Church History
MY CHIEF AND I Author Atherton Wylde (Frances Colenso)
“My Chief and I” was written by Frances Colenso to defend the honour of the man she loved – L L Col. Anthony Durnford – and to protest against the harsh punishment meted out to the Hlubi and Ngwe peoples of Natal following the Langalibalele “uprising” of 1873. To convey her message, she had to assume a male persona as nineteenth century attitudes excluded women from colonial politics and military exploits. She also had to keep from public knowledge the bond between herself and Durnford.
In the guise of a young civilian assistant, Frances Colenso tells of Durnford’s work in the Drakensberg as he supervised the blocking of all the mountain passes after the Natal government’s unsuccessful attempt to stop Langalibalele’s flight into Lesotho. She also includes the skirmish in which three young Carbineers were killed in 1873, and the sequel, Five Years Later, brings her story to a close with Durnford’s heroic death at Isandlwana in 1879.
After a lot of searching, I eventually found the grave of Colonel Durnford !!!!!
This was a fascinating read by Bishop Colonel’s daughter and a book which lovers of Natal History will cherish and enjoy.
A HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT Author J. Gonzalez
“This acclaimed, three-volume series has been completely revised to provide a readable, definitive, and completely updates treatment of the evolution of Christian thought from the early church to the great flowering of Enlightenment, to the twentieth century.
Sifting through Christianity’s major thinkers and the church’s logical evolution, Gonzalez provides one of the most authoritative and accessible odysseys of Christian thought available.
A History of Christian Thought includes: Volume 1, From the Beginnings to the Council of Chalcedon, Volume 11, From Augustine to the Eve of the Reformation, and Volume 111, From the Protestant Reformation to the Twentieth Century.”
“Among the best in its field.”
For those who love reading Church History and Historical Theology this is the very best, covering the period from Augustine to the Reformation. A brilliant read on Church History, brilliantly researched and simply well written … I loved it…
THE LION HANDBOOK HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY
This Handbook presents a comprehensive, colourful, reliable account of this exciting story.
The seven parts introduce the history of Christianity worldwide, period-by-period, up to the present day. 23 specially commissioned main chapters by expert historians form the framework within which 148 short features appear: on people, movements and subjects of special interest. 562 pictures – 218 of them in full colour – give the “feel” of each period. 30 maps, diagrams and time-charts help the reader to understand and interpret the story, giving a “bird’s-eye view” of events. Colour-coding of the different parts and a whole section of indexes make it easy to find the way and use the book for reference.
The emphasis of the book is on growth and vitality rather than church institutions, giving a broad understanding of a whole period, then spotlighting the key Christian movements and outstanding personalities. The Handbook has been written by an international team of 70 contributors drawn from ten countries. They write both objectively as historians and as Christians with a personal knowledge of the subject, anxious to introduce to every reader the richness of the heritage they have themselves discovered.
Magnificent book if you are looking for an excellent summary of the History of Christianity from the beginning up to today. I try to read this book every year, it really is outstanding. Sell your bed to buy it. It is expensive but worth every cent!!!
THE UNQUENCHABLE FLAME (Discovering the Heart of the Reformation)
AUTHOR M. REEVES
“That fire which all the world shall never be able to quench.”
That is how Richard Sibbes described the spiritual passion God kindled through Martin Luther at the dawn of the Reformation.
This remarkable book, a remarkably accessible introduction to the reformation, brings to life the movement’s most colourful characters:
- Luther
- Calvin
- Zwingli
- The Puritans
Mark Dever wrote:
“With the skill of a scholar and the art of a storyteller, Reeves has written what is, quite simply, the best introduction to the Reformation I have ever read.”
A brilliant read!!! If you love Church History, you will love this book.
HER-STORIES Author I. Phiri
The editor in her introduction writes:
“We invite you to come and sit around the campfire with us. Our foremothers our present mothers and our future mothers are going to tell us stories. These are stories of women of faith in Africa. We have to ‘listen’ carefully because out of these stories, many truths will be revealed. The most important truth that we will learn is that African women played a very important role in the Christian heritage that Africa has come to own. We will learn of their struggles and their pains in their journeys of faith and in their attempts to articulate their spiritualities. We will also learn of their joys and their victories as they walked their difficult roads. So, as we also listen to these stories, we will cry, but we will also laugh; we will be angry, but we will also be at peace; we will lament, but we will also celebrate!
The stories we will ‘hear’ reveal a clear thread that connects church and society. They reflect the history of the different countries in which the churches operated. These are churches that, in some cases, played a significant role in the national liberation of their countries. In different ways, the women’s stories show how the struggles against racism and colonialism, necessary as they were, served to deflect interest in the oppressive gendered realities of African women. In whatever sphere or circumstances, the women were guided by a liberation ethic and consciousness. The same is true of the women who tell their stories – our foremothers, our present mothers, and our future mothers.”
I was deeply stirred and challenged while reading this book. Reading the stories of MAY LABAN, the first woman to be ordained in the Anglican Church, of EVANGELINE ISRAEL, the first woman to be ordained in the Full Gospel Church, of VICTORY NOMVETTE, the first woman to be ordained in the Congregational Church, at the age of 73, of SARAH JANE WESSELS and CORINE VAN SCHALKWYK the first woman to be ordained in the DRC, all were moving. Then the story of CHARLOTTE MAXEKE, the “mother of African Freedom” was heart-wrenching. A must-read for all who love Africa and her church.
THE STORY OF CHRISTIANITY (VOLUME 1) Author J. L. Gonzalez
For those wanting to know the history of Christianity from its inception on the day of Pentecost up to the Reformation, this is the very best book you could get.
“In this fully revised and updated edition, the lauded church historian Justo Gonzalez tells the story of Christianity from its fragile infancy to its pervasive dominance at the dawn of the Protestant Reformation. The Story of Christianity, volume 1, relates the dramatic events, the colourful characters and the revolutionary ideas that shaped the first fifteen centuries of the church’s life and thought.
From Jesus’ faithful apostles to the early reformist John Wycliffe, Gonzalez skillfully weaves details from the lives of prominent figures tracing core theological issues and development within the various traditions of the church. The Story of Christianity demonstrates at each point what new challenges and opportunities faced the church and how Christians struggled with the various options open to them, thereby shaping the future direction of the church.
This new edition of The Story of Christianity incorporates recent archaeological discoveries to give us a better view of the life of early Christian communities. Among these are advances in the recovery of Gnostic texts that have revealed a richer diversity of “Christians” in the first century. Gonzalez also includes important researched done in the past twenty-five years revealing the significant role of women throughout the history of the church.
With lively storytelling incorporating the latest research, The Story of Christianity provides a fascinating introduction to the panoramic history of Christianity.”
EXPLORING CHURCH HISTORY Author James Eckman
Church History is more than just names and dates. It’s your heritage as a Christian. And in the pages of this spiritual past is an encouraging perspective on the present and the future. When you discover that many current issues are not new at all, it should be a reassurance because, though the church has suffered much, one look at history reinforced the conviction that she will triumph in the end.
James Eckman walks you through the church’s past from the day of Pentecost to the present. This basic introduction, done chronologically, emphasized the development of the church and how it came to a consensus on what the Scriptures taught. Through it all, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and richness of your faith and its splendid heritage.
For those of you who know very little of Church History, this book is a must. It is only 100 pages long, easy to read and is a wonderful overview of Church History right up to today. I would love to give every student at KMBC a copy ….
“The Bishop must be bored …. Going through all his books!!!
THE ENGLISH REFORMATION Author Derek Wilson
“When Henry V111 turned against Rome over the issue of divorce, and adopted the Protestant religion, he changed the course of British history. Award-winning historian Derek Wilson retells the story of how the Tudor monarchs transformed the nation, and shows that although the change was political, it had a huge impact on the English identity, on England’s relationship with its European neighbors, and also informed the foundations of empire.
By 1600, England had become a different nation, in which family, work, politics, and religion were radically altered. This is the perfect introduction to one of the key moments in the British story.”
This brilliant book will explain to you the ENGLISH REFORMATION and you will read of how the BIBLE was given pride of place, how the PRAYER BOOK was put in place and how the 39 ARTICLES became the doctrinal foundation of the Church in England. You will be stirred to read afresh of Tyndale, Latimer, Ridley and Thomas Cramer, all of whom God used to bring about the English Reformation.
For Church History lovers, this will be a great read. Remember we don’t want like Church History
… we LOVE it …
SETBACK AND RECOVERY Author John Foster
“It traces the rise and fall of the Church’s fortunes through the ‘thousand years of uncertainty’ from the time when barbarian and Arab invasions toppled the power of Rome, to Christendom’s loss of Constantinople and the subsequent opening of a new age of discovery and learning.
Again, the main emphasis is on people: popes and popentates, monks and missionaries; and on the ideas and ambitions motivating the medieval Church in its efforts to establish Augustine’s ‘Holy City’ on earth. As before, copious quotations from original sources, as well as detailed maps, charts, and photographs of contemporary Christian life, support the study questions and discussion topics which are a feature of the series as a whole.”
If ever you want to read about what happened in Church History from 500 – 1500 AD, this is your book. It is easy to read, well-illustrated and a brilliant read.
STORIES OF FAITH Author Ruth Tucker
Historical and contemporary testimonies of great Christians from around the world make up the daily devotional readings found in Stories of Faith. Many of the names may be easily recognized; others the reader will see for the first time. All will come alive in the gripping, personal accounts of their conversion experiences and sacrificial ministries.
In these pages, the reader will be uplifted and challenged every day by the true-life experiences of such a “great cloud of witnesses”, and inspired by the NIV passages with each reading, taken from all sixty-six books of the Bible.
A unique book, Stories of Faith brings a panorama of colourful Christian heritage to a family around the dinner table, to Bible study groups and Sunday School classes, or to private devotional times. More than a devotional book, it becomes a treasury of fascinating, powerful stories that grip the heart and inspire personal commitment as well as public outreach.
For those of you who loved “From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya”, then this book by Ruth Tucker will be one you will want to read – I found it fantastic reading.
CHRISTIANITY THROUGH THE AGES Author E. Cairns
If you are looking for a book which will show you the history of the church from its beginning right up to today, this is your book.
This church history is unique in many ways:
- It is both conservative and interdenominational.
- It is widespread in scope, fitting Christianity into the economical, political, social, intellectual and aesthetic background of secular history.
- It is generously illustrated with class-tested diagrams, graphs and maps to clarify the text.
- It pictures the outstanding events and key figures of church history.
It was absolutely brilliant, easy to read, and everything I need to know about Church History. Truly worth buying and reading it at least once. A book worth selling your bed for!!
JOHN CALVIN – CHRISTIAN HUMANIST, EVENGELICAL REFORMER By John DeGruchy
2009 was the 500th anniversary of the birth of Calvin the Reformed theologian whose legacy has played such an important role in the shaping of modern South Africa. The popular understanding of him as grim moralist, proponent of predestination and a tyrannical God is a caricature but one that does not spring from aspect of Calvin’s legacy. The author attempts to restate the reformed tradition as a transforming force, one that opposed slavery and appartheid and that participated in the struggle for liberation and transformation in this country.
This was a brilliant read on John Calvin and I found it particularly interesting to see how DeGruchy applied it to the history of South Africa.
THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY Lion Handbook
This Handbook presents a comprehensive, colourful, reliable account of this exciting story, The bestselling Lion Handbook to the Bible (750,000 copies in print worldwide) has opened up the Bible in a new way for many people. This new Handbook is designed in the same way, to open up the dramatic events which have helped make the Christian faith what it is today.
The seven parts introduce the history of Christianity worldwide, period-by-period, up to the present day. 23 specially commissioned chapters by expert historians form the framework within which 148 short features appear: on people, movements and subjects of special interest. 461 pictures – 218 of them in full colour – give the “feel” of each period. 30 maps, diagrams and time-charts help the reader to understand and interpret the story, giving a bird’s eye-view of events.
The emphasis of the book is on growth and vitality rather than church institutions, giving a broad understanding of a whole period, then spotlighting the key Christian movements and outstanding personalities. The Handbook has been written by an international team of 70 contributors drawn from ten countries.
A magnificent survey of the Church and surely a must read … I love it …
GREAT LEADERS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Author J. Woodbridge
More than just a reference tool, Great Leaders of the Christian Church contains sixty-four inspiring articles about some of the most influential people in church history.
Place in chronological order, these biographical sketches will give you a deeper appreciation of the great heritage of the Christian church, from its beginnings with Christ and His disciples, to the early church’s martyrs, preachers, and theologians and writers. You will see how their lives made a difference.
You will not only gain respect and admiration for these great leaders, but you will be reminded of the sacrifices that were made in order to forward the church.
Great Leaders of the Christian Church will inspire you in these days of abundant opportunity to continue the work to which these men and women dedicated themselves – and for which some sacrificed their lives.
A wonderful book, could not put it down. A must read for anyone interested in Church History.
GREAT LEADERS OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Author E. Moyer
This actually constitutes Volume 1 of the Moodey Correspondence Course on Church History and is absolutely brilliant. He covers the history of the early church from the day of Pentecost up to the year 1054.
It was so good I want to make it set reading at KMBC. If you want a brilliant introduction to early Church History, then this is the book you must read.
A HISTORY OF THE EARLY CHURCH Author J.W.C WAND
There is a companion volume to the same author’s “History of the Modern Church” and Miss Deanesly’s “History of the Medieval Church”. Dr Wand’s treatment of the subject, though short, is thoroughly up to date and makes use of the latest specialist treatises. Its fresh outlook and clear style should commend it to the ordinary reader, as well as the theological student for whom it is intended.
This is a brilliant book on the history of the early church up to the year AD 500.
THE PILGRIM CHURCH Author E.H. Broadbent
If you are looking for a book which will give you an overview of the history of the Christian Church, then this is the book for you. The Evangelical Quarterly said:
“it would be different to suggest a more helpful course of study.”
Writing in an engaging style, the author will thrill your heart with the stories of unknown heroes of the faith. It will spur you on to greater devotion to the Lord Jesus and a deeper concern for His suffering people in many countries today.
CHRISTIANITY IN SOUTH AFRICA Author R. Elphick and R. Davenport
Almost three-quarters of South Africans now call themselves Christians. From colonial times, when missionaries embroiled themselves in South Africa’s frontier conflicts, until very recently, when the defenders and opponents of apartheid drew heavily on Christian doctrine and ritual, Christian impulses have profoundly shaped South Africa’s political history. Its social history has been similarly moulded by publishing houses, schools, hospitals and welfare centres under Christian control, while Christian themes and traditions have flourished in the literature, music, art, architecture and intellectual discourse of white and black South Africans.
Mainstream histories have largely ignored the Christian factor in South African history, or treated it simplistically. Here a team of specialists set out to correct this omission. Drawing on the most recent research, each chapter offers an accessible yet authoritative synthesis of one area of interaction between Christianity and South African political, social or cultural history. The book tells how Christianity spread among the various regions and peoples of South Africa. It shows how differently Christian traditions – Afrikaner, English-speaking, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, African Independent and Pentecostal – navigated the turbulence of the twentieth century. It also looks at gender, and the interaction of Christianity with other world religions: Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. It examines South African Christian literature, music and architecture and concludes with the activities and discourse of Christians in the struggles over imperialism, segregation and apartheid.
This volume can be read from cover to cover or consulted as a reference. It will quickly establish itself as a leading contribution to work in this broad field.
70 GREAT CHRISTIANS Author G. Hanks
I loved reading this book; it was fantastic, covering the lives of 70 great Christians from Peter to Polycarp, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Carey, Taylor, Spurgeon, Billy Graham up to Corrie Ten Boom.
Why was 87-year-old Polycarp thrown to the lions? How did the Quakers get their name? Who gave up fame and fortune to serve God?
Containing fascinating and inspiring insights into many lives, this book will answer your questions about famous and less well-known men and women.
What is the secret of these world-changers? God – who radically redirected their lives.
Pictures, maps and charts make this a resource, which is both informative and easy to use.
Certainly, worth selling your bed for!
THE HERITAGE OF OUR FATHERS Author G.N. Collins
Whenever the Reformed interpretation of the Bible and history is cherished, the name of G.N.M. Collins is already well known through his earlier writings, and his impact on International Church Councils as counselor and administrator.
Ordained in 1928, Professor Collins was minister of the Free Gaelic Church, Greenock, and Free St. Columba’s Church, Edinburgh, in 1963. During this period, he found time to publish several books and pamphlets – mainly historical and biographical – and for overt thirty years was editor, first, of the Instructor, and then of the Monthly Record of the Free Church of Scotland.
In the present volume, the careful research of the Church History Professor finds a facile expression that owes much to the author’s early training and experience in journalism. This combination of gifts – and perhaps the mingled strains of Anglo-Saxon practicality and Celtic mystique – have accounted for the popular appeal of his earlier books in biography and History.
For those who love reading Church History, this will be a great read focusing on the history of the Free Church of Scotland. It made interesting reading … and is brilliantly researched and written
ANGLICANS IN NATAL Author B. Burnett
Collectors of Africana will know that diocesan histories are rarities in South African literature. This book “Anglicans in Natal” is a brilliant book, incredibly well researched and expertly written by a man who later became the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in South Africa.
“Anglicans in Natal” covers the history of the Anglican Church in Natal from the first missionaries who came (Gardiner and Owen) through the Bishops Colenso, Macrorie, Baynes, Baines and Fisher up to 1953. It all corresponds with the history of the Province of Natal with which it is so closely interwoven.
For those interested in Church History, this is a great read, packed full of information regarding the starting of all the work of the C.P.S.A. in Natal, the Churches, the private schools and the hospitals.
RWANDA Author Carl Laurence
Once you read this book you will never be the same again. The darkness is the blood and pain of millions, the light is the hope of a people determined to overcome hate. The plight of one woman’s real-life pain is woven through the frightening account of a society killing itself like a virus.
Written over 20 years ago, soon after the genocide took place, this book will help you to understand why it happened, how it happened and sets the background for the miracle that has taken place in Rwanda since these horrific events took place.
A HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE WORLD Author C. Manschreck
I am so grateful to a friend who gave me this book. It describes the tension and conflicts underlying the great events in the history of Christianity right from the founding of the Christian Church down to the 20th century. It is a tale of high hopes and great disappointments, of bitter persecution and heroic endeavour, of subtle intrigue and uncompromising loyalty to principle.
It is impossible, without some knowledge of Church History, to see our own age in perspective, or appreciate fully the liberties and benefits which we now enjoy.
A challenging book for anyone with a love of Church History.
THE STORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Author J.L. Hurlbut
If I could choose one book to give to our first-year students on the history of the Christian Church, I would choose this one. It is brilliant, easy to read and captures the main events and characters. The aim of the author is to supply a book accurate in all its statement, calling attention to great events and great leaders, and at the same time in a style that is interesting and attractive.
Here is a book on the history of the Church from the day of Pentecost to 1980. It is written from an evangelical perspective and I found it refreshing and instructive.
THE NINE DAY QUEEN OF ENGLAND Author Faith Cook
Lady Jane Grey has often been called the TUDOR PAWN but to see her as one whose life was simply moved around by others is totally inadequate. In order to understand the full tragedy and triumph of her life, it is vital to grasp the far reaching political and religious changes that were shaking England at the time. The Reformation under Cranmer, Lattimer, Ridley, and Bradford touched the whole population from palace to university, from emerging town to peasant cottage.
Faith Cook has done a marvelous job in portraying this beautiful and godly young girl’s life against the background of the Reformation. Tragically Lady Jane Grey was beheaded at the age of 16 but what an incredible testimony she gave from the block … stirred me deeply.
This book is worth reading. It provided more that facts. It gives and account of a teenager, a queen of England, living for Christ in the midst of fiery trials.
THE BISHOP’S LADY Author Thelma Gutsche
This book is dedicated
“to the memory of SOPHIA MYDDLETON (Sophy Gray)
Who contributed to a developing country rare quality and talent.”
In 1897 Bishop Robert Gray and his amazing wife SOPHY came out to South Africa. Through their unbelievably hard work they established the Church of the Province in South Africa (now the Anglican Church in South Africa). This book describes how Sophy stood alongside her husband literally doing everything for him so that he could give himself to his ministry including designing Churches all around South Africa, like St. Saviours in Claremont and many others.
It is a very moving story of a remarkable woman and for those with a love of Church History you will love this book … if you can find it …
TYNDALE Author David Teems
It was an outlawed book, a text so dangerous it could only be counted by the most vicious burnings of books and men and women. But what book could incite such violence and bloodshed? The year is 1526. It is the age of Henry VIII and his tragic Anne Boleyn, of Martin Luther and Thomas Moore. The times are treacherous. The Catholic Church controls almost every aspect of English life including access to the very Word of God. And the Church will do anything to keep it that way.
Enter William Tyndale, the gifted courageous “heretic” who dared translate the Word of God into English. He worked in secret, in exile, in peril, always on the move. Neither England nor the English language would every be the same again.
This book is brilliant – Jim Cantelon said “one of the best written books I’ve ever read.”
THE STORY OF THE REFORMATION Author William Stevenson
The story of the Reformation sweeps across the pages of the 10th century history like a warm spring wind awakening winter dead trees. Here is the inspiring epic of the giants who led the way, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Cranmer, Latimer and others and how the work spread from Germany to France, Switzerland, Netherlands, England and on to Scotland.
Told simply and movingly “The Story of the Reformation” pictures the rich and wonderful Protestant heritage and the price that was paid to make it possible.
WILLIAM CAREY – A TRIBUTE BY AN INDIAN WOMAN Author R. Mangalwadi
This is not another biography of a great man. It celebrates the arrival of Carey in India by showing us the enormous impact he made on Indian culture. It greatly uproots the underpinnings of an oppressive culture, and plants the seeds of transformation. The author takes a realistic look at some of the contemporary intellectual and social evils of India, and yet brings the refreshing optimism of Carey.
It was a fascinating account of Carey’s work and a reminder of what the Gospel is able to achieve.