VARIETIES OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

In Varieties of Early Christianity: The Formation of the Western Christian Tradition, Rebecca I. Denova presents a broad and balanced account of the origins of Christian dogma from the first through the sixth century CE. Using a multidisciplinary Religious Studies approach, the author places the early sources of Christian teaching within their historical and cultural contexts while exploring the events and individuals that helped establish the practice of modern Christianity.

Assuming no prior background in the subject, this reader-friendly textbook provides the religious and cultural background of Judaism and Greco-Roman religion and culture--the two major contributors to Christian thought--and explores how the worldviews, politics, and daily lives of early Christians shaped the concepts and rituals that Christians follow in the present day.

Chronologically organized chapters describe the relationship between the Judaism of the Jewish Scriptures and the new Christian sects, the Christianization of the Roman Empire, the contributions of the early Church Fathers and Bishops, and more. Throughout the book, concise analyses of key scholarly and archaeological research are supported by excerpts from primary documents and numerous figures, timelines, and maps.

Varieties of Early Christianity: The Formation of the Western Christian Tradition is an excellent textbook for secondary school classes and college undergraduate courses on the history of Christianity, and a valuable resource for general readers interested in examining the history of Christian ideas in their historical context.