Biblesoft's Early Christianity Collection -- Classic Studies and Documents is a companion collection to the Classic New Testament Studies 31-volume Collection. The Early Christianity Collection is vital for the works it offers on the development of theology and biblical interpretation during the early church period by its founding fathers. See the descriptions below for specifics on how each work will increase your ability to study the origins of Christian theology as it developed through various schools of thought and councils -- and is now passed down to inform and inspire today's interpreters and commentators. 

Special Offer: Purchase the Early Christianity Collection -- Classic Studies and Documents and the recently-released Classic New Testament Studies 31-volume Collection together and get both collections for just $124.95 -- that's $377.00 off the regular price -- a 75+ percent discount. Click to purchase this special Early Christianity and Classic New Testament Studies 45-volume bundled collection. 

Titles in this 14-volume series are:

The Church in Rome in the First Century, by George Edmundson

Eight lectures (Bampton Lectures, 1913) on the subject, by an Anglican cleric/scholar who takes a more positive view of the tradition(s) regarding Peter and the founding of the Church in Rome than most critical scholars at the time (and since). [general academic, with fairly extensive footnotes], [c.1913]

History of Dogma, by Adolf von Harnack

Harnack's influential Dogmengeschichte (History of Dogma, 6 vol. English ed.), a landmark work that is still regularly consulted and cited by historians and theologians. Harnack was almost universally regarded as the leading expert on early Church History and Doctrine, especially for the ante-Nicene period. His ground-breaking work helped establish more serious critical study of the early Christianity and the Fathers. [Scholarly, with extensive documentation], [1894 Engl. Ed., transl. from the German]

Mission and Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries, by Adolf von Harnack   

This work on early Christian history is somewhat more approachable and easier to follow than Harnack's great work on Dogma, though it still is quite scholarly, especially in the footnotes. It focuses on the social, intellectual and ethical contours of the early church, largely in regard to the Greco-Roman cultural environment [Scholarly, with extensive documentation], [c. 1902; 1908 Engl. Ed., transl. from the German]

What Is Christianity?, by Adolf von Harnack

A series of lectures given extempore at the University of Berlin, Winter 1899-1900, covering the history and development of doctrine, as well as the social and intellectual structure of Christianity. The bulk of the lectures focus on the Apostolic and Early Church period, but the last few extend in to the Medieval and Reformation periods. Before plunging into the author's History of Dogma. These lectures provide a good introduction to the framework and approach used in analyzing and organizing the material used in von Harnack's History of Dogma volumes. [General academic, minimal documentation], [1900; 1908 Engl. Ed., transl. from the German]

Two Lectures: On Monasticism and the Confessions of Augustine, by Adolf von Harnack

Two short works - lectures, or treatises, less academic in approach than many of Harnack's more famous works. His treatment of 'Monasticism: It's Ideals and History' provides a useful survey; of course, coming out of the rational Protestantanism of the 18th & 19th centuries, he has little sympathy for the ascetic ideals of monasticism, but his objective knowledge of the material is sound. The Augustine lecture, much shorter and is a helpful introduction or supplement to the reading of Augustine and his famous autobiography. [General academic, minimal documentation], [c. 1900; 1911 Engl. Ed., transl. from the German]

On the Apostles' Creed, by Adolf von Harnack

This is an article on the Apostles' Creed (from Herzog's Realencyclopädie), and is one of the bits of scholarly analysis for which Harnack is justly famous. It also provides a good example as to how critical analytic tools began to be applied in earnest to the field of Patristics and Early Church tradition. He provides a detailed examination: early references to the Creed, its original provenance, how it came to take the shape it now has, etc. Clearly, contrary to tradition, he maintains the famous Creed is not a product of the Apostles per se -- on this, virtually all modern scholars are agreed. However, it is also clear that such a rigorous application of critical analysis was highly controversial with traditionalists of the time. [Scholarly], [1890s; 1901 Engl. Ed., transl. from the German]

The Christian Ecclesia, by F. J. A. Hort

A series of lectures given at Cambridge in the autumn of 1888 and 1889. It is effectively a detailed word study on the term "Ecclesia" (Gk.  )Ekklhsi/a), along with how the term came to be understood conceptually in the Early Church. As such, the lectures touch on a variety of theological and ecclesiologial issues, and a number of key NT passages are examined closely. The work ends with a sermon (1890) on the occasion of the consecration of his colleague Bishop Westcott, key text Eph. 6:12-13. [Academic/scholarly, but with limited documentation and footnotes], [1897, published posthumously]

Church and the Ministry in the Early Centuries, by Thomas M. Lindsay

A series of in-depth lectures (Cunningham Lectures) on a difficult topic. The author, a scholar in the Free Church tradition in Scotland, juxtaposes two models of authority and government in the Church: (Spiritual) Gifts (esp. the prophetic) and fixed Church Offices, showing the interplay and dynamic of both throughout history. Overall a careful, thorough treatment, which modern-day Protestants should find interesting. [General academic, but with extensive documentation in the footnotes], [1903]

Christian Hymns of the First Three Centuries, by Ruth Ellis Messenger

A short tract from the series "Papers of the Hymn Society", written by a professor of hymnology/musicology. It provides a good introduction/overview of the subject with several dozen early hymns (or extracts) provided in translation. [1930-40]

Short Papers on Church History, by Andrew Miller

The author is a Baptist/Brethren pastor and revivalist preacher who is chiefly known today for his writings on Church History, of which these "Short Papers" are representative. Most notable is the historicist framework he uses, where each of the Seven Churches of Rev. 2-3 represents a period of church history. This sort of interpretive approach was once quite popular among earlier Protestants reaching back into the Reformation, though it is not much in favor today. The overall message is one of a steady decline from Apostolic times to the present, with a decided anti-Roman-Catholic polemic (though more nuanced than that of the typical firebrand preacher) [Traditional-conservative; General academic, pastoral. [1873]

Early Years of Christianity, by Edmund de Pressensé

An oft-cited History by the distinguished French Protestant preacher and statesman (and student of the great Church historian Neander), this volume covers the Apostolic Period, including a survey of some key NT critical issues [General academic, with fairly extensive footnotes], [1968, transl. from the French]

History of the Origins of Christianity, by Joseph Ernest Renan

Renan's famous 7-volume history, like his earlier "Life of Jesus" provides no shortage of controversial points, but is also a learned, eloquent work, altogether typical of the liberal-theological critical scholarship in Europe at the time. Renan was a gifted scholar (in the fields of theology, Semitics, and Biblical criticism), and a full-blooded critical skeptic. This shows most vividly in his view on miracles and the supernatural; note also the space he devotes to the learned pagan opponents of Christianity (Lucian, Celsus, M. Aurelius). These issues notwithstanding, there is much of interest to read along the way. [General academic with liberal-critical viewpoint, scholarly details, limited documentation], [1868-1881, transl. from the French]

Early Christian Fathers, by Cyril C. Richardson

This standard set of translations covers most of the so-called Apostolic Fathers (except for Hermas and the epistle of 'Barnabas'), works of two of the Apologists (Justin Martyr's 1st Apol. and Athenagoras' 'Plea'), and selections from Irenaeus' Against Heresies. As such the material parallels vol. 1 of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, but with more recent translations, and better, up-to-date introductions. There is also a useful introduction to the historical background of the writings. Any seminary/theology student will likely have owned, or at least used, a copy of this book. [General academic, with some scholarly detail], [1953]

Sketches of Church History, by James Craigie Robertson

A well-known work by the distinguished professor of Church History and canon of Canterbury. Part I covers the Early Church period (up to c. A.D. 600), and Part II up to the time of the Reformation. [General academic], [1878]

The Beginnings of Christianity, by Paul Wernle

A two volume work, based on lectures in NT Theology given in 1900, by the professor at the University of Basel. Overall, it is a vivid and engaging work. [General academic, minimal documentation], [1903-4, transl. from the German]