Creeds, Councils and Controversies : Documents Illustrating the History of the Church Ad 337-461 [Paperback]

J. Stevenson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1990

This sourcebook of primary texts illustrates the history of Christianity from Nicaea to St. Augustine and St. Patrick. It covers all major persons and topics in the "golden age" of Greek and Latin patristics. This standard collection, still unsurpassed, is now available to a wider North American audience.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This sourcebook of primary texts illustrates the history of Christianity from Nicaea to St. Augustine and St. Patrick. It covers all major persons and topics in the "golden age" of Greek and Latin patristics.

"Professors of early Christianity will enthusiastically welcome the reprint of these two extremely well-selected and unsurpassed collection of documents [A New Eusebius and Creeds, Councils and Controversies]. These two textbooks have long set the standard for collections of original documents illustrating the practices and thought of early Christians. It is extremely useful for those who teach this period to have these texts back in print."
--Kevin Madigan, Winn Professor of Ecclesiastical History, The Divinity School, Harvard University

"This collection of documents from the world of early Christianity is not only handy, but also enlightening. Here, one has immediate access to ancient words on Gnosticism and Arianism, baptism and persecution, and canon and controversy. Here, in the antique, one may find something rare, something lovely, something new."
--D. Jeffrey Bingham, professor of theological studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

"J. Stevenson's classic two-volume compilation, A New Eusebius and Creeds, Councils and Controversies, assembles snippets from a wide range of hard-to-find materials: acts of Christian martyrs, conciliar documents, fragments from heretics and persecutors, inscriptions on coins and catacombs, snatches of gossip in scattered letters. The final result is a brilliant mosaic of early Christianity."
--William Harmless, author of Augustine in His Own Words --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

J. Stevenson (1901-1983) was a Fellow of Downing College, University of Cambridge. W. H. C. Frend (1916-2005) was chair of ecclesiastical history at the University of Glasgow, a Fellow of the British Academy, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Abingdon Press (August 1990)
• ISBN-10: 0687851777
• ISBN-13: 978-0687851775
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,007,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Early Church students may appreciate a shock when reading the original texts, July 1, 2006

By 

Didaskalex "Eusebius Alexandrinus" (Kellia on Calvary, Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Creeds, Councils and Controversies : Documents Illustrating the History of the Church Ad 337-461 (Paperback)

"Having studied at Yale University under specialist in the History of Dogma, one may appreciate the shock this writer had.. when he saw in the minute's of Chalcedon... A discussion and agreement about the dangers of analogia entis, analogia fidei... may be a helpful and useful corollary..." Fr. John Romanides



Church Creeds:
Creeds are church doctrines summarizing the basic doctrines of faith, stating the formal confession of religious belief. The focal and basic creed is the Shema, as confirmed by Jesus Christ, "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one;" First declarations of Christian faith was by Paul, "for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist." 1 Cor. 8:6

Church councils:
The Church held councils to resolve issues, when non Conclave dialogue failed to come to a consensus. Most councils were local, although in some cases their decrees gained wide acceptance. Non acceptance of major dogmatic themes nullify the council dogmatic decrees. The acceptance of the canons does not match within churches; while Roman Catholics regard them as binding (canonical,) only when a Pope has ratified them. Protestants recognize the authority of only the first four councils, canons of several councils have never been accepted by the reformation. As first expressed by Martin Luther, Protestants do not regard neither councils nor their canons as binding, unless they are in accordance with scripture. That is how the ancient Oriental churches only count the first three councils as ecumenical.

Church Documents:
This selection of documents on the fourth and fifth century, have been selected from an ocean of original texts by Dr. J. Stevenson, an expert on the subject. The great temptation for Early Church students is to confine their readings to secondary sources, in spite of the abundance of original texts, due to the 'multiplicity and complexity of sources,' in the editor's own words.
The material, drawing on a wide range of sources, with valuable brief notes, tables, and a map indicating modern corresponding names, have been proof read by one of the most eminent scholars on the subject, professor WHC Frend.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, October 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Creeds, Councils and Controversies : Documents Illustrating the History of the Church Ad 337-461 (Paperback)

This book is an excellent source of information on the development of doctrine in the Catholic Church in the 4th and 5th centuries. If you are interested in the Patristic era, this book is a great resource to have.