A Public Faith: From Constantine to the Medieval World AD 312-600

This is an excellent textbook for an introductory course in early church history. Along with its companion volume "The Birth of the Church" in the excellent Monarch (or Baker) History of the Church series this book gives a scholarly overview based on the most recent research in the field. It's good also to see an author from the southern hemisphere in this series, Ivor Davidson from the University of Otago, in Aotearo/New Zealand.

Davidson, Ivor J. A Public Faith, Baker books, Grand Rapids. Michigan 2005 Ivor Davidson is Professor of Systematic Theology. He holds distinguished degrees in Classic and Theology from the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Prior to joining the Department in 1997 he lectured at the University of St Andrews, and he has been a visiting scholar and lecturer in the UK, the USA, and Australia. His interests lie in Historical and Systematic Theology, especially in the areas of Christology, Soteriology, and Trinitarian Theology. His research is focused in tow areas in particular; (a) early Christian thought/patristic theology; (b) modern Systematic Theology. According to Davidson this study of public faith has led believers to Christ. The church deals with Christians from early fourth century. During that time ordinary people were experiencing faith as a witness to spread the gospel. In his book he describes ways which the first Christians communities were organized, and expanded, through faith. Through faith a combination of readability material had kept the gospel alive. He submits that it is vitally important for an understanding of the intellectual, and spiritual development of Christianity. This book was touched individuals at all levels of society, and had made disciples among people of different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. A public faith is a good book for the world today. In every age, it is through faith and witness of the vast, innumerable ranks of ordinary Christians, that the gospel has been encountered. At every stage Davidson have endeavored to present human subjects, "wart and all" or the kind of onward-and-upward approach to history that ignores the messiness, failing's setbacks, and suffering of Christian people in every age. Readers are encouraged to be alert to the crucial significance of development elsewhere and to recollect that churches were flourishing in large swaths of the East centuries before the evangelism of Northern Europe has seriously begun. His book adequately summarizes the sketch of social, political, and cultural content within Christian communities, that expanded through conversion, consolidation, challenge and expansion entailed in the first centuries of the faith. He hope that readers will preserve with the challenge that such an approach sometimes presents that theological debates can be seen for what they were in their own content. This book is an academic book, Davidson refer to the Birth of the Church as the beginning of Christianity. This book is used in universities, seminaries, and schools for those who have some knowledge of Early Christianity as well as those who have none. Christianity was no means confined to imperial Roman territory, it was in a world in which new religious movements were plentiful, and pluralism was a fact of life. This one faith which declared that its message was for all, but demanded exclusive commitment to the one God and to his Christ had become a re

Ivor Davidson's A Public Faith is the second book in continuation of the first book The Birth of the Church. The second book, A Public Faith, covers Constantine to the Medieval World. This book is truly very detailed in the subject of history. The author is great with giving the reader a vivid mental picture of the piece of history being discussed. In the opinion of the student, this allows for one to better grasp the information and understand it in the scope of the book in its entirety and the first book, The Birth of the Church, as well. Davidson states the purpose of this book basically to combine readability and balanced assessment to ensure that westernizing the text did not occur and that the information was not oversimplified. In the opinion of the student, Ivor Davidson did accomplish this purpose. Some highlights to this book are the great amounts of the illustrations and maps that the reader can view and study to better understand the text. At the back of the book, there were several pages for suggested further readings. As a seminary student, this section helps one obtain more resources for papers as well as for deeper knowledge for other courses to come. As a reader for leisure, this section allows to you find more resources in the areas that attract your attention. As a seminary student, what the student liked the most about this book was that it brought a fresh and different view on the biblical text I have been studying before. The author provided great attention to certain key figures such as Augustine of Hippo, Basil of Caesarea, Ambrose of Milan, etc. There were chapters dedicated to them and their lives alone. The author also descriptively wrote on monasticism, the Fall of Rome and piety of Christians during this time. If the student could rate this book on a scale of one to ten, ten would be the highest, the student would rate this book a 7 because the reader gets great details without being overwhelmed, the author does not leave the reader fending for themselves, he gives further suggested readings for each chapter, and the author gives a detailed timeline of all major events that occurred between the time of Constantine and the Medieval World. As a student, I highly recommend this book because it would give the reader a greater awareness to the Christianity's history and the development of Christianity before the Medieval Ages. It gives the reader a macro view of Christianity before the Medieval Ages and gives the reader an understanding into why there was a the stages to the Medieval Ages. The student recommends this book along with the first book in this series to seminary students, professors, and those who are history buffs. I do not recommend this book to those who do not take an interest in history or understand for full scope of history as it pertains to Christianity. Overall the student enjoyed this book and gave a great summary of history before Medieval times really begin.

A Public Faith by Ivor J. Davidson, Published in 2005 by Ivor J. Davidson Thesis Statement: An overview of Christian History from 312-600 The author's intention in this book is to write a complete overview of Christian history from 312 to 600. This is written as a simple recording of the facts. Davidson says who did what and when. His challenge is to describe Christian history at a time when so many historical events were taking place. This occurred independently of one another as well as in conjunction with one anther. Yet he does a very good job of achieving a description of the overall course of history as well as the regional courses of history that were taking place through out the area of the world which is now considered Europe and the Near East. He is organized; however, the student will occasionally find himself grappling for identifiable landmarks when he transitions from one subject to the next. He does not have a particular slant or perspective. He offers little praise or condemnation for the events that took place. His presumed audience is the beginning student of Christian history. The book is thorough it covers every aspect of this period as well as can be expected without becoming entrenched in the details of every event. One book could easily be written for each event that Davidson describes. His narrative is a logical, coherent, linear progression of history. It is easy to read; however, the reader must be prepared to fall back in time to a period already discussed when Davidson moves the subject to a different region of the great continent. His discussion is appropriate he allows the reader to evaluate the events of history. He does not constantly condemn or praise each individual or event in time as good and evil he simply presents them as they are. He does not shield the reader from negative characteristics of the faithful or omit positive characteristics of the faith. The content is significant and relevant to the historical events that shaped Christianity during this period of time. It does not become embroiled in controversies that were largely irrelevant to the faith that developed. His description of the peoples is upfront and bold. He states who they were and how they were motivated at this point in time. Although he is disciplined and well organized he is not dry and lifeless either. The material is credible and persuasive one does not walk away from reading this book questioning the accuracy of its writing. One is not left to wonder how much of what he has read was the authors opinion and evaluation of the events and how much was the actual events of history. Davidson more than achieves his goal of writing an objective and informative outline of Christian history in the early stages of the faith as an accepted form of religious expression. This is perhaps the most useful form of history to the beginning student as it is the cement from which foundations are built. It prepares him for the next stage of historica

Once again, Davidson presents history in a most enjoyable fashion. With his second volume to the Baker History series, he remains consistent with his previous volume. This extensive volume is made in a manner that allows the reader to enjoy history. Some parts can contain digressions to what may appear as irrelevant, but, like normal, Davidson grabs the reader into the 4th and 5th century. He speaks of all the controversial doctrinal issues of the day. Uniquely, he speaks quitly in depth on Constantine and the controversy of his alleged "conversion" as well as the connection with Rome's progressive wielding of power to the rise of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Like the previous volume, I have this twice and plan to read it a third time. By the time you finish this volume, and the previous one, you will become intrigued to doctrinal theology and political-religious issues.