The Global Church---The First Eight Centuries: From Pentecost through the Rise of Islam

Discover the Variety and Unity of the Early ChurchThe Christian church of the early centuries spread throughout much of Asia, Africa, and Europe, spoke many languages, was situated within diverse cultural settings, and had varied worship practices; yet it maintained a vital unity on core teachings at the heart of the Christian faith. In The Global Church--The First Eight Centuries: From Pentecost through the Rise of Islam, author Donald Fairbairn helps readers understand both the variety and unity of the church in this pivotal era by:Re-centering the story of the church in its early centuries, paying greater attention to Africa, Turkey, and Syria, where most of the church's intellectual energy was nurturedHighlighting Christian communities outside the Roman Empire, as far afield as Persia and India, alongside those within itIdentifying key events by their global, not merely Western, significance and taking into account early Christian interactions with other religions, particularly IslamThe Global Church--The First Eight Centuries is an ideal introduction to the patristic era that broadens the narrative often recounted and places it more firmly in its varied cultural contexts. Students of the early church, formal and informal alike, will appreciate the fresh approach and depth of insight this book provides.About the AuthorDonald Fairbairn (PhD, Cambridge) is Robert E. Cooley Professor of Early Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His books include Grace and Christology in the Early Church, Life in the Trinity, and The Story of Creeds and Confessions.