Christian history Archives

Cover image of "Turning Points" by Mark A. Noll

Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. Mark A. Noll. Baker Academic (ISBN: 9781540964885) 2022 (the link and publication info is for the 4th edition of the book. My review and the cover image are of the 1997 first edition).

Summary: Twelve decisive moments in Christian history along with twentieth century events that may be turning points.

Mark A. Noll, who has taught history at several colleges, first wrote this concise distillation of Christian history in 1997. In that edition, he identifies twelve decisive “turning points” in the history of Christianity. He also discusses important twentieth century events that may be considered turning points. Noll’s method has the advantage both of focus and offering the ability to incorporate contemporaneous events.

An example of this is his first turning point, the fall of Jerusalem, and how this led to the expansion of the church. In this chapter, he incorporates discussions of the formation of the canon, apostolic succession, and the early creeds of the church.

Subsequent turning points include the Councils of Nicea (on the Trinity) and Chalcedon (on Christology), the rise of monasticism with Benedict, and the culmination of Christendom in Charlemagne. Noll next turns our attention to the East-West schism of 1054, the Diet of Worms, the English Act of Supremacy, and Catholic Reforms including the missionary order of the Jesuits. Latter chapters cover the rise of pietism, focused on the conversion of the Wesleys, the decline of Christendom marked by the French Revolution and the rise of secularity, and the Edinburgh Missionary Conference of 1910 and the explosion of Protestant Missions.

There were several things I appreciated in this work. One is that each chapter opens with a hymn from the period being covered and closes with a prayer. Another was Noll’s focus on Catholic history from the Benedictines to the reforms at Trent to the Jesuit movement, the first modern missionary movements. Protestants were latecomers. A third aspect to which I would call attention are the numerous sidebars, for example “Aquinas on Sacraments.” Each chapter includes bibliographies for further reading. Finally, Noll provides an account at once detailed and yet concise of the rise of “the secular age” or modernity at far less length than Charles Taylor!

David Komline and Han-luen Kantzer Komline co-author the newest edition. In addition to Noll’s content, the edition includes new sidebars and updated reading lists. The chapter on the twentieth century now highlights the Lausanne Conference as well as Vatican II. Because of the Lausanne movement’s global impact over fifty years, this is fitting.

The book is ideal for a college-level introductory course in Christian history or an adult education class. Likewise, it makes a great read for anyone who wants to brush up their understanding of Christian history!

Cover image of "Jingjiao" by Glen L. Thompson

Jingjiao: The Earliest Christian Church in China, Glen L. Thompson (foreword by Samuel N. C. Lieu). Wm. B., Eerdmans (ISBN: 9780802883520), 2024.

Summary: The earliest Christian Church in China came via the Silk Road in the seventh century, substantiated by the Chang’an stele and other documents.

Most renderings of the history of Christianity in China place its arrival in the nineteenth century, a product of Western missions. This lays it open to criticism as a Western imperialist effort, part of the effort to colonize China. Glen L. Thompson, in this book, summarizes the research, rooted in primary documentation, showing this is not so. Rather. he shows that the earliest Christian Church in China came via the Silk Road in the seventh century AD. Furthermore, its origins were not in the European West but the Syriac East.

In fact, Christians, gradually moving east along the Silk Road established churches along that route culminating with churches in northwest China, established by a Syriac priest, Alopen. Christianity was known as “Jingjiao” or the Luminous Teaching. It received official approval in the tang Dynasty, along with other religions. It survived, with some setbacks into the ninth century, and resurfaced briefly in the twelfth century.

This book traces the evidence that has been uncovered for Jingjiao. Most notable is the Chang’an stele, attributed to a monk, Jingjing in the da Qin Monastery. The stele first summarizes the teaching of Jingjiao, which looks very much like orthodox Christianity of a Syriac origin. Then it details the edicts of Taizong and subsequent emperors, granting permission to propagate this Luminous Teaching and traces the rise and fall of Jingjiao through the reigns of subsequent emperors. A second part celebrates the true Lord and the Tang emperors. At the bottom are details of the composition of the stele and the church hierarchy, comprising both Syriac and indigenous personnel. Thompson also discusses additional pillars and scrolls that round out the teaching summarized on the Chang’an stele. He includes appendices showing much of this material, and a line by line translation of the Chang’an stele.

Thompson explores how the material shows the challenges and efforts to contextualize the faith while remaining orthodox. Moreover, the overall consistency of this material of eastern origin with later western teaching lays the groundwork for an apologetic for the faith. It is early on the scene, Gradually, the Syriac elements give way to more indigenous elements. The contemporary Chinese church has gone further in this way. But the story of these early Christians, enjoying the approval of emperors offers great encouragement.

____________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.