Samuel Cheetham’s Church History

A History of the Christian Church by Samuel Cheetham
An audio version is available from Librevox

The complete text of Samuel Cheetham’s A History of the Christian Church During the First Six Centuries is available for free download in PDF. The endpiece map showing the Countries reached by Christianity in the First Three Centuries is also available a separate download (but is also included in the main PDF).

The folks at LibriVox have made available an audio version of the book, which should also prove very helpful.

Samuel Cheetham [3 March 1827 – 9 July 1908], A History of the Christian Church

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
PART I
From the Origin of Christianity to the Edict of Milan (A.D. 313)

CHAPTER I
The Preparation of the World
1. Paganism
2. Judaism

CHAPTER II
The Apostolic Church
1. The Lord’s Ministry and the Church in Jerusalem
2. St Paul and the Gentile Church
3. James the Just
4. St Peter
5. St John
6. The remaining Apostles
7. Organization and Worship of the Church
8. Sects and Heresies

CHAPTER III
The Early Struggles of the Church
1. Jewish and Roman Persecution
2. The Intellectual Attack
3. The Christian Defence

CHAPTER IV
Growth and Characteristics of the Church
1. Early Spread of the Gospel
2. Asiatic Churches
3. Alexandrian School
4. Africa
5. The Roman Church

CHAPTER V
The Great Divisions
1. Judaic Christianity
2. Marcion
3. Montanism
4. Gnosticism
5. Manichreism
6. The Catholic Church

CHAPTER VI
The Theology of the Church and Its Opponents
1. Sources of Doctrine
A. Scripture
B. The Rule of Faith
2. Faith in the One God
3. The Holy Trinity
4. Chiliasm

CHAPTER VII
The Organization of the Church
1. The Christian Ministry
2. Synods

CHAPTER VIII
Social Life and Ceremonies of the Church
1. Christian Life
2. Asceticism
3. Hermits
4. Discipline
5. Ceremonies
6 . Sacred Seasons
7. Architectural and other Art

PART II

CHAPTER Xl
From the Edict of Milan (A.D. 313) to the Accession of Pope Gregory the Great (A.D. 590)

CHAPTER IX
The Church and the Empire
1. The Imperial Church
2. The Hierarchy
3. Patriarchs
4. Rome
5. Councils
6. The Fall of Paganism

CHAPTER X
Theology and Theologians
1. Literary Character of the Age
2. School of Antioch
3. School of Edessa
4. Alexandrian School
5. Latin Theology

CHAPTER XI
Controversies on the Faith
I. Standards of Doctrine
1. Holy Scripture
2. The Church and its Tradition
3. Rules of Faith
II. The Holy Trinity
The Arian Controversy
Ill. The Incarnate Son
1. Apollinarianism
2. Nestorianism
3. Eutychianism
4. Monophysitism
IV. Origenism
V. Priscillianism
VI. Pelagianism

CHAPTER XII
Discipline and Life of the Church
1. Law and Society
2. Donatism
3. Celibacy of the Clergy
4. Monachism

CHAPTER XIII
Ecclesiastical Ceremonies and Art
I. Rites and Ceremonies
1. Catechumenate and Baptism
2. The Holy Eucharist
3. The Hour-Offices
4. Matrimony
5. Care of the Sick and the Dead
6. Ordination
II. The Cycle of Festivals
1. The Week
2. Easter and Lent
3. The Saints and their Festivals
4. Calendars
5. Holy Places
III. Architecture and Art
1. Structure of Churches
2. Pictures in Churches
3. Sculpture

CHAPTER XIV
Growth of the Church
I. The Church in the East
II. The Conversion of the Teutons
1. The Goths
2. The Franks
III. The British Islands
1. The British Church
2. St Patrick and the Irish Church
3. St Columba and Iona

MAPS
Ecclesiastical Dioceses
Countries reached by Christianity in the First Three Centunes

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