The Shaping of Christianity: The History and Literature of Its Formative Centuries (100–800)

Gérard Vallée presents this introduction to the formative centuries of Christianity, written for those who are new to the subject. The Shaping of Christianity surveys the development of the Christian movement in the context of the political, social, and religious milieux of the second through the eighth centuries. Vallée incorporates primary sources, charts, a map, and numerous helpful appendixes. He explores such topics as: • Cultural and religious legacies of Greek society and Judaism • The establishment of Christianity as the religion of the Empire • The division of the Empire and growing split between East and West • Early heresies and dissident factions within the church • The practice of Christian life • Christological and other theological controversies • The formation of orthodoxy and the role of early church councils • Patristic literature and history The Shaping of Christianity not only facilitates a better understanding of the patristic era, it also illuminates how the developments of the past give insights into Christian life and practice in the present.