Pages From Church History: A Guided Tour of Christian Classics

by Stephen J. Nichols

Traversing the line of great Christian writers from Augustine and Anselm through Carey and Bonhoeffer, Pages from Church History introduces readers to major Christian classics and the people who wrote them.

Genres: History, Biography, Christian, Church History, Nonfiction, Theology, Religion

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2006

About the author

Stephen J. Nichols (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is president of Reformation Bible College and chief academic officer of Ligonier Ministries. Previously, he served as research professor of Christianity and culture at Lancaster Bible College. He is an editor (with Justin Taylor) of the Theologians on the Christian Life series and is the author of several books, including The Reformation, For Us and for Our Salvation, The Church History ABCs, and Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life.

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nichols' stated goal is to leave the reader unsatisfied. That may sound odd, but it makes sense. This book is a brief tour of classic books throughout church history. Nichols intends this book to be an appetizer, leading the reader to delve deeper into church history and classic books. As he admits, he could have selected different authors; he could have profiled John Owen in the Puritan era, but profiled John Bunyan instead.

This book is easy to follow and understand. It is laid out by era. Nichols selects two or three works (including their authors) to profile from each era. Each chapter is about a person and one of their books; sometimes, it's not their most popular work, but one which Nichols feels is important. Then, the chapter has a short biography of the author, an explanation of his thought, a closer look at the book in question, and thoughts on the author's legacy. Each chapter concludes with a selection of sources for further study. The final chapter has a selection of more comprehensive works on church history.

As for Nichols' goal, does he achieve it? He did for me. I've already found a public-domain version of Jonathan Edwards' "History of the Work of Redemption," and I purchased Mark A. Noll's "Turning Points."

Highly recommended.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am both a bibliophile and someone interested in church history. So, I expected to find a book about books by church fathers to be AMAZING. And instead I found myself unenthusiastic, overall.

The biographical content was valuable and the lists of further recommended reading are great, but the author didn't do his subject material justice. It could have been much better written, which is a bummer.

[Emily Essmyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nichols does an outstanding job at captivating the reader's attention with each figure of church history. He provides just enough basic information about each one, yet leaves the reader with a certain dissatisfaction, causing a desire to learn more about these men of God. I would highly recommend this book for a brief glance back through the ages of church history.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to whet your appetite for the history of the church. Dr. Nichols explores ancient to modern times through a sampling of the lives and writings of some of the giants of Christianity. He succeeds in his goal of leaving you wanting to learn more, not only about the subjects of his book but others and church history in general. Definitely a good introduction to the subject.

[Patti Gray Dunkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good overview of the lives of these men whom God used for His glory. Dr. Nichols does a fine job of introducing historic, intellectual, and spiritual context in his history and analysis. This book is a valuable read.

[Spectre I · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good overview. Helped me understand how Christian thought is shaped through the years.

[Calvert Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Nichols is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. His writing is clear and captivating. It has a depth and quality that reminds me of R. C. Sproul. The best cookies are the ones you can reach.

[Misha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, readable, interesting, and informative. It makes church history a fun mix of biography and overview of important texts, without dumbing things down.

[Andrea Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Nichols was one of my professors at Lancaster Bible College. I've always loved his insight and scholarly wisdom. Learning church history is so important in our day and age. This is a great intro.