Saturday, February 22, 2014

Review: Early Christian Thinkers: The Lives and Legacies of Twelve Key Figures ed. by Paul Foster

Synopsis: In an era of dynamic change and danger, a path was forged by the early church in its first three centuries toward a lasting identity. Written by an international team of leading scholars, Early Christian Thinkers introduces the lives and works of twelve key Christians from the second and third centuries, a formative period for the church. Each chapter includes a biographical and historical overview of the thinker, a survey of the figure's major writings and ideas, a discussion of individual's influence on the formation of Christian tradition, and a consideration of the thinker's lasting significance. (from the back for the book)

Review:  I'm not sure how to rate this book. I bought it thinking it was an introduction of these great thinkers to the layperson. I was wrong. It's highly academic, using terminology form theological and , philosophical study, literary analysis and historical ideology. I didn't understand half of what they were saying. This doesn't mean it was a bad book. The authors did an excellent job of introducing the thinker and giving a fair overview of their life, works and controversies. If I was a scholar of the higher order, this would be an desired book for my studies. As I am a lay person with a singular difficulty in understanding theology and philosophy, I found it hard to muddle through.

Bookmarks: 6 of 10

Awards: None

ISBN: 978-0-8308-3937-7
Date Finished: 2-22-2014
Pages: 202

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