The Church: A Theological and Historical Account

by Gerald L. Bray

Renowned evangelical theologian Gerald Bray provides a clear and coherent account of the church in biblical, historical, and theological perspective. He tells the story of the church in its many manifestations through time, starting with its appearance in the New Testament, moving through centuries of persecution and triumph, and discussing how and why the ancient church broke up at the Reformation. Along the way, Bray looks at the four classic marks of the church--its oneness, holiness, catholicity, and apostolicity--and illustrates how each of these marks has been understood by different Christian traditions. The book concludes with a look at the ecumenical climate of today and suggests ways that the four characteristics of the church can and should be manifested in our present global context.This accessible introduction to the church from an evangelical perspective explores ecclesiology through the lenses of church history and doctrine to reveal what it means for us today. Bray discusses the church as a living reality, offering practical ways churches and individuals can cooperate and live together.

Genres: Theology, History, Church, Ecclesiology, Christian, Religion, Church History

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2015

About the author

Gerald L. Bray (Ph.D., University of Paris--Sorbonne) is director of research for the Latimer Trust, based in London, and a research professor at Samford University, teaching in the Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. A priest of the Church of England, Bray has also edited the post-Reformation Anglican canons. He has edited several volumes of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and Ancient Christian Texts, as well as volume one of the Ancient Christian Doctrine series, all for IVP Academic. General EditorTimothy George (Th.D., Harvard University) is a renowned Reformation historian and author of Theology of the Reformers, as well as many other theological and historical works. He is founding dean of Beeson Divinity School of Samford University and an executive editor of Christianity Today.

Reviews

[Matt Pitts · Rating 3 out of 5]

More historical than theological (reversing the subtitle), but a sufficient mix of both that it is hard to pin down. Still, it manages to cover a lot of important ground and even address current concerns facing the church.

I felt more engaged in the second half than the first half, which is the opposite of what I would have expected given my interest in early and medieval church history.

[Collin Coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive and thoroughly enjoyable history of the Church. I read through it at a leisurely pace, often setting it down for a week at a time, and yet still found it easy to pick back up where I left off. Bray combines a good amount of academic and technical content with thought provoking historical commentary. At 250 pages, this is certainly something to recommend to both seminary students and the more inquisitive layperson.

[Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bray has provided us with an irenic survey of the development of the doctrine of the Church since apostolic times. It is brief, so not highly detailed. But it provides a good snapshot of the church in different stages/ages.

As a convinced Baptist, I disagree with some of his conclusions, but I appreciate his tone of catholicity.

[Marc Minter · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is the Church, with regard for both its universal and local iterations? And how are its many manifestations in the world (past and present) meaningfully expressing oneness, universality, holiness, and apostolicity?

Bray offers the reader a comprehensive and informative answer to these questions in the form of this survey. Bray has indeed written a thorough history and theology of visible Christianity.

However, Bray has also left the reader a good deal of room to answer the main questions for himself or herself. Throughout the book, Bray seems to offer more uncertainty and obstacles to overcome than he does any confident way forward.

If you’re looking for a wonderful and thorough survey, then this is a great book. If you want a thoughtful and positive argument for a particular ecclesiology, then read “The Church” by Mark Dever.

Or you can always visit a good Baptist church nearby and ask the senior pastor to join you for lunch and to tell you why he’s a Baptist. If you’re ever in East Texas, look me up!

[JD Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A helpful overview of the history and theology of the Christian church h from the time of the New Testament until now. By no means exhaustive, this is a charitable take on ecclesiology and many of the underlying distinctions across denominational boundaries. I found it especially helpful in understanding the development of the Papacy and much of the distinctions between Rome and the Eastern Orthodox churches.

[Joel Zartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read Bray without finding what he writes engaging and engrossing. He has a way of observing things that is thought-provoking, even when you don't agree. Most surveys of church history deal with the middle ages as flyover country, lingering on the east coast of the early church and hurrying for the west coast of the Reformation and the modern church, there to dwell. Bray does not, and it is surprising and welcome.

[Moses Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very unique read on ecclesiology. Bray begins by going through church history on what the church has been and why we’re at where we are at with regard to the church visible. He ends the book by examining the defined ideals of the church and then asks the tough questions of how the church measures up. Highly recommended reading for anybody studying ecclesiology!

[Ronald Dom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pra quem está iniciando no aprendizado sobre a história da Igreja e como suas doutrinas teológicas chegaram até nós, esse livro é excelente!
Já tinha lido um livro do Gerald Bray sobre Jesus e foi ele que me incentivou a continuar no autor. O livro é de fácil leitura, sem jargões teológicos e muitas referências bíblicas e biográficas. Recomendo demais!

[Mikey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay read — encouraging at points, discouraging at others, and historically insightful along the way. Admittedly, I lost interest in the last 1/3 of the book and had to drag my feet through the end. It’s much more of a church history textbook with facts, names, and dates than it is a theological analysis of the nature of the church across time.

[Zachary Horn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I generally enjoy reading Bray, and thought this was good. The subtitle is "A theological and historical account" though I would probably flip historical and theological around in terms of the depth of treatment in this work. I good introduction to the historical development of ecclesiology, but not profound in insight.

[Samuel G. Parkison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very judicial and even-handed. Consciously catholic (in the truest sense of the word). A broad perspective of the history of the universal church evangelicals need to know, particularly now when tribalism is so prevalent.

[Jody L · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Church

This was the best book I have ever read on church history and structure. The author takes the reader back to the first disciples and modern-day churches and the struggles and accomplishments. He leaves off with the principles that every denomination should hold near.

[Carlyn Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a nice overview of the formation of various denominational groupings; how they came to be, differences, similarities. A nice appraisal of what is and the difficulties going forward.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on church history and structure from ancient days to today.

[John Dube · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the spirit of unity, Bray focuses on what has divided the church into various traditions. He does so with an optimism that suggests that some of these traditions might be reunited. His focus being the universal church. Bray is never dogmatic and reminds us that we should hold many of our church practices as preferences rather than specific commands from the New Testament. (Although, he goes to far, e.g., 222-224.) This study analyses the church through both history and theology and is indeed a “historical theology.” The book covers both the history and theology of Catholicism more than similar works. Think, a more contemplative version of Olson’s, The Story of Christian Theology without the Arminianism.

[Радостин Марчев]

Книгата е написана изключително ясно - едно от нещата, които целя най-много. Въпреки това съдържанието не ме впечатли особено - не че е лошо, просто от една страна книгата е сравнително кратка, за да бъде особено задълбочена, а от друга в края на краищата оставам с впечатлението, че на практика не отговаря на въпросите, които поставя.
Това е първата книга на Брей, която чета и, да си призная, очаквах повече. Въпреки това бих опитал с други негови съчинения - на автора със сигурност не му липсват знания дори ако на места някой не е съгласен с него.
П.П. Удоволствие е да си първият, който пише ревю на нова книга в goodreads :)).

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is an interesting theological history of the church from New Testament times to the modern age. The book is not a classic, though it contains many useful insights.