Henry Chadwick’s “the Early Church” is the first of a remarkable seven volume series of the story of Christianity published by Penguin (originally Pelican) Press in England. This volume, first published in 1967 and revised in 1993, maintains present day relevance. Because of its broad sweep, the text is not drastically altered by recent discoveries or interpretations. Constantine’s “Donation” remain the fraud we studied generations ago. And, because the author has focused heavily upon the developing theology and creedal development of Christian identity, and drawn extensively on Christian Fathers and congenial classical authors and philosophers, there is an element of timelessness to the text.
Indeed, it is probably fair to say that Chadwick’s work could rightfully be called the history of the Christian ideal, because hard data of the early Christian era is hard to come by and is itself eclectic. We know, for example, that Christians worshipped next door to the Roman Emperor Diocletian, at least for a time, but we have no idea of Mary’s final residence or tomb. The author does not fill in the blanks but is comfortable working with what he has; his goal is the sketching the endurance of the Apostolic Tradition of belief, to the point where this unity is seriously and permanently breeched by the separation of Eastern and Western Churches, a somewhat vague era in post-Justinian times.
Chadwick begins with a survey of first century Christian relations with brother Jews, Gentiles, and the Roman Empire. But once the remarkably energetic Christian mission has settled into its own subsistence in the post apostolic era and established a basic order under strong bishops such as Ignatius of Antioch, Christianity became the object of both frontal assaults and interior dissentions. Romans, for example, beheld the Church as separatist and arrogant (and in tough times, unpatriotic.) Moreover, the monotheism of Christianity offended the sensitivities of religious Roman conservatives; this would remain a problem well past the time of Constantine. Internally the Church was beset by a multitude of variations on a theme: the difficulty in accepting a human Jesus in full divine communion with the Father. Gnostics and the followers of Marcion would attack Christian belief from remarkably different vantage points, but the concern remained the same.
The Christian apologist St. Justin, or Justin Martyr (c. 160) established a template of for both Christian apologetics and the development of doctrine. He and subsequent authors would emphasize the continuity of the Jewish Scripture with the identity and mission of Christ. But Justin and others were not uncomfortable using the same methodology of incorporating the enduring wisdom of classical pagan authors. Quite the opposite. Justin and many of the Church’s greatest subsequent thinkers, on through Jerome and Augustine centuries later, were products of classical education and saw in Plato, Socrates, Aristotle and others a natural wisdom, a searching or predisposition to the ultimate truth of the Christian God revealed in Jesus Christ.
The key problem, which Chadwick gradually articulates, is the reality of classical thought itself. There were significant conceptual and linguistic differences between the Platonic (idealistic) East and the Aristotelian (realist) west. Misunderstanding and clumsy translation was rife. A strong and unified Roman Empire might have prevented wholesale rending, and Constantine seemed to appreciate an emperor’s potential contribution to Christian unity in the face of the Arian heresy of the fourth century. All the same, Constantine divided the empire geographically, a move that would make a serious problem worse. Chadwick neither lionizes nor demonizes Constantine on the whole, but he contends that later emperors, beginning with Theodosius, were more problematic in Church life. Generally illiterate in complex theological matters, emperors were prey for opportunistic or outright heretical bishops, with the result that the voices of orthodox giants such as St. John Chrysostom could and would be silenced.
The division of the empire between Rome and the new Constantinople had one more significant impact upon the life of the Church which Chadwick examines in considerable detail, the rise of the monarchical papacy. With the weight of executive and military power shifted east, the Roman West would become a shadow of its old self. The sack of Rome by Alaric in 410 was such a profound religious and psychological event that St. Augustine was compelled to elaborate his “City of God” concept. And yet Rome possessed two irrefutable advantages: its long-held position in history as the mother church established by Peter himself under the aegis of Jesus’ own words (Matthew 16:18ff), and the very bones of the great Peter and Paul. (The importance of these relics is discussed in great length in volume two of this series.)
Thus Chadwick discusses in considerable length the two “Greats” of the papal succession, Leo and Gregory. Leo is perhaps best remembered for his dealings with Attila the Hun, an indication in itself of the power vacuum in the Roman west of the fifth century. But it is his historical intervention in the Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.) which Chadwick finds as remarkable for its assumption of supreme teaching authority as its theological content. Leo asserts, almost casually, an authority over East and West, whether it be honored in the breech or not. A century later Gregory would exercise this authority in action, overseeing an ambitious missionary program to the north and west among newly arriving ethnic peoples and insuring a lasting Western Roman Church.
Chadwick does take note of some features of Christian art, sacramental worship, and the occasional anecdotal inclusion However, as noted above, this work is more of a study of the development of orthodox belief than a microscopic examination of day-to-day church life. There is inclusion of many names, places and philosophies that may be challenging, people and concepts critical for a time but now generally lost from our general historical consciousness. But all the same, the wonderment of the formulation and survival of the tenets of Christian faith is not obscured and the quest is certainly worth the effort.
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A Dull Book on a Fascinating Subject
The late Henry Chadwick, a much-admired authority on early Christianity, may have set himself an impossible task: to write a concise, coherent history of an extraordinarily complex era.If you are already comfortable with the subject, The Early Church might be for you. But for those new to early Christian studies, and that would certainly include myself, this is not the first book to read. The text is often scattershot and diffuse: too many trees, not enough forest. It's a frustrating read, and I have now read it twice--slowly. Time and again I found myself having to refer to additional sources to make sense of what I had just read. This is inappropriate for an introductory survey.To enhance this book's usefulness and increase its potential audience, a second revised edition is needed. Adding a glossary would help us novices navigate the countless -isms and schisms, ancient personages, and geographical locations that clutter the book. Maps, timeline charts, a synopsis of each chapter, and a pronunciation guide would be helpful. The typeface is in desperate need of a facelift, too.Despite the impressive credentials and reputation of the author, I cannot recommend The Early Church to a general audience. The book is crammed with information, but, again, the narrative is frequently confusing and too often reminiscent of dull encyclopedia articles. If more engaging books on early Christianity are available, I'd like to know about them.
Top reviews from other countries
William A. Gilbert
This book is recognized as a definitive account of the history of early Christianity.
Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2021
Mr. S. A. Blake
Informative, interesting, enjoyable history!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2010
Elie
This is the best account of the Church Fathers that you could get
Reviewed in Canada on February 23, 2016