{"product_id":"the-story-of-christianity-volume-1-the-early-church-to-the-dawn-of-the-reformation-justo-l-gonzalez-paperback","title":"The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation -- Justo L. Gonzalez, Paperback","description":"\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom its very beginning, the Christian message was grafted onto human history.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut how did a persecuted sect from a forgotten corner of the Roman Empire become one of the most powerful forces in the world? In this masterful first volume of \u003ci\u003eThe Story of Christianity\u003c\/i\u003e, acclaimed historian Justo L. González tells the epic story of the faith's first fifteen hundred years. This engaging work of Christian history makes the past come alive with insight and clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr. González skillfully navigates the pivotal events, charismatic figures, and theological debates that shaped the early and medieval church. From the days of the apostles and the church fathers to the rise of the papacy, readers will journey through the fires of Roman persecution, witness the monumental conversion of Constantine, and understand the crucial doctrinal battles of the Council of Nicea and the Arian controversy. This narrative history brings figures like the great theologian Augustine of Hippo, the defiant bishop Ambrose of Milan, and the desert monks to life, not as distant saints, but as complex people whose struggles and triumphs defined an era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow did a small Jewish sect grow to become the defining faith of Western civilization? This volume uncovers the people, controversies, and historical forces that shaped the first fifteen hundred years of the church: \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Early Church and Roman Persecution: \u003c\/strong\u003e Follow the spread of the faith from Jerusalem into the vast Roman Empire, and witness the courage of early martyrs like Ignatius and Polycarp who faced down imperial power.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConstantine and the Imperial Church: \u003c\/strong\u003e Explore the dramatic shift after the conversion of Constantine, the explosive debates of the Arian Controversy, and the pivotal decisions of the Council of Nicea.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Great Church Fathers: \u003c\/strong\u003e Encounter the brilliant minds and pastoral hearts of figures like Athanasius, the staunch defender of orthodoxy; Ambrose, the bishop who defied emperors; and Augustine of Hippo, whose thought would define Western theology for centuries.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMedieval Christianity: \u003c\/strong\u003e Chart the rise of the papacy and monasticism as forces of order in a fractured Europe, and delve into the epic conflicts of the Crusades that pitted Christendom against the Islamic world.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe Dawn of a New World: \u003c\/strong\u003e Discover the beginnings of colonial Christianity as the Spanish and Portuguese empires expand, carrying the faith to the Americas, Africa, and the East.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Justo L. Gonzalez\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/strong\u003e HarperOne\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublished:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8\/10\/2010\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 528\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.24 lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 8.94\" H x 6.06\" L x 1.43\" W\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9780061855887\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Damascus Road","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42369951334494,"sku":"9780061855887","price":47.32,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/7584\/3166\/files\/9780061855887.jpg?v=1774791508","url":"https:\/\/damascusroad.one\/products\/the-story-of-christianity-volume-1-the-early-church-to-the-dawn-of-the-reformation-justo-l-gonzalez-paperback","provider":"Damascus Road","version":"1.0","type":"link"}