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The Early Church: From Ignatius to Augustine
An engaging introduction to the history of the early church from its emergence in the Mediterranean world dominated by Rome until the fall of Rome in the age of Augustine. Relates the story of Christianity's struggle for life during the early days of persecution; the defence of the faith against prejudice, heresy, and rivalry; the Arian debate; the rise of monasticism in the east and in the west; and the influence of Ambrose, Chrysostom, and Augustine.
George Hodges (1856–1919) was an American Episcopal theologian, born at Rome, N. Y., and educated at Hamilton College (A.B., 1877; A.M., 1882; LL.D., 1912). He served at Calvary Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1881 to 1894. In 1893 he helped establish the Kingsley Association in Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to helping immigrant workers. Afterward, he became the dean of the Episcopal Theological School at Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The high esteem in which his religious messages are held by the reading public" resulted in a number his books being reissued as a second edition in 1914.
George Hodges (1856–1919) was an American Episcopal theologian, born at Rome, N. Y., and educated at Hamilton College (A.B., 1877; A.M., 1882; LL.D., 1912). He served at Calvary Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1881 to 1894. In 1893 he helped establish the Kingsley Association in Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to helping immigrant workers. Afterward, he became the dean of the Episcopal Theological School at Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The high esteem in which his religious messages are held by the reading public" resulted in a number his books being reissued as a second edition in 1914.
157 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2007
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About the author
George Hodges
143 books4 followersGeorge Hodges (1856–1919) was an American Episcopal theologian, born at Rome, N. Y., and educated at Hamilton College (A.B., 1877; A.M., 1882; LL.D., 1912). He served at Calvary Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1881 to 1894.[1] In 1893 he helped establish the Kingsley Association in Pittsburgh, an organization dedicated to helping immigrant workers.[2] Afterward, he became the dean of the Episcopal Theological School at Cambridge, Massachusetts. "The high esteem in which his religious messages are held by the reading public"[3] resulted in a number his books being reissued as a second edition in 1914.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 21, 2020
A fantastic book. Hodges does a remarkable job of presenting approximately the first 500 years of Christianity.
His book is a perfect mix of being readable and academically complete. It really is a difficult task but our author completes it well.
I have a Masters Degree in Spirituality. In my studies, I went into depth on all of Hodges’ topics. I wish I could have had this book during my studies. His distillation of difficult material into smaller and readable prose is amazing.
I especially liked the section on Monasticism. It was accurate.
Great book. Maybe not for everyone but it gets my highest recommendation.
His book is a perfect mix of being readable and academically complete. It really is a difficult task but our author completes it well.
I have a Masters Degree in Spirituality. In my studies, I went into depth on all of Hodges’ topics. I wish I could have had this book during my studies. His distillation of difficult material into smaller and readable prose is amazing.
I especially liked the section on Monasticism. It was accurate.
Great book. Maybe not for everyone but it gets my highest recommendation.
February 23, 2022
A very interesting read, especially since it coincided with our history study.
January 19, 2020
History of a few of the popular early church figures well presented with personal comments and good story telling make this book a rather enjoyable one
December 9, 2018
Great overview of the early church fathers
Well written. Respectfully done. A good overview of the history of the early church both east and west. Good historical background info into the world circumstances that he early church faced. A reminder that although time and circumstances change...man is the same.
Well written. Respectfully done. A good overview of the history of the early church both east and west. Good historical background info into the world circumstances that he early church faced. A reminder that although time and circumstances change...man is the same.
December 7, 2018
For lovers of history, it’s always a bit sad when one realizes that the further back in time we go, the less information we have to give us a full picture of what, why, and how things happened. I think about how easy it will be 200 years in the future for people to look back on our present day since we have smart phones that take videos of everything that get quickly uploaded to YouTube. I bring this up because as much as I enjoyed this book, I really wanted more. I’m sure there are other books out there that go into more detail, but this book is basically meant to be a primer of early church history.
By the time the New Testament ends, we’re about 90 years after the birth of Christ. How does Christianity grow and flourish? I’ve always been puzzled by those who dismiss the gospels as fable and make believe. When you consider that most of the disciples were martyred (in very cruel ways in some cases) for their faith, it seems as though it would make the smart person think that these guys were truly onto something.
It also seems to be a bit perplexing that Christianity would grow the way that it did during its first 400 years of existence had it all been a hoax or a conspiracy. Unlike modern times, this new faith had to overcome obstacles of existing faiths and philosophies. Yet those who claimed to be Christians quietly clung to their faith – some being devoured by wild beasts in coliseums, others living a life of ascetic means – distancing themselves from the civilized world while living on nuts and berries and devoting their entire life to prayer and meditation. It was all worth it.
Not surprisingly, there were many divisions and schisms, just as they are today. When Constantine became the first emperor of Rome to declare himself a Christian, much good is done, but we also see firsthand why church and state should probably, in fact, be separate. One should come to faith based on their heart – not because the leaders decree it upon the population.
Although this book really isn’t linear in its presentation – it really can’t be – 400 years in only about 300 pages, it does do a good job giving the reader a good enough background of the major players, the different ways of worship – both Christian and Pagan, and the effects of why certain key players believed the way that they did.
I really wanted more, but to give such a history the attention it deserves, it would have needed to be about 3,000 pages instead of 300 pages. I also really wish I could go back in time and witness many of these events firsthand.
Note: I read this on a Kindle, and the transfer from printed word to e-book format doesn’t work very well in this instance. Most of the infractions are minor, but it can be very distracting seeing many misspelled words throughout the pages. There was one part where the author was telling about some key dates of the fourth century, and the transfer of dates accidentally shows an “8” where it should show a “3”. So I would come across a passage that talked about events that happened “in the year “872”, and I would think, “Wait. What? We’re now in the ninth century? What happened during the missing 500 years?” When one reads a book in 2016, it’s hard to know the difference between major events that happened in the year 300 as opposed to the year 800. So some cleanup is definitely needed here, and one needs to be astute as they peruse.
By the time the New Testament ends, we’re about 90 years after the birth of Christ. How does Christianity grow and flourish? I’ve always been puzzled by those who dismiss the gospels as fable and make believe. When you consider that most of the disciples were martyred (in very cruel ways in some cases) for their faith, it seems as though it would make the smart person think that these guys were truly onto something.
It also seems to be a bit perplexing that Christianity would grow the way that it did during its first 400 years of existence had it all been a hoax or a conspiracy. Unlike modern times, this new faith had to overcome obstacles of existing faiths and philosophies. Yet those who claimed to be Christians quietly clung to their faith – some being devoured by wild beasts in coliseums, others living a life of ascetic means – distancing themselves from the civilized world while living on nuts and berries and devoting their entire life to prayer and meditation. It was all worth it.
Not surprisingly, there were many divisions and schisms, just as they are today. When Constantine became the first emperor of Rome to declare himself a Christian, much good is done, but we also see firsthand why church and state should probably, in fact, be separate. One should come to faith based on their heart – not because the leaders decree it upon the population.
Although this book really isn’t linear in its presentation – it really can’t be – 400 years in only about 300 pages, it does do a good job giving the reader a good enough background of the major players, the different ways of worship – both Christian and Pagan, and the effects of why certain key players believed the way that they did.
I really wanted more, but to give such a history the attention it deserves, it would have needed to be about 3,000 pages instead of 300 pages. I also really wish I could go back in time and witness many of these events firsthand.
Note: I read this on a Kindle, and the transfer from printed word to e-book format doesn’t work very well in this instance. Most of the infractions are minor, but it can be very distracting seeing many misspelled words throughout the pages. There was one part where the author was telling about some key dates of the fourth century, and the transfer of dates accidentally shows an “8” where it should show a “3”. So I would come across a passage that talked about events that happened “in the year “872”, and I would think, “Wait. What? We’re now in the ninth century? What happened during the missing 500 years?” When one reads a book in 2016, it’s hard to know the difference between major events that happened in the year 300 as opposed to the year 800. So some cleanup is definitely needed here, and one needs to be astute as they peruse.
April 7, 2020
Interesting and informative book about the evolution of the Catholic religion
I have often wondered what became of the early church and how it developed into the religion we know as Roman Catholicism today. I have read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, some of the Apocryphal books and other writings that provided snippets of information, but I have never studied anything comprehensive.
This book is quite informative in that it traces the development of the early Church through key individuals and sects that arose during the latter years of the Roman Empire. The author introduces us to early church fathers, such as Basil, Jerome and Augustine. He gives the origins of some of the monastic movements. He explains how various heresies prompted the development of church organization and doctrine, including the Nicene creed. And you’ll see how emperors after Nero dealt with the rise of the Christian religion until it became the official religion of the empire.
Although I found more than a few typos, the book seems to be well-written, carefully researched and nicely arranged. For a good introduction to the first few hundred years of Western Christianity, this is a good choice.
I have often wondered what became of the early church and how it developed into the religion we know as Roman Catholicism today. I have read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, some of the Apocryphal books and other writings that provided snippets of information, but I have never studied anything comprehensive.
This book is quite informative in that it traces the development of the early Church through key individuals and sects that arose during the latter years of the Roman Empire. The author introduces us to early church fathers, such as Basil, Jerome and Augustine. He gives the origins of some of the monastic movements. He explains how various heresies prompted the development of church organization and doctrine, including the Nicene creed. And you’ll see how emperors after Nero dealt with the rise of the Christian religion until it became the official religion of the empire.
Although I found more than a few typos, the book seems to be well-written, carefully researched and nicely arranged. For a good introduction to the first few hundred years of Western Christianity, this is a good choice.
January 3, 2019
The book was not what I expected. Within the first few pages, there were numerous editing errors, as well as writing that is racist by today’s standards. While supposedly published recently, I then discovered that the author died 100 years ago. This explained the extreme Anglo and western bias of the book. It also explains the numerous typographical errors, which I assume are due to poor optical character recognition after scanning originals. The structure and layout of the book was well designed and otherwise interesting. But, I think this book should have been left to history rather than being republished.
December 23, 2023
This is a very thorough and thoughtful history lesson covering the important events that shaped the Christian religion in its early days - from a loose confederation of Christian communities to a Church recognizable today. I would recommend it to the scholar looking to learn the details of this period of history but not so much for the casual reader.
While the writing is excellent, it cites names and places long since having ceased to exist. In some cases the writer gives clues as to the equivalent locations on a modern map, but not always. It's frustrating that the writer didn't include explanatory maps in appendixes. It would have made it easier to follow the stories.
While the writing is excellent, it cites names and places long since having ceased to exist. In some cases the writer gives clues as to the equivalent locations on a modern map, but not always. It's frustrating that the writer didn't include explanatory maps in appendixes. It would have made it easier to follow the stories.
January 22, 2025
I was hoping for a more structured format with the lives of each early church father detailed in terms of their beliefs and where their theological positions would sit when compared with orthodoxy today. But this is not so much a doctrinal book but a history of how the early church developed. Hodges does a wonderful job of presenting the historical narrative set against its societal backdrop, including helpful notes on the emperors of the time and the political pressures in which the early church fathers ministered.
July 9, 2019
Fascinating!
A well written unbiased discourse on the early church. The author speaks of the persecutions from outside the church as well as the many conflicts within the church. Given its history, it is a miracle Christianity has survived.
A well written unbiased discourse on the early church. The author speaks of the persecutions from outside the church as well as the many conflicts within the church. Given its history, it is a miracle Christianity has survived.
November 5, 2019
Poor doctrinal history.
The New Testament was written in Greek. Origen was essentially ignorant of Greek.
Book did not mention doctrinal difficulties resulting from his apparent misinterpretation of the Greek.
The New Testament was written in Greek. Origen was essentially ignorant of Greek.
Book did not mention doctrinal difficulties resulting from his apparent misinterpretation of the Greek.
November 6, 2019
Very informative
It had a lot of good information but it felt like a 200 level class and I hadn’t taken the 100 level class yet. There are a few editing mistakes, primarily using the wrong word. The word used was spelled right but it was the wrong word.
It had a lot of good information but it felt like a 200 level class and I hadn’t taken the 100 level class yet. There are a few editing mistakes, primarily using the wrong word. The word used was spelled right but it was the wrong word.
November 24, 2019
Great, educational book.
Very educational. Explained the evolution of Christianity. From Jesus to the Catholic Church. Interesting to see how man, through life experience and philosophy (education), decided the doctrines of Christianity.
Very educational. Explained the evolution of Christianity. From Jesus to the Catholic Church. Interesting to see how man, through life experience and philosophy (education), decided the doctrines of Christianity.
December 4, 2017
Good
If you want an understanding of the early church during the time period from Ignatius to Augustine I would recommend this book.
If you want an understanding of the early church during the time period from Ignatius to Augustine I would recommend this book.
September 14, 2018
a worthwhile history
April 14, 2020
An easy survey of the time.
A very useful book if one needs a quick survey of the time. There are useful tables at the back of the book.
A very useful book if one needs a quick survey of the time. There are useful tables at the back of the book.
July 9, 2020
Fghjn
Huh huh I think you are my friend who you want!? And then your friend. Com! You should just ask you
Huh huh I think you are my friend who you want!? And then your friend. Com! You should just ask you
August 6, 2020
Development of Christianity, 3rd centry
Mixed emotions .. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but left me hanging .. Maybe some kind of summary was missing.
Mixed emotions .. It was interesting enough to keep me reading, but left me hanging .. Maybe some kind of summary was missing.
December 12, 2024
"The Early Church: From Ignatius to Augustine" by George Hodges, offers a comprehensive journey through the formative centuries of Christianity, mapping its growth from the Apostolic Fathers to the time of Augustine. This book successfully weaves together the theological, social, and political contexts in which early Christian leaders shaped what would become one of the world's largest religions.
The book’s focus on key figures such as Ignatius, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, and Augustine allows readers to understand the development of Christian thought in its historical context. Each of these figures, presented in detail, serves as a window into the challenges faced by the early church, from external persecution to internal theological debates.
I particularly enjoyed the section that contrasts the thought process and philosophical differences in the development of Christianity in the East compared to the West. Oriental vs Occidental. The author states ”The East is the land of meditation, where men think for the joy of thinking and do not require that their thoughts shall tend toward any concrete conclusion. The West is the land of action.” “The meditative man desires to withdraw from the world. He seeks a place of quiet… We live to die” “The active man desires to use and control the world. His happiness is to immerse himself in affairs… We live to live.”
What stands out to me about this work is the accessible manner in which it presents complex theological ideas, such as the debates over Christ’s divinity, the nature of the Trinity, and the early heresies. The author explains these disputes without overwhelming the reader, making it a solid choice for both newcomers to early church history and more advanced students alike.
The narrative moves fluidly between key events like the Council of Nicaea and the rise of monasticism, all while highlighting how political forces, especially during the Roman Empire, influenced the development of Christian doctrine. Augustine’s role in shaping Western Christian thought is given particular attention, closing the book on a high note as his influence stretched well into the medieval period.
In summary, "The Early Church: From Ignatius to Augustine" is an easy read for anyone seeking to understand the intellectual and spiritual foundations of Christianity. Its combination of scholarly rigor and readability makes it an essential resource for both religious scholars and history enthusiasts.
The book’s focus on key figures such as Ignatius, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, and Augustine allows readers to understand the development of Christian thought in its historical context. Each of these figures, presented in detail, serves as a window into the challenges faced by the early church, from external persecution to internal theological debates.
I particularly enjoyed the section that contrasts the thought process and philosophical differences in the development of Christianity in the East compared to the West. Oriental vs Occidental. The author states ”The East is the land of meditation, where men think for the joy of thinking and do not require that their thoughts shall tend toward any concrete conclusion. The West is the land of action.” “The meditative man desires to withdraw from the world. He seeks a place of quiet… We live to die” “The active man desires to use and control the world. His happiness is to immerse himself in affairs… We live to live.”
What stands out to me about this work is the accessible manner in which it presents complex theological ideas, such as the debates over Christ’s divinity, the nature of the Trinity, and the early heresies. The author explains these disputes without overwhelming the reader, making it a solid choice for both newcomers to early church history and more advanced students alike.
The narrative moves fluidly between key events like the Council of Nicaea and the rise of monasticism, all while highlighting how political forces, especially during the Roman Empire, influenced the development of Christian doctrine. Augustine’s role in shaping Western Christian thought is given particular attention, closing the book on a high note as his influence stretched well into the medieval period.
In summary, "The Early Church: From Ignatius to Augustine" is an easy read for anyone seeking to understand the intellectual and spiritual foundations of Christianity. Its combination of scholarly rigor and readability makes it an essential resource for both religious scholars and history enthusiasts.
August 22, 2014
Reading this shitty book has been a willpower challenge.
Oh, and don't get fooled by the "illustrated" in the title. The illustrations are few, random, and without any description to them.
Oh, and don't get fooled by the "illustrated" in the title. The illustrations are few, random, and without any description to them.
April 27, 2017
Other than the fact that there were several grammar errors in this book (I don't think it was professionally edited) I think the substance it contained was good. I would have liked to have seen more about how these Church Fathers celebrated Mass.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews