbooks; commentaries on the pastoral epistles; biographical studies, including studies of St Jerome and St John of Chrysostom; and The Oxford Dictionary of Popes . He was working on a companion volume to the Oxford Dictionary about archbishops when he died.

In the ecclesiastical world, he became a canon of Chichester Cathedral in 1948, a position he held until 1993. He presided over the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Commission on Roman Catholic Relations from 1963 until 1968 and accompanied the archbishop, Michael Ramsey on his historic visit to Rome in 1966. He was a founder member of the Academic Council of the Institute for Advanced Theological Studies in Jerusalem.

He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1951 and fellowship of the British Academy in 1965. He died a bachelor on 31 March 1997 and his cremated remains are interred in the antechapel of St Edmund Hall.

Reviews

[David Goetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

An invaluable work. Kelly judiciously and lucidly explicates doctrinal development and settlement in the Church from the Apostolic Fathers up through the Council of Chalcedon. He breaks the book up into three major parts: Prolegomena, Pre-Nicene Theology, and Nicaea to Chalcedon, with an Epilogue at the end covering eschatology and Mariology. Each part contains chapters on particular loci, so it's not only a great overall snapshot of development in the early Church but also an accessible and pretty concise reference for anyone looking to explore the early development of any particular doctrine and to get a brief introduction to the major players.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly simply does a fantastic job at surveying the history and evolution of early dogma through the fifth century. He treats each topic as its own, but runs through each one chronologically, and footnotes the Fathers in the primary sources voluminously.

We trace the history of the evolution of Theology proper, Christology, The Sacraments, Ecclesiology, Soteriology, Eschatology, and he even completes the book with the evolution of Mariology. Kelly's treatment is well balanced, and fair, and is the standard go to for then history of early dogma.

While more work and new research has pressed certain prevailing theories out of the way for new ones, especially in the area of Chalcedon theology, Alexandrian "school" vs. Antiochene, the theology of Theodore of Mopseustia, etc., the text as a whole is extremely well presented and has a scholarly precision and terseness that still makes this treatment go to for seminarians and theologians alike.

[Zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written, well-organized by loci (heads of doctrine), and captivating. Though JND Kelly’s goal in this book is to outline and detail (to some extent) Christian Theology in the first four centuries of the church, he does not lose the feel of a narrative or story. There are times when he harps on “puritanical” religion in an anachronistic way, and some of his “between-the-lines” biases are out of line (pun intended), but overall, this book serves as an excellent introduction to early Christian doctrine. Reading level is between popular and technical. Works of the Fathers are cited, but the prose is accessible to educated and thoughtful popular audiences.

[Peter Bringe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a valuable read. I would like to read more of the church fathers' own writings, but this was a great overview. While the early church was generally imprecise with its doctrines (although they could get very precise when that was needed, e.g. the Trinity), they often did a good job of grasping the foundations and spirit of Christianity, which is important for us to remember. This book helped me, not only learning what the early church taught, but also the process of development that goes on with theological understanding.

If you want a good understanding of what the early church taught and debated, this is the book to get.

[Christian Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being quite dated Kelly does an exceptional job or recounting the history of the church the Patristic era. In an access way he provides insight to the major events, people, and writings that have shaped Christendom. Kelly doesn’t spend large portions of time on primary sources, and this is helpful in making the book easier for audiences not as versed in the Patristics.

[Erik Graff · Rating 4 out of 5]

During my first evening at Union Theological Seminary an older student solicited my attention to certain boxes of books. He was about to graduate and wanted to unload his old coursebooks. One of them was John Norman Davidson Kelly's Early Christian Doctrines in an old edition which he assured me was still in use. I bought it and a host of other tomes. His advice was correct. Looking at it, I find notes in the margins and an almost indecipherable notecard. Reading it was like reading any well written, single-author textbook. It is dry and to the point.

[Connor Longaphie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is perfect. Not to long, but very thorough. An essential volume to any Christians library.

[Reese Walling · Rating 4 out of 5]

An objective and extremely enjoyable examination of the patristic doctrines, J.N.D. Kelly does a great job of examining the key studies of Trinitarian, Christological, and Ecclesiastical from the post-apostolic age to the end of the fifth century. Littered with quotes from all the main church fathers (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Cyril, Origen, Athanasius, Gregory, Augustine, etc.) and heretics (Pelagius, Donatus, Apollinaris, etc.), Kelly traces the main thoughts and developments of the pillars of the Christian faith, without adding in hardly any of his own personal beliefs or views on the subject (which, to me, is an incredibly impressive task given the nature of the subjects at hand). Through this book, I was able to catch a glimpse of the early church thought on the Christian's salvation (usually including the concept of deification), the nature of the Godhead in essence and in the economy of salvation, the incarnation of the Son and all it entails for both His person and how it relates to our salvation, and even an enjoying examination on the early church fathers' views on eschatology (end times). This served well as an entry into the early patristic thought. Though lacking in in-depth analysis often, Kelly's goal set out from the beginning was to give a picture of the forest without looking too much at the trees. I couldn't have been more satisfied.

[Robbie Deacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Early Christian Doctrines by J.N.D. Kelly is a formidable work of patristic scholarship, and is the most complete yet accessible work of its kind that I’ve encountered. The book treats various topics individually, such as early Christian approaches to Christ’s divinity, ecclesiology, sacraments, and sotierology. Kelly masterfully and efficiently describes the nuances of various theologians and maintains an even, detached tone, even when describing contentious issues. His handling of the trinitarian and christological debates is exceptionally clear, and could serve as an introduction for those unfamiliar with Christian metaphysics. His footnotes are a bit tricky to follow (I’m not sure what citation convention he’s using, but it’s weird), but his recommended reading at the end of each chapter makes up for it.

Those looking for a frank, detailed introduction to the early evolution of Christian thought would do well to start here!

[Justin Wilkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thick, but incredible work on a very niche area of study. The ante-Nicene period is not entirely well studied, and the breakdown of multiple doctrines in church history is great as an introduction to studying the period. Early views on Christology, Eschatology, Ecclesiology, Theology, Hermeneutics, and many others are covered and the way that those views interact especially. 4 rather than 5 stars because a very hefty portion of the book is spent on the Trinity specifically, and it felt repetitive after a certain point. Other than that, this book is a must read to familiarize oneself with the early development of doctrine that created the watershed for modern Catholicism and eventually the grounds for Reformation thinkers to push away. This period was the building block for the rest of 'church' history, and Kelly does a great job of explaining it.

[Andrew Fendrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading two books for my early church history class in seminary--a light, breezy one and a dense, weighty one. This is the dense, weighty one. A good, solid look at the development of early doctrines, but not for the faint of heart!

[David Mamdouh · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the important books in history of christian doctrines especially the chapters that discuss nestorian controversy, the theories of redemption, scarments and eschatology.

[Ben Sibley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful and interesting.

[Jarrod Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed seeing this systematic presentation of the early church fathers. I thought it was fair and thorough. I’ve been studying theology for 25, but this book taught me so many things. I recommend it to everyone.

[David Withun · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A classic work on early Christian theology. Erudite, balanced, thorough. Age alone is beginning to wear at its usefulness.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been the standard for the development of theology over the first five centuries of church history and I see no reason that should change. This book is dense and academic, but readable for those used to those kinds of writing. Each chapter focuses on a different area of development. He introduces each of the primary voices, the conflicts, and how things did or did not develop. This is a great first stop if you want to see how a particular doctrine developed through time. It is not definitive, but it will give you insight into who and where you might want to study more.

There were minor moments I found myself disagreeing with how Kelly would present someone's view. At times he would imply they were saying something that I did not see. But overall, his treatment of every individual involved was charitable and fair. He even showed respect to heretics, like Pelagian or Arius, by presenting not only their best arguments but also explaining what their motivations seemed to be.

This is a book I will find myself returning to again and again. I probably will not read it all cover to cover again. But I will turn to certain chapters or doctrines to refresh or see which fathers I need to study more. I would recommend this book to someone ready to dive deep into how doctrine developed in the patristic era.

[Darren Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent survey on the doctrines of the patristic era. What have I learned is that it is not easy to generalize and systemize the consensus of the patristic theologians, because there are lines of continuity and discontinuity among the early and later theologians, and even among the contemporaries there are some differences among them. When generalizations are possible due to majority consensus, the author will point it out to us, but this is not always the case, hence this book most of the time feels like a survey. A good and very clear-cut example to experience this would be the last chapter of Mariology. This is in my opinion a must-read secondary sources book to understand the depth and sheer complexity of the theology of the Early Church Fathers. However please do note that this book can be quite challenging and technical to read. It's only one volume but the sheer amount of information in this book is overwhelmingly huge so don't worry if you are unable to retain in your memory the fine details of what you have read. Just try to understand the big picture and get the feel for it for your first reading. Then come back and revisit it later as a reference book to help out with any historical-theology teaching project that you might be working on.

[Ben Chidester · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started learning about the early church, I should have started with this book. Kelly manages to succinctly summarize the salient features of the main points of doctrine (such as the Trinity, Christology, ecclesiology, the sacraments) and introduce you to the main figures, while remaining fairly objective in his interpretation. It is structured thematically by doctrine, and the history of each doctrine, before Nicea and the century or so afterward, is traced, with comparisons made between Eastern and Western developments. For anyone trying to get their bearings on the prominent figures and beliefs of the early church, this is an excellent reference. Primary source references are thoroughly provided, making it a great reference also for further inquiry.

[Martin Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a comprehensive work that provides much data regarding all all aspects of Early Christian thought. I enjoyed the distinctions that Kelly provided regarding the different streams of Gnosticism, whether Cerinthus, Valentinus, Basilides, etc. Such a strange esoteric branch of early Christian heterodoxy.
Kelly ably presents all the major facets of the development of Trinitarianism, from the hint of subordinationism in Justin Martyr and Origen to the full-orbed Trinitarianism of the three Cappadocian fathers.
Soteriology, ecclesiology, eschatology, and views on Mary are also covered in this volume.
It is an older work indeed. I think, however, that it remains a helpful work on the subject matter that it expounds upon.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent survey of the development of key doctrines in the church from the 2nd to the 5th century. The author's breadth of knowledge is impressive, and his writing style is accessible and easy to follow. My only concern is that this book was last updated nearly fifty years ago, but I am unaware of a more recently written book that can compare to this one. Perhaps it is time for a new study to be written, but until it is, this one is still the go-to.

[Frank Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a much better book than I was expecting. I had expected to not resonate with Byzantine theology, so that wasn’t a surprise. But I was pleasantly impressed with how the author wove those theological discussions into a historic narrative that made sense. The book covers the development of theological thought over the first five centuries of Christianity, looking at the major contributors from both east and west (Greek and Latin).

[Del Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magisterial book by the great Early Church scholar, theologian, and Anglican priest J.N.D Kelly, describing the development of doctrine in Early Christianity dating from the influences coming from the Greek and Jewish worlds through the Council of Chalcedon in the mid-5th Century. Incredibly informative and thorough on the main issues pressing up against the pre-Medieval church. Fascinating.

[Phillip Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not fun to read but it is an amazing source of information. It is packed with content and depth. It is hard to keep track of all the people he talks about at times. It is likely only useful for serious students of church history. It is dry reading but I personally learned so much that it was worth the effort.

[Will Standridge, II · Rating 4 out of 5]

An academic and accessible work on the formation and history surrounding early Chrsitian doctrines. It was laid out in a helpful format to jump around if necessary, but retains a narrative feel if you read it straight through. Incredibly helpful for anyone trying to understand how key doctrines came to be in the 1-4 centuries!

[Edwin]

I managed to read half of it. It's quite a treasure trove of specific doctrinal development in early Christianity and does not have any denominational bias.
It's a bit dry and sometimes incoherent in structure but a good read nonetheless if you are concerned with very specific doctrinal developments.

[Christian Proano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, just bear in mind that as accurate as he tries to be, you won't get the full picture and force of each Father's argument unless you actually read what they wrote and not just a quotation here and there. So feel free to use this as a to read list of Church Fathers.

[Jared Beebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book written by an Anglican scholar dealing with the theology of the early church. You can easily see the challenges the early church was facing, and this is where they put their focus and attention in combating the heresies of the day.

[Sam Nesbitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A phenomenal and magisterial account of Christian theology from the early centuries of the church. Although Kelly presents some details with a slight bias, his overall account is worthwhile and the reader will learn much about the nature and development of Christian doctrine.

[Richard Worden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic study of the development of Christian doctrines. The book has a valuable introduction to Gnosticism.