Church History Reading Plan
One has to have a developed historical sense of the Church’s place in human history if one is going to defend the Church’s presence and mission in our world. This list in part supplies a foundation for such a defense.
By “defense” we do not mean that the Church’s influence on the world has always been positive. For, when one talks about “Church,” one does not always mean to include either God or the Kingdom of Saints — even though a sound ecclesiology would need to include the biggest possible of big pictures.
Sometimes, unfortunately, people are inclined to think of “Church” in terms of the priestly hierarchy, only. Because some priests and bishops have betrayed the trust of many good-willed people, many people today tend to think that this means the “Church” is what did betray, or continues to betray this trust. But sinful people, even all added up together from the long story of Christianity, do not serve as an argument against the Church: not every wicked person standing together in ranks and ranks can hope to threaten or even darken the Kingdom of God.
While a knowledge of Church history helps to understand sin’s assault on the Mission of salvation, this same knowledge teaches, also, the lofty achievements of the human will when infused with grace.
Church history is a story of the human heart, its failures and successes. And, as some have also said, a sound knowledge of Church history is one of the best means for strengthening faith today.
The order in this list is fairly important, but feel free to go at it as you please.
By “defense” we do not mean that the Church’s influence on the world has always been positive. For, when one talks about “Church,” one does not always mean to include either God or the Kingdom of Saints — even though a sound ecclesiology would need to include the biggest possible of big pictures.
Sometimes, unfortunately, people are inclined to think of “Church” in terms of the priestly hierarchy, only. Because some priests and bishops have betrayed the trust of many good-willed people, many people today tend to think that this means the “Church” is what did betray, or continues to betray this trust. But sinful people, even all added up together from the long story of Christianity, do not serve as an argument against the Church: not every wicked person standing together in ranks and ranks can hope to threaten or even darken the Kingdom of God.
While a knowledge of Church history helps to understand sin’s assault on the Mission of salvation, this same knowledge teaches, also, the lofty achievements of the human will when infused with grace.
Church history is a story of the human heart, its failures and successes. And, as some have also said, a sound knowledge of Church history is one of the best means for strengthening faith today.
The order in this list is fairly important, but feel free to go at it as you please.
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Stage 1
1. James Hitchcock’s History of the Catholic Church (the best one-volume history available) To write a one volume history on the Catholic Church is an ambitious endeavor but one which Hitchcock , a historian and professor for over 30 years, meets with grace. The work also includes a topical index which can help the student of history hone in on areas of particular interest. 2. Christopher Dawson’s The Formation of Christendom Dawson sees the final goal of history to be the formation of a universal and spiritual society. For Dawson that goal is only achievable through the institution of the Church, the sacrament of unity, but his deep faith does nothing to blunt his keen historical insights about the events and movements within the first 1500 years of the Church. A foundational text which is written for readability and with great energy. Dawson at his best. Stage 2
3. Warren Treadgold’s Concise History of Byzantium An entirely Western focus within Church History would be a disservice to the many Greek Church Fathers, theologians, and faithful believers who have gone before us. As such, we recommend Treadgold's Concise history. Treadgold works hard to chart a course through the, literal, Byzantine network of culture, economics, religion which all served to make Byzantium what it was. 4. Christopher Dawson’s Medieval Essays The past can tell us a great deal about our present and also our future and Dawson knows this. His essays collected here are designed to show the perennial or lasting importance of events that are all too often forgotten or lost in the trash bin of history. A wide-ranging work covering various topics, there is certainly something here of value to any interested reader. Stage 3
5. Thomas Madden’s Concise History of the Crusades The Middle East has remained a site for battles both secular and religious for centuries. Madden's seeks to show how these wars and battles from centuries ago have laid the foundation for current struggles. Far from being a long-ago and forgotten event, the Crusades provide us with a better understanding on the past two decades of war, terrorism, and their origins. 6. Christopher Dawson’s The Dividing of Christendom Now we come to the sequel to Dawson's Formation of Christendom. Dawson now tackles the period after the Protestant Reformation and how the divisions which occurred there, and still occur, impact our culture and our way of life today. To understand our Western culture and our current context, we have to understand its origins in this period and what comes after. Stage 4
7. Antonia Frazer’s The Gunpowder Plot Remember, remember the 5th of November. Gundpowder, treason and plot..." Famous words which still ring in our minds today, commemorating Nov 5, 1605 when Guy Fawkes attempted to destroy Parliament. A fascinating history which reads like a detective's novel, this work will provide immense background on Catholicism in England. 8. Ronnie Po-Chia Hsia’s Matteo Ricci and the Catholic Mission to China This is actually a collection of primary sources detailing the Jesuit mission to China. A turning point in history when Ricci and his compatriots through inculturation and accommodation to spread the Gospel in new ways, leading to sustained and long-lasting contact with Europe and Asia. Multiple worlds, faiths, and traditions come together, allowing the reader to form their own conclusions based on primary source documentation. Stage 5
9. John F. Schwaller’s History of the Catholic Church in Latin America Latin America remains an area of the world which cannot be understood outside of or without Catholicism. And Catholicism in turn was changed by the cultures and conditions of Latin America. This work offers a broad overview of the Church's role, both good and bad, and the tension inherent therein. 10. George Weigel’s The Irony of Modern Catholic History Lively anecdotes, illustrations, and stories are sprinkled through Weigel's work. An excellent historian, Weigel excels at crafting a readable and accessible narrative which engages. Weigel considers how even though by many external manifestations the Church is not growing, that she remains, and is actually becoming more, influential and consequential. Hence, the irony. A fantastic and enjoyable read, even for non-historians. |
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