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The Church in History
A standard survey of the history of the Christian church from A.D. 33 to modern times, The Church in History by B. K. Kuiper has long been the textbook of choice for many secondary schools and Bible institutes, having sold well over 150,000 copies since first published more than a half century ago. Detailed and fact-filled yet balanced and readable, this volume offers a panoramic view of the church's growth worldwide throughout the past 2,000 years, including a comprehensive section on the church in the United States and Canada. With close to 300 photographs, maps, and timelines throughout and thought-provoking study questions at the end of each chapter, The Church in History is an excellent introductory resource for students or for anyone wanting to better understand the history of the church.
420 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1951
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 18, 2020
Every Christian should read this book.
-It becomes so much easier to distinguish between movements within Christianity that are actually subverting the Gospel when you have a complete picture of the different ideas and heresies that were once controversial but led their followers to eventually give up the faith entirely and disappear from the record.
-There is a fascinating structure of doctrine that you can see being built over the centuries. But what you also notice is that doctrinal statements are really clarifications. The truth and purity of the teaching in the Bible has always been discernible to those indwelled with the Holy Spirit, but doctrine has always been the product of controversy.
-The pagan elements that many Protestants have always wished to be purged from the Catholic Church (veneration of saints, salvation by faith+works, transubstantiation, worship with icons, tradition's co-authority with Scripture) date back to the Edict of Milan when Emperor Constantine made the Christian faith legal practice in the Roman Empire. All of a sudden, it was popular to be Christian and many in the world influenced Christian practice. I think this is a common theme in Christian history. When the church becomes popular, it becomes susceptible to worldly influence. Which leads me to:
-The true Gospel has never been popular. There have been innumerable splits and breakups in Church history. This is clearly intentional on the part of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. The world has always been a dangerous place for those who know Christ's voice and that is demonstrated by the complicated path that true followers have taken through the jagged terrain of history.
-The Church is a spiritual institution, not a physical institution. I recall my dad telling me a story about a local Christian college whose founders (in my grandfather's generation) decided not to seek to institutionalize it after their death by asking for donations. They were just going to let the ministry fall apart. I could not understand why that was at first, but I can now see fully what they were thinking. You will not find a single earthly institution that is not already doomed to failure at the outset. Everything that begins with good intentions will fall apart, whether that be in a generation or several generations or many. Institutions simply cannot guarantee that the true church will spread under their guidance. Only Christ gives such a guarantee. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27
-Geography and wars had a huge part in why Christianity is considered "Western" despite originating in the Middle East. Christianity is an Eastern religion that spread throughout the Roman Empire and north to the Germanic tribes. Then it was cut off from the rest of the world by Islam in the 600's when Muslims conquered as far West as Spain and as far North as the Caucasus Mountains. This is what separated so much of Africa and Asia from the Gospel for so many centuries. Europe was the incubation period for the Church from about 600-1500 when the Exploration Age allowed for Christians to take the alternate route around the Muslims again to India and the Far East. Nowadays, the Gospel is allowed to travel to every corner of the earth and it does. I'd bet the internet age is probably the final age of the Church. Christ is coming soon!
-It becomes so much easier to distinguish between movements within Christianity that are actually subverting the Gospel when you have a complete picture of the different ideas and heresies that were once controversial but led their followers to eventually give up the faith entirely and disappear from the record.
-There is a fascinating structure of doctrine that you can see being built over the centuries. But what you also notice is that doctrinal statements are really clarifications. The truth and purity of the teaching in the Bible has always been discernible to those indwelled with the Holy Spirit, but doctrine has always been the product of controversy.
-The pagan elements that many Protestants have always wished to be purged from the Catholic Church (veneration of saints, salvation by faith+works, transubstantiation, worship with icons, tradition's co-authority with Scripture) date back to the Edict of Milan when Emperor Constantine made the Christian faith legal practice in the Roman Empire. All of a sudden, it was popular to be Christian and many in the world influenced Christian practice. I think this is a common theme in Christian history. When the church becomes popular, it becomes susceptible to worldly influence. Which leads me to:
-The true Gospel has never been popular. There have been innumerable splits and breakups in Church history. This is clearly intentional on the part of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. The world has always been a dangerous place for those who know Christ's voice and that is demonstrated by the complicated path that true followers have taken through the jagged terrain of history.
-The Church is a spiritual institution, not a physical institution. I recall my dad telling me a story about a local Christian college whose founders (in my grandfather's generation) decided not to seek to institutionalize it after their death by asking for donations. They were just going to let the ministry fall apart. I could not understand why that was at first, but I can now see fully what they were thinking. You will not find a single earthly institution that is not already doomed to failure at the outset. Everything that begins with good intentions will fall apart, whether that be in a generation or several generations or many. Institutions simply cannot guarantee that the true church will spread under their guidance. Only Christ gives such a guarantee. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." John 10:27
-Geography and wars had a huge part in why Christianity is considered "Western" despite originating in the Middle East. Christianity is an Eastern religion that spread throughout the Roman Empire and north to the Germanic tribes. Then it was cut off from the rest of the world by Islam in the 600's when Muslims conquered as far West as Spain and as far North as the Caucasus Mountains. This is what separated so much of Africa and Asia from the Gospel for so many centuries. Europe was the incubation period for the Church from about 600-1500 when the Exploration Age allowed for Christians to take the alternate route around the Muslims again to India and the Far East. Nowadays, the Gospel is allowed to travel to every corner of the earth and it does. I'd bet the internet age is probably the final age of the Church. Christ is coming soon!
February 11, 2018
We NEED a good dialectic text of Church History. This work is a disappointing recommendation of many home school programs. SOMEONE, please write it!
This author seems to be captivated by searching out events and archetype heroes of history and then illustrating them in a dramatic manner. This creates a rather uneven accounting. If you agree that the entire western world was lost in the darkness of Catholicism until Calvin, you will enjoy this work.
But, if you acknowledge a more nuanced history of the church, a church beloved by God, but stained by the world; if you embrace a Biblical truth that transcends all people and all time to save the fallen sinners of the world; if you internalize the reality that all these people frail humans, just like we are, trying to work out their salvation with fear and trembling in the midst of a life that is often challenging and even confusing; Then, you will be as disappointed in this book as I was.
Also, it strikes me that this book has not aged well. Written in 1951, the author expresses a clarity and confidence that is lacking in today's age. This is a big concern. Our children need to be prepared to talk about the history of the Christian church and defend the gospel - this book falls short in that endeavor.
But, there really isn't anything else out there, so this is what we are left with. A deep desire for someone to write something better.
---
Updating this review to indicate that while I have not found a comprehensive church history text, Simonetta Carr's series Christian Biographies for Young Readers is EXCELLENT and a welcome complement to any classical education program. Here is one of my reviews:
Augustine of Hippo (Christian Biographies for Young Readers), Carr, 2009
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And here is an external link to the publisher so that you can see all titles currently in the series:
https://www.heritagebooks.org/christi...
This author seems to be captivated by searching out events and archetype heroes of history and then illustrating them in a dramatic manner. This creates a rather uneven accounting. If you agree that the entire western world was lost in the darkness of Catholicism until Calvin, you will enjoy this work.
But, if you acknowledge a more nuanced history of the church, a church beloved by God, but stained by the world; if you embrace a Biblical truth that transcends all people and all time to save the fallen sinners of the world; if you internalize the reality that all these people frail humans, just like we are, trying to work out their salvation with fear and trembling in the midst of a life that is often challenging and even confusing; Then, you will be as disappointed in this book as I was.
Also, it strikes me that this book has not aged well. Written in 1951, the author expresses a clarity and confidence that is lacking in today's age. This is a big concern. Our children need to be prepared to talk about the history of the Christian church and defend the gospel - this book falls short in that endeavor.
But, there really isn't anything else out there, so this is what we are left with. A deep desire for someone to write something better.
---
Updating this review to indicate that while I have not found a comprehensive church history text, Simonetta Carr's series Christian Biographies for Young Readers is EXCELLENT and a welcome complement to any classical education program. Here is one of my reviews:
Augustine of Hippo (Christian Biographies for Young Readers), Carr, 2009
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And here is an external link to the publisher so that you can see all titles currently in the series:
https://www.heritagebooks.org/christi...
October 28, 2014
I can hardly believe this book is on GoodReads! I figured it was an obscure textbook, since I borrowed it from my dad (grin). He used it to teach church history to my Sunday School class decades ago, and now I'm using it to teach my daughter's Sunday school class.
That generational use seems beautifully appropriate for the topic of church history.
This book provides a nice overview in simple language. It's been a great help as I introduce my 4th grade class to church history. Oddly enough, they're riveted, though I'm assuming it's the horror of martyrs and the shame of the Crusades that keeps them on the edges of their seats. Even Martin Luther's life is pretty exciting when you tell it right -- though next time I'll remember to hand out the gummy worms when we reach the story climax (Diet of Worms!).
(PS. I only pressed the spoiler alert button because it seemed like a funny thing to do. Will it keep anyone from reading my review?)
That generational use seems beautifully appropriate for the topic of church history.
This book provides a nice overview in simple language. It's been a great help as I introduce my 4th grade class to church history. Oddly enough, they're riveted, though I'm assuming it's the horror of martyrs and the shame of the Crusades that keeps them on the edges of their seats. Even Martin Luther's life is pretty exciting when you tell it right -- though next time I'll remember to hand out the gummy worms when we reach the story climax (Diet of Worms!).
(PS. I only pressed the spoiler alert button because it seemed like a funny thing to do. Will it keep anyone from reading my review?)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2007
This isn't the best history text I've ever read, but it was the first Church history text I've read. It was a little difficult, as I didn't find it to be organized very well. But it was still a fascinating topic.
April 14, 2025
This church history is more reformed leaning than some others I have read. In other words, it has more bias, which I am fine with. History is not just state the facts. There are heroes and villains, good guys and bad guys. Yes, there is some nuance. But still there are folks in church history that I claim as my own. There are some I will not claim, but I can learn from and need to know.
But this work suffers from a neglect of the first 1,000 years of church history. This is a common problem, particularly in shorter reformed histories. Kuiper has about 400 pages of text in my version. He gets to 1000 by page 86. I do not like this neglect of early church history by reformed historians. The Spirit was working then and our reformed fathers were happy to use writings from that period and to refer to if often.
But this work suffers from a neglect of the first 1,000 years of church history. This is a common problem, particularly in shorter reformed histories. Kuiper has about 400 pages of text in my version. He gets to 1000 by page 86. I do not like this neglect of early church history by reformed historians. The Spirit was working then and our reformed fathers were happy to use writings from that period and to refer to if often.
December 29, 2022
A general overview of church history requiring more research on areas that may spur your interest. It is fact upon fact reading that doesn't seriously engage in the questions it poses, but if you desire to do more reading, those answers could be reached by being more particular in your areas of study.
June 24, 2022
Boring treatise that nit noided every arguable idea no one ever knew about which had been recommended by a homeschool curriculum for Dialectic history studies. I wouldn't even recommend this for Rhetoric studies, much less adults.
February 13, 2024
Textbook for Church History class at Bible School. A good general introduction to most denominations and history. It is weaker in covering modern Church history i.e. post 1850's. But for High School students it would make a very good elective book.
May 30, 2018
Enjoyable
Read
September 4, 2020Only read part 1 and part 2.
February 23, 2017
If you're looking for a book with lots of detail about the history of religion and denominations, this is the book for you! With questions to go along with it and extra study exercises.
May 4, 2009
(I found an older edition of the book to re-read and am looking forward to a time to update my review.) I agree with other reviews that the book seems to be a bit disorganized. What I found is that the author gives certain aspects of history that establish the framework and then in subsequent chapters goes over that same time period to give the reader the spiritual or church attitudes. It allows the reader to see why the church might have developed in the manner that it did and helps the modern day Christian to not pass harsh judgement (when we shouldn't be judging) on the ancient church.
The book culminates in about 1981 (based on a reference in the book) and does not capture recent events or the dramatic decline experienced in the U.S. churches of late. It would be nice to see another updated edition to add more current views of the changes in the church and how the expansion of the Islamic "church" is threatening the Church today.
Overall, a very good summary of the birth and development of the Church. I would like to have an early edition of the book to see the "details" that were removed in the book for the later edition as stated in the introduction. This book will provide a foundation and thirst for more history of the Church.
The book culminates in about 1981 (based on a reference in the book) and does not capture recent events or the dramatic decline experienced in the U.S. churches of late. It would be nice to see another updated edition to add more current views of the changes in the church and how the expansion of the Islamic "church" is threatening the Church today.
Overall, a very good summary of the birth and development of the Church. I would like to have an early edition of the book to see the "details" that were removed in the book for the later edition as stated in the introduction. This book will provide a foundation and thirst for more history of the Church.
March 18, 2020
We thoroughly enjoyed this book as a family. It took a long time , but we got through it! This book-read aloud travelled along with our family through two continents and across an ocean, and it went through three formats - Kindle, a library book, and finally a book of our own. It was fascinating to see the growth and development through reading about the history of the church and share that together as a family. I was disappointed that the history stops roughly in the 1970’s. It’s a delightful thought to consider that though the church seems so writhe with divisions in our world, in the Lord’s eyes it’s one complete whole church, chosen and preciously grafted and designed put together with His heart that holds us and never fails, never stops holding us together in His gracious love.
March 1, 2010
Preachy, boring, and simplistic. Intentionally written for 5th graders, but I think they would also be bored. Too factual and informative (who cares about this stuff?). And telling me, "Right doctrine is important," is hardly convincing. A church history for younger kids needs to have stories about the great saints, in a 5th graders mind, who cares if someone is a "great philosopher." He tastes the stories a little bit (hard not to do when writing history), but he needs to eat them up. Hagiography would be way cooler.
December 31, 2023
This was an AMAZING book and probably one of my favorites. It put church history into perspective. From the apostolic fathers, to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the reformation, the colonizing of America, and into the 1900s, this book beautifully illustrated church history, it's ups and downs, through time. I really enjoyed being able to clearly see how the church was formed and altered as it got tossed around through the generations.
August 13, 2012
I had this as a Church history text book. Once my kids are old enough for it, they'll get it too. I love the fact that it is written from a Reformed view and that this obviously colors the presentation of the facts. This is Church History, not world history, therefore the theology back of all that took place is vitally important.
June 23, 2014
A middle school level textbook, quite nice overall. Stops in 1 949, and is quite dated overall, but its strong Calvinist confessionalism is a relief in a sea of politically correct historiography. Nice, cloþ-bound bindiŋ; beautiful illlustrations (retro, black & white) & typography.
September 5, 2015
As far as content, its overview of church history is decent enough (except no Thomas Aquinas??). But the writing is terrible...overly facile and boring, which deserved dropping it a star. I read this for licensure exams.
July 1, 2009
A fantastic summary of 2,000 years of church history in an easy to read and engaging style. I highly recommend this book if you want to get a good overview of the history of the Christian church.
December 2, 2010
Spectacular, well written chronicle of Christianity and its impact and growth.
May 24, 2016
Light. Very light.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews