Customer Reviews

Church History in Plain Language, 3rd Edition

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I purchased this book for a class. I expected the class to be a very long list of dates and names and... very boring. This book helped make the class very enjoyable. Needless to say, this book is NOT a very long and boring list of whatever. I don't feel like the book made me any type of Church History scholar, but that isn't its intent. It's a great introduction, very enjoyable and readable.

There are 49 short chapters, covering seven "The Age of": Jesus and the Apostles, Catholic Christianity, the Christian Roman Empire, the Christian Middle Ages, the Reformation, Reason and Revival, Progress, and Ideologies. The book is a pinch over 500 pages.

Shelley believes that "clarity is the first law of learning" and so, instead of inundating the reader with dates, names, events, etc., he gets to the plot of the story rather than to every single detail. He writes in his prologue, "Taking this 'issues' approach admittedly leaves plenty of gaps in the story. Some readers will wonder why certain important people or events are not included. But this approach has the advantage of showing to the layperson the contemporary significance of church history. Many of today's issues are not unique. They have a link with the past." And this is where I think Shelley's genius comes out. The question everyone asks in a history course is, "What has this got to do with life NOW?" Shelley answers that. He writes in such a way that the reader immediately sees the connections between what has happened and what is happening. One purpose of the book is to show that church history is relevant and I think it does that very well.

I recommend the book as an introductory reader for other Church History students.

I received this book as part of school curriculum for my daughter to read as school work. I read the first chapter after my daughter read it and I was very disturbed that the author said "Jesus chose to begin by joining a new movement in the Judean wilderness led by a prophet name John." Jesus was baptized by John and was later lead by the Spirit into the wilderness, he didn't join any movement. Next he said that "John's call to repentance and righteousness drew Jesus to the Jordan. He (Jesus) found in John's message the truth of God, so to "fulfill all righteousness" he (Jesus) submitted to john's baptism and soon afterward began His own mission..." Basically what I found is that this author is saying that Jesus was just another man trying to start up a ministry.

Also it stated that Jesus "feared that His cures would be misinterpreted, and that people would see him as just another magician..."

Next "Jesus knew that he had a unique role in God's plan of redemtion, be he feared the traditional titles for a messianic redeemer." Jesus was God's plan of redemption and Jesus didn't fear anything man could do.

I really felt that this books misses the real diety of Christ and makes him out to be just a man with a plan.

My daughter will not be reading the ramainder of this book.

Very readable - once I got started, this book kept me reading. Fascinating history of the church. I found out why there are Sunni and Shiite muslims, why the crusade happened, why the Inquisition was carried out. In perspective, these events made more sense. I like this book very much. Interesting and not boring at all.

Church History in Plain Language provides one really, really amazing thing: perspective.

In the midst of this "movement" and that "movement" in the church and in the world today, it was refreshing for my soul to grasp the reality of Jesus' kingdom throughout the past two thousand years.

I recommend this for every Christian (really) because we must know the Story that we've entered into as the people of God.

I have read this book twice now. I bought it about 15 years ago and read it while on vacation. After a year, I read it again. Church History is fascinating as you watch the progression of doctrine solidify in the early church around the Person and Work of Christ. You learn about the heresies and the church councils that had to combat them. You get to learn about the major reformations in the countries of Germany, France, England, and the United States. This book covers the impact the printed Bible had on the church and the struggles that it caused. You will learn about the power struggle between the Catholic Church and the kings of the European nations. The issue was over who was in control and how much allegiance does each have. He also covers the abuses of the Catholic Church in such areas as indulgences, appointment of Cardinals, and the corruption of some of the popes. Also, major personalities come into play as you learn about St. Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, George Whitfield, John and Charles Wesley, Johnathan Edwards, etc.

The flow is tremendous as the author moves from topic to topic - never a dull moment. Church history is not boring! The more you understand the history of the Christian Church, the more you will appreciate the church today. I find it fascinating to watch doctrines come and go as the church has struggled to be Biblical and in some case to be Traditional. The splits in the church over the years are also interesting and are with us today.

This book is readable for everyone. This book would make a great book for any Sunday School teacher that wanted to cover church history. This book is a classic that has helped many over the years. Once you start reading it, you will have a hard time putting it down. You want to see what the next event in church history is.

What a great book for the money. The best books are the books people read. And people will read this book.

Church history is an important subject because it teaches you how to worship God appropriately. The most important church history text, the Bible, shows us this again and again. But what about the history of God's church after the canon of Scripture is closed? Does it teach us anything?

For the last two thousand years God has continued to work in the lives of his people and studying this 'recent' church history continues to teach us how to worship God appropriately. The modern heresies that encourage us to dishonour God's name have all reared their ugly heads before and been wrestled with by our older brothers and sisters. And through a study of their lives and their teachings we can be well-equipped to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

But where does one begin in studying church history? Shelley's 'Church history in plain language' is just one introduction to church history among many. Why would I recommend Shelley above others?

Firstly the book was designed for the lay reader and is an easy and enjoyable to read.

Secondly the book covers the period from 6BC-1996. Many church histories will concentrate on one period (e.g. early church, reformation etc) and few do much with the 20th century - whereas Shelly tries to give a quick taste of all major events throughout church history.

Thirdly, as the book is a shallow overview of such a large period, Shelley provides suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter to use for deeper reading if the reader is craving more.

Shelley in his prologue claims that 'many Christians today suffer from historical amnesia'. If that is you, try a healthy dose of Shelley's book as an antidote to your amnesia.

So, I finished Church History in Plain Language (3rd edition, 2008) by Bruce L. Shelley last night. First of all, I want to say that the whole experience of diving in to Church history was very rewarding and enlightening. I wish I would have done it sooner. Second, I have not read any other substantial books on Church history and so therefore, can not provide any useful comparing and contrasting to other Church history books.

With that said, Church History in Plain Language is an accessible read for anyone remotely interested in Church history. It breaks it into eight larger ages starting with: The Age of Jesus and the Apostles and ending with the Age of Ideologies which takes us to the present day. The author hinted that the Age of Ideologies might be giving way to a new age in the Church, but did not step out to take any guesses at this point (for a look into what could be the new age in the Church, take a look at Phyllis Tickles' book The Great Emergence as she guides you through a crash course of Church history and explains why we may be in a shift in our present day).

The ages in the book are broken up into succinct chapters that either deal with one issue in the church (theological or otherwise) or a particular person or persons that where influential during that age. This is really what made the book doable for me. Being able to tackle a chapter at a time (about 9-12 pages) really helped me be able to digest all the information and did not require superhuman devotion to read through it. I read the book over a span of a couple months as a supplement to some other reading I was doing and this worked really well.

I especially enjoyed the coverage the book gave from the time of Christ to the Reformation. I supposed this could have been because I had not, until recently, read much about those time periods, but it really presented the information and individuals in an exciting way. Although the chapters could be considered quite light for most Church historians I'm sure, there is at the end of each chapter a list of further reading that includes around five to six more books that go in more depth for each of the chapters. This is a great resource and is part of what makes me believe that this book is a good starting point for those of us interested in Church history, but who are much to overwhelmed by many of the more textbook style books out there.

I would definitely recommend the book, keeping in mind, however, that this is my only significant exposure to Church history beyond little bits and pieces from other books of theology that I have read. The actual endeavor of learning about Church history, especially for one desiring to be Christian, is essential and I would wholehearted encourage you to dig into a book on it. Church History in Plain Language would be a great place to start.

This is an absolute must read if clear,concise and informative reading is what you are looking for. I found this book to be one of the best books on Christian History I have ever read. Sure, it will not provide what you will find in works that are volumes or twice the size (though this book is huge!), the writer has an incredible ability to take what can so often be dry as sand and he makes it so interesting I found it hard to put down. Again, a great read, if you are looking for information about the beginnings of Christian History and would like to "wet your feet" this is the book for you. Enjoy.

I love this book. It is full of great facts about church history. It got here in great time, and it is definitely a blessing to me. Thanks so much!

finally a church history book that captures the story, not just the facts. Although, it's not short on facts. Really, a great read!