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History of the Christian Church, 8 vols.
Philip Schaff (1819-1893) wrote one of the finest histories of the church available. His eight-volume work, which covers Christian history from the apostles to the Swiss Reformation, incorporates discussion of ideas and ideals throughout the history of the church with the requisite facts and figures for each period of history. Each volume contains maps, charts, notes, bibliographies, and an index.
7120 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1890
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958 people want to read
About the author
Philip Schaff
1,633 books66 followersPhilip Schaff was educated at the gymnasium of Stuttgart, and at the universities of Tübingen, Halle and Berlin, where he was successively influenced by Baur and Schmid, by Tholuck and Julius Müller, by David Strauss and, above all, Neander. At Berlin, in 1841, he took the degree of B.D., and passed examinations for a professorship. He then traveled through Italy and Sicily as tutor to Baron Krischer. In 1842 he was Privatdozent in the University of Berlin, where he lectured on exegesis and church history. In 1843 he was called to become professor of church history and Biblical literature in the German Reformed Theological Seminary of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, then the only seminary of that church in America.
On his journey he stayed in England and met Edward Pusey and other Tractarians. His inaugural address on The Principle of Protestantism, delivered in German at Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and published in German with an English version by John Williamson Nevin was a pioneer work in English in the field of symbolics (that is, the authoritative ecclesiastical formulations of religious doctrines in creeds or confessions). This address and the "Mercersburg Theology" which he taught seemed too pro-Catholic to some, and he was charged with heresy. But, at the synod at York in 1845, he was unanimously acquitted.
Schaff's broad views strongly influenced the German Reformed Church, through his teaching at Mercersburg, through his championship of English in German Reformed churches and schools in America, through his hymnal (1859), through his labours as chairman of the committee which prepared a new liturgy, and by his edition (1863) of the Heidelberg Catechism. His History of the Apostolic Church (in German, 1851; in English, 1853) and his History of the Christian Church (7 vols., 1858-1890), opened a new period in American study of ecclesiastical history.
In 1854, he visited Europe, representing the American German churches at the ecclesiastical diet at Frankfort and at the Swiss pastoral conference at Basel. He lectured in Germany on America, and received the degree of D.D. from Berlin.
In consequence of the ravages of the American Civil War the theological seminary at Mercersburg was closed for a while and so in 1863 Dr. Schaff became secretary of the Sabbath Committee (which fought the “continental Sunday”) in New York City, and held the position till 1870. In 1865 he founded the first German Sunday School in Stuttgart. In 1862-1867 he lectured on church history at Andover.
Schaff was a member of the Leipzig Historical Society, the Netherland Historical Society, and other historical and literary societies in Europe and America. He was one of the founders, and honorary secretary, of the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance, and was sent to Europe in 1869, 1872, and 1873 to arrange for the general conference of the Alliance, which, after two postponements on account of the Franco-Prussian War, was held in New York in October 1873. Schaff was also, in 1871, one of the Alliance delegates to the emperor of Russia to plead for the religious liberty of his subjects in the Baltic provinces.
He became a professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York City in 1870 holding first the chair of theological encyclopedia and Christian symbolism till 1873, of Hebrew and the cognate languages till 1874, of sacred literature till 1887, and finally of church history, till his death. He also served as president of the committee that translated the American Standard Version of the Bible, though he died before it was published in 1901.
His History of the Christian Church resembled Neander's work, though less biographical, and was pictorial rather than philosophical. He also wrote biographies, catechisms and hymnals for children, manuals of religious verse, lectures and essays on Dante, etc. He translated Johann Jakob Herzog's Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche into English.
On his journey he stayed in England and met Edward Pusey and other Tractarians. His inaugural address on The Principle of Protestantism, delivered in German at Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and published in German with an English version by John Williamson Nevin was a pioneer work in English in the field of symbolics (that is, the authoritative ecclesiastical formulations of religious doctrines in creeds or confessions). This address and the "Mercersburg Theology" which he taught seemed too pro-Catholic to some, and he was charged with heresy. But, at the synod at York in 1845, he was unanimously acquitted.
Schaff's broad views strongly influenced the German Reformed Church, through his teaching at Mercersburg, through his championship of English in German Reformed churches and schools in America, through his hymnal (1859), through his labours as chairman of the committee which prepared a new liturgy, and by his edition (1863) of the Heidelberg Catechism. His History of the Apostolic Church (in German, 1851; in English, 1853) and his History of the Christian Church (7 vols., 1858-1890), opened a new period in American study of ecclesiastical history.
In 1854, he visited Europe, representing the American German churches at the ecclesiastical diet at Frankfort and at the Swiss pastoral conference at Basel. He lectured in Germany on America, and received the degree of D.D. from Berlin.
In consequence of the ravages of the American Civil War the theological seminary at Mercersburg was closed for a while and so in 1863 Dr. Schaff became secretary of the Sabbath Committee (which fought the “continental Sunday”) in New York City, and held the position till 1870. In 1865 he founded the first German Sunday School in Stuttgart. In 1862-1867 he lectured on church history at Andover.
Schaff was a member of the Leipzig Historical Society, the Netherland Historical Society, and other historical and literary societies in Europe and America. He was one of the founders, and honorary secretary, of the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance, and was sent to Europe in 1869, 1872, and 1873 to arrange for the general conference of the Alliance, which, after two postponements on account of the Franco-Prussian War, was held in New York in October 1873. Schaff was also, in 1871, one of the Alliance delegates to the emperor of Russia to plead for the religious liberty of his subjects in the Baltic provinces.
He became a professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York City in 1870 holding first the chair of theological encyclopedia and Christian symbolism till 1873, of Hebrew and the cognate languages till 1874, of sacred literature till 1887, and finally of church history, till his death. He also served as president of the committee that translated the American Standard Version of the Bible, though he died before it was published in 1901.
His History of the Christian Church resembled Neander's work, though less biographical, and was pictorial rather than philosophical. He also wrote biographies, catechisms and hymnals for children, manuals of religious verse, lectures and essays on Dante, etc. He translated Johann Jakob Herzog's Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche into English.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 16, 2012
There are about 6844 pages in Schaff's 8 volumes. At my current pace, I will finish in about 4.5 years. The reading is actually quite good, not to academic. Schaff is a conservative and takes a conservative stance toward church history. Stay tuned.
July 30, 2017
One of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The Church is One Holy Catholic and Apostolic. Western History is Church History. The History if the World is the extension of the dominion of Christ, through His called out ones.
October 30, 2017
History of the Christian Church, 8 vols.
by Philip (and David) Schaff
Volume 1: The first volume was highly disappointing. At ~850 pages, I was half way through before the author started any history. The first 400+ pages were filled with commentary that I was not very interested in. By the end of the first volume it became evident that the author is interested in telling his own opinions about everything, rather than presenting the history in an objective way.
Volume 2: This was a great improvement on volume one, and much more enjoyable to read. However, most of the volume describes the social and philosophical sides of history and all but neglects what took place. At no point was there any historic prose. The closest to a historic discourse was the short biographies of key people in the anti-Nicene period. It seems that if you are interested in reading a history that is chronological, this set is not the one to read. I am now wondering if I will be able to complete it.
Volume 3: This volume was long (1000 pages), and covered the extensive and interesting post-Nicene era of the church. The basic structure of the volume was identical to Volume 2. The author started to overly express his own theological viewpoints, rather than simply discuss the history. As a result, he would veer into too many rants praising Augustine and Calvinist theology. His bias was especially evident at the end of the book when he highlighted the various fathers of the church. The Greek fathers (Cappadocians, John Chrysostom, etc.) had a small chapter each, while Jerome (who was apparently a rather nasty person) had two, and Augustine had three chapters. These latter chapters were especially hard to read to the authors glowing praise for one of his evident heroes.
Volume 4: This was a very interesting period of history, especially since this is a time period that I have not studied previously. The eastern church became rather static, and continued in the ridiculous antagonism amongst the various sects that were based on theological distinctives that were all extrapolations of biblical doctrine. This of course opened the door to the conquest of much of the Byzantine empire by the Saracens. Meanwhile, the western church stupidly followed the pattern of the east in wasting time on theological controversies that were again beyond the teaching of the bible. The difference in the west was the power of Rome, which forced uniformity and of course has led to some unjustifiable views from the Vatican, which ultimately must be accepted simply because the Vatican says so (and not by logic, reason, biblical theology, etc.). The time period was therefore highly depressing.
Volume 5: The main author of the history: Philip Schaff never completed the long history that he was working on. Instead, his son: David Schaff completed the last two volumes (5 and 6) following the death of his father. The younger Schaff’s writing style is more pleasant than his father. He is less inclined to pontificate on an issue of interest (my biggest complaint about Philip), but rather limits his personal views to short, often sarcastic comments. As a history book, volume 5 was well written and a pleasant reading experience. The content however was largely unpleasant. This time frame (11th to 13th Century) was filled with popes who acted like corrupt emperors, and theologians who thought it reasonable to condemn to death those who disagreed with them over trivia. Thus, except for a few heretics (who would not be heretics today), and an almost heretic: St. Francis, I greatly disliked all the significant players of the time period. The Waldenses or Waldensians were the highlight for me.
Volume 6: This volume was also written by the son: Prof David Schaff, and was similar to the previous volume in style. The later middle ages and renaissance are a particularly unpleasant time in church history. The power obsession of the papacy resulted in the inquisition, which may have even exceeded Hitler and Stalin in its evil. It also raised the sale of church offices and indulgences to a standard economic strategy to get rich while exploiting the poor. At this stage the church hierarchy had abandoned any pretence of following Jesus. The renaissance popes had much more in common with Turkish sultans, than with Jesus as they pursued power, wealth and immorality. But out of this darkness grew many sources of light. There were numerous voices within the church who cried out for reform, and biblical authority. It was interesting to see that there were many more people than simply Wycliffe and Huss. These last two are remembered because they fit the protestant story, while the many reformers who stayed within Catholicism are often ignored and forgotten. Reading about the larger set of people and events in this time period was very interesting.
Volume 7: In this volume, Philip Schaff (the elder) started the history of the German reformation. This volume started in the usual way (unfortunately), which meant that the author preached for too many pages before he started talking about any history. This part was boring for me, but then the volume improved dramatically. I was mostly unable to put the book down, and finished the volume significantly faster than most other volumes in the series. This volume was centred on the person of Martin Luther and was very interesting. I learned that Luther was even more obscene in his language than I thought, but considerably more gracious in his person. In an age when whoever ruled put to death any dissenters, Luther strongly spoke against capital punishment for any thought crimes. He only argued for serious punishment for political rebels. It was also interesting to learn more about Melanchthon, Bucer, Erasmus, and many other contemporaries of Luther.
Volume 8: This final volume covered the reformation in Switzerland, with the vast majority of the volume devoted to John Calvin. The author (unfortunately) continues to insert his own opinions and commentary into the volume, as he cannot help arguing for or against each theological distinctive. As expected from the authors devotion to Augustine, he was also extremely devoted to Calvin, and included significantly more excerpts of Calvin’s writings that any other person in the entire 8 volume set. Most of these excerpts didn’t add to the history, and therefore didn’t feel like they belonged. As a reader of the history, I couldn’t help disliking Calvin, in spite of his brilliance, sincerity and Godly life. His authoritarian and inflexibly dogmatic tendencies sounded extremely unpleasant.
by Philip (and David) Schaff
Volume 1: The first volume was highly disappointing. At ~850 pages, I was half way through before the author started any history. The first 400+ pages were filled with commentary that I was not very interested in. By the end of the first volume it became evident that the author is interested in telling his own opinions about everything, rather than presenting the history in an objective way.
Volume 2: This was a great improvement on volume one, and much more enjoyable to read. However, most of the volume describes the social and philosophical sides of history and all but neglects what took place. At no point was there any historic prose. The closest to a historic discourse was the short biographies of key people in the anti-Nicene period. It seems that if you are interested in reading a history that is chronological, this set is not the one to read. I am now wondering if I will be able to complete it.
Volume 3: This volume was long (1000 pages), and covered the extensive and interesting post-Nicene era of the church. The basic structure of the volume was identical to Volume 2. The author started to overly express his own theological viewpoints, rather than simply discuss the history. As a result, he would veer into too many rants praising Augustine and Calvinist theology. His bias was especially evident at the end of the book when he highlighted the various fathers of the church. The Greek fathers (Cappadocians, John Chrysostom, etc.) had a small chapter each, while Jerome (who was apparently a rather nasty person) had two, and Augustine had three chapters. These latter chapters were especially hard to read to the authors glowing praise for one of his evident heroes.
Volume 4: This was a very interesting period of history, especially since this is a time period that I have not studied previously. The eastern church became rather static, and continued in the ridiculous antagonism amongst the various sects that were based on theological distinctives that were all extrapolations of biblical doctrine. This of course opened the door to the conquest of much of the Byzantine empire by the Saracens. Meanwhile, the western church stupidly followed the pattern of the east in wasting time on theological controversies that were again beyond the teaching of the bible. The difference in the west was the power of Rome, which forced uniformity and of course has led to some unjustifiable views from the Vatican, which ultimately must be accepted simply because the Vatican says so (and not by logic, reason, biblical theology, etc.). The time period was therefore highly depressing.
Volume 5: The main author of the history: Philip Schaff never completed the long history that he was working on. Instead, his son: David Schaff completed the last two volumes (5 and 6) following the death of his father. The younger Schaff’s writing style is more pleasant than his father. He is less inclined to pontificate on an issue of interest (my biggest complaint about Philip), but rather limits his personal views to short, often sarcastic comments. As a history book, volume 5 was well written and a pleasant reading experience. The content however was largely unpleasant. This time frame (11th to 13th Century) was filled with popes who acted like corrupt emperors, and theologians who thought it reasonable to condemn to death those who disagreed with them over trivia. Thus, except for a few heretics (who would not be heretics today), and an almost heretic: St. Francis, I greatly disliked all the significant players of the time period. The Waldenses or Waldensians were the highlight for me.
Volume 6: This volume was also written by the son: Prof David Schaff, and was similar to the previous volume in style. The later middle ages and renaissance are a particularly unpleasant time in church history. The power obsession of the papacy resulted in the inquisition, which may have even exceeded Hitler and Stalin in its evil. It also raised the sale of church offices and indulgences to a standard economic strategy to get rich while exploiting the poor. At this stage the church hierarchy had abandoned any pretence of following Jesus. The renaissance popes had much more in common with Turkish sultans, than with Jesus as they pursued power, wealth and immorality. But out of this darkness grew many sources of light. There were numerous voices within the church who cried out for reform, and biblical authority. It was interesting to see that there were many more people than simply Wycliffe and Huss. These last two are remembered because they fit the protestant story, while the many reformers who stayed within Catholicism are often ignored and forgotten. Reading about the larger set of people and events in this time period was very interesting.
Volume 7: In this volume, Philip Schaff (the elder) started the history of the German reformation. This volume started in the usual way (unfortunately), which meant that the author preached for too many pages before he started talking about any history. This part was boring for me, but then the volume improved dramatically. I was mostly unable to put the book down, and finished the volume significantly faster than most other volumes in the series. This volume was centred on the person of Martin Luther and was very interesting. I learned that Luther was even more obscene in his language than I thought, but considerably more gracious in his person. In an age when whoever ruled put to death any dissenters, Luther strongly spoke against capital punishment for any thought crimes. He only argued for serious punishment for political rebels. It was also interesting to learn more about Melanchthon, Bucer, Erasmus, and many other contemporaries of Luther.
Volume 8: This final volume covered the reformation in Switzerland, with the vast majority of the volume devoted to John Calvin. The author (unfortunately) continues to insert his own opinions and commentary into the volume, as he cannot help arguing for or against each theological distinctive. As expected from the authors devotion to Augustine, he was also extremely devoted to Calvin, and included significantly more excerpts of Calvin’s writings that any other person in the entire 8 volume set. Most of these excerpts didn’t add to the history, and therefore didn’t feel like they belonged. As a reader of the history, I couldn’t help disliking Calvin, in spite of his brilliance, sincerity and Godly life. His authoritarian and inflexibly dogmatic tendencies sounded extremely unpleasant.
September 5, 2011
Insightful comments. Written in the old style of academic work where the author's opinions are more clearly seen. His devotional comments along the way are very edifying.
May 3, 2020
I am going to shelve this as read, even though I have only read the first 3.5 volumes. I am currently reading the medieval volume... Which was taken up by the son, David Schaff, after his father Philip Schaff had died.
Reading Schaff's the History of the Christian Church has been terrific and I would call it essential to anyone who wants to know and understand the development of doctrine, practice, and politics in Christianity.
Schaff quotes primary sources (and has also edited many translations of primary sources) that are relevant. He does not add very much editorial (if any). Schaff's writing is almost poetic, which gives greater impact to the history. He is quotable.
PS. I went back to this history and finished reading the complete volumes. David Schaff finished two volumes of the history of the medieval church, but Philip Schaff completed volumes 7 & 8 regarding the German and Swiss Reformations. This entire work has been a source of learning and edification. My favorite parts have been reading about the German mystics and the medieval Italian monks who pre-figured the arguments of the Protestant Reformation.
For further reading, I recommend reading Jaroslav Pelikan's five books on the histories of the development of Christian doctrines which add detail in places.
Schaff is such a peaceable writer and so far I have only read books by Abraham Kuyper who would compare.
Reading Schaff's the History of the Christian Church has been terrific and I would call it essential to anyone who wants to know and understand the development of doctrine, practice, and politics in Christianity.
Schaff quotes primary sources (and has also edited many translations of primary sources) that are relevant. He does not add very much editorial (if any). Schaff's writing is almost poetic, which gives greater impact to the history. He is quotable.
PS. I went back to this history and finished reading the complete volumes. David Schaff finished two volumes of the history of the medieval church, but Philip Schaff completed volumes 7 & 8 regarding the German and Swiss Reformations. This entire work has been a source of learning and edification. My favorite parts have been reading about the German mystics and the medieval Italian monks who pre-figured the arguments of the Protestant Reformation.
For further reading, I recommend reading Jaroslav Pelikan's five books on the histories of the development of Christian doctrines which add detail in places.
Schaff is such a peaceable writer and so far I have only read books by Abraham Kuyper who would compare.
September 20, 2017
I stoped at 25% of the first volume. This book is more apologetic than critical. In his view miracles and the divine plan are part of history. Everything begins with Christ and everything leads to Him. His view is biased against everything non-christian even though at the beginning he said that a historian must be objective. He hates jews, muslims, heathens, bible critical scholars, non-believers, everyone who doesn't agree that Christ is the center of the universe.
October 14, 2016
Most excellent book. Deff recommend all Christians and non-Christians to read it. It provides a rich amount of history and it gives a lot of resources to the reader. I learned a lot in the year I was reading this book. Add to your library and your library will be satisfied.
October 7, 2007
A set I believe every Christian ought to have at least looked through. A comprehensive history of the Church from Christ right through to the middle/late reformation
Read
November 24, 20078volume set - history of the christian church from the apostles to the reformation. amazing. a LOT of anecdotal stories.
February 18, 2019
The History of the Christian Church covers the period from the Apostolic Age up to the German and Swiss Reformation. Schaff covers the entire period comprehensively, examining the political, theological and cultural history of the church. He also includes brief biographies of significant figures, both orthodox and and heretical, with more in depth examination of significant figures such as Augustine, Luther and Calvin.
The series was written by Phillip Schaff, with his son David covering the volumes on the Middle Ages after his father's death. The volumes are well written and well-researched. The wide variety of topics covered, beyond the expected cataloging the significant personages and events of ecclesiastical history, include art and architecture and liturgy. The opening volume covering the Apostolic Period could easily function as a general New Testament Introduction.
As an introduction, this volume has much to commend it. It will give the reader a broad understanding of the periods covered and is easy to read. The volumes are written at an accessible level, however, there is a clear depth of scholarship underlying the popular style. Significant portions in notes and footnotes are left untranslated. While there is scholarship underlying these volumes, the scholarship is very dated. This is most obvious in the first volume covering the Apostolic period, as critical scholarship has advanced far beyond that found in the late 19th century. While this is not fatal for the majority of the volumes, it is a point that must be borne in mind.
The biggest drawback of the volume is the author's, Phillip in particular, undisguised bias displayed throughout the book. Schaff is not content to present the facts and let the reader or the consequences of the actions make the evaluation, the evaluation is made repeatedly. The author's perspective is rarely argued, it is assumed with modernistic arrogance that looks condescendingly on those less refined members of previous generations. More than a century later, the reader can similarly look down on his author's own outdated perspective and naive optimism. This bias becomes frustrating both for its frequency and its intrusion in discussing significant theological systems and ideas. An unbiased account of history is not possible, but they can be masked and compensated for to ensure that they do not unduly obscure objectivity. Schaff does not even attempt to present an objective account.
The scope of this set is unique, however, there are too many other, better options for both a general and a detailed ecclesiastical history, which make the utility of this set minimal.
The series was written by Phillip Schaff, with his son David covering the volumes on the Middle Ages after his father's death. The volumes are well written and well-researched. The wide variety of topics covered, beyond the expected cataloging the significant personages and events of ecclesiastical history, include art and architecture and liturgy. The opening volume covering the Apostolic Period could easily function as a general New Testament Introduction.
As an introduction, this volume has much to commend it. It will give the reader a broad understanding of the periods covered and is easy to read. The volumes are written at an accessible level, however, there is a clear depth of scholarship underlying the popular style. Significant portions in notes and footnotes are left untranslated. While there is scholarship underlying these volumes, the scholarship is very dated. This is most obvious in the first volume covering the Apostolic period, as critical scholarship has advanced far beyond that found in the late 19th century. While this is not fatal for the majority of the volumes, it is a point that must be borne in mind.
The biggest drawback of the volume is the author's, Phillip in particular, undisguised bias displayed throughout the book. Schaff is not content to present the facts and let the reader or the consequences of the actions make the evaluation, the evaluation is made repeatedly. The author's perspective is rarely argued, it is assumed with modernistic arrogance that looks condescendingly on those less refined members of previous generations. More than a century later, the reader can similarly look down on his author's own outdated perspective and naive optimism. This bias becomes frustrating both for its frequency and its intrusion in discussing significant theological systems and ideas. An unbiased account of history is not possible, but they can be masked and compensated for to ensure that they do not unduly obscure objectivity. Schaff does not even attempt to present an objective account.
The scope of this set is unique, however, there are too many other, better options for both a general and a detailed ecclesiastical history, which make the utility of this set minimal.
July 12, 2017
Too much!
I will start with the positive: The price for the 8 volumes is very affordable! (About $2.50). Also the Author makes a point of showing you both the positive and negative sides of historical church leaders. That being said here is the negative side: The Author did not always define certain terms or translated certain sections; you were left in the dark at times. Some information seemed in opinion useless. While the Author was honest he did show an extremely strong bias towards Calvin and Calvinism. Conversely He put the Anabaptist in a negative light with out giving the Anabaptist equal scrutiny and consideration. In fact a whole volume is dedicated to Calvin.
I will start with the positive: The price for the 8 volumes is very affordable! (About $2.50). Also the Author makes a point of showing you both the positive and negative sides of historical church leaders. That being said here is the negative side: The Author did not always define certain terms or translated certain sections; you were left in the dark at times. Some information seemed in opinion useless. While the Author was honest he did show an extremely strong bias towards Calvin and Calvinism. Conversely He put the Anabaptist in a negative light with out giving the Anabaptist equal scrutiny and consideration. In fact a whole volume is dedicated to Calvin.
January 7, 2020
A monumental Classic in narrative history. Moderns will poo-poo because of its antiquity, and (tongue-in-cheek) it's we only who have everything figured-out ("we know so much more now than the Schaffs ever did" -- oh yes, no hubris at all, just reality!). If you must go elsewhere for a study on the Christian Church (less technical but superb), read Needham (so far 4 volumes: "2000 Years of Christ's Power" -- straight forward and generally accessible without being simplistic). Back to Schaff: most learned (but where Gonzalez's [2 Volumes] survey, sum up and generalize -- often correctly, other times, not so . . . -- Schaff paints a more comprehensive picture [I would argue, also more believable -- though, still, Gonzalez is a generally trustworthy and intelligent guide])
December 6, 2018
The author clearly covered a large portion of church history beginning with the early apostles up to the seventeenth century. There were so disappointing elements with this work. For example, Schaff tended to add an overwhelming amount of commentary and opinion to the work. Also, an inordinate amount of time in middle section was devoted to the account of the lives of numerous popes during the twelfth to fourteenth century. It is understandable that an accounting of the lead-up to the break with Rome was necessary, but it was not essential to make an account of the lives of all of these men.
February 20, 2021
A MUST read when you become a student of Theology. As it relates to so many historical events and facts, I was drawn to the material from the very first sentence to the last word.
July 22, 2025
Great read for a lay person getting a feel for church history. Critical but not blasphemous in seeking the truth of Eusebius's writings.
March 17, 2021
Back in April of 2014 I walked into a secondhand bookstore in Stillwater, MN and purchased this set of 8 volumes of Philip Schaff's History of the Christian Church for $95 on a whim and a recommendation from a friend. On the morning of March 16, 2021 I finished reading the last word of the last page of the last volume.
I feel a little bit like Alexander who wept when he saw the breadth of his domain, for there were no more worlds to conquer. It's been my habit over the past seven years to start a new volume on New Year's Day and try to finish it before the snow melts. I will miss it.
Schaff made church history come alive for me in a way few others have. These books read like novels as he takes you soaring high above the different eras for a bird's eye view, and then gets up close and personal with page-turning biographies of all the major figures. He covers the good, the bad, and the ugly with fairness and accuracy while adding his own commentary which is usually brimming with wisdom and always pointing to the invisible hand of God in the unfolding of all events.
I feel a little bit like Alexander who wept when he saw the breadth of his domain, for there were no more worlds to conquer. It's been my habit over the past seven years to start a new volume on New Year's Day and try to finish it before the snow melts. I will miss it.
Schaff made church history come alive for me in a way few others have. These books read like novels as he takes you soaring high above the different eras for a bird's eye view, and then gets up close and personal with page-turning biographies of all the major figures. He covers the good, the bad, and the ugly with fairness and accuracy while adding his own commentary which is usually brimming with wisdom and always pointing to the invisible hand of God in the unfolding of all events.
November 10, 2016
This is a great resource, the best church history history I have found. Rigorous, insightful and clearly discernable commentary (so you can see very obviously where you agree or disagree with Schaff), readable and even compelling. I wish there were a history of this callibre written in the present century. At this stage, this is the place I go to for my history needs - at least up until the point that Schaff covers (late reformation period). Approaching magisterial, five stars.
The only big and obvious problem with it is it's dated, so you will need to supplement your reading with more modern works to benefit from recent scholarship and any points at which Schaff's knowledge was deficient due to the time it was written.
The only big and obvious problem with it is it's dated, so you will need to supplement your reading with more modern works to benefit from recent scholarship and any points at which Schaff's knowledge was deficient due to the time it was written.
June 13, 2013
I can't imagine what more I could want from a 6000+ page survey of the history of the church. It's hard to believe this was written 100 years ago. The scholarship and detail are outstanding. With most topics, I imagine the interested reader might start here and the go into a more comprehensive study... But when the subject matter is the history of the church, I doubt whether a more thorough overview will be produced. I did not read every page; I read a sporadic selection of over 150 chapters and will continue to use this as a resource.
January 19, 2021
My mom was the best church historian I have ever known. This set of books was one of her go-to research places. I have been determined to read each volume of this small print, heavily noted series, and so far, so good. It is informative but I would not recommend it for any but the most serious student. The information is highly valuable but you must dig for it.
October 28, 2019
Most books are rated related to their usefulness and contributions to my research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
Read for personal research
- found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
Read for personal research
- found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
August 5, 2016
Fantastic set, does not read like a typical history book and Schaff traces God's providential work through the church in history.
July 10, 2015
Old but worthwhile for research
February 21, 2020
I chip away at these volumes slowly. Finished the second volume. Immense.
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