Church History

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BillBame

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I am Southern Baptist who was raised Catholic. I’ve been asking alot of question lately and I’m look for a good book on church history especially early church history and the ealy fathers . I am having problems with some of the theology that Southern Baptist teach. I’m searching for what the early Church believed when there was only one Church. Can anyone recommend a book or two.
 
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BillBame:
I am Southern Baptist who was raised Catholic. I’ve been asking alot of question lately and I’m look for a good book on church history especially early church history and the ealy fathers . I am having problems with some of the theology that Southern Baptist teach. I’m searching for what the early Church believed when there was only one Church. Can anyone recommend a book or two.
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“Four Witnesses” by Rod Bennett, a former Prot is THE best!!!
 
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BillBame:
I am Southern Baptist who was raised Catholic. I’ve been asking alot of question lately and I’m look for a good book on church history especially early church history and the ealy fathers . I am having problems with some of the theology that Southern Baptist teach. I’m searching for what the early Church believed when there was only one Church. Can anyone recommend a book or two.
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Bill,

I suggest J. N. D. Kelly’s *Early Christian Doctrines. *

Edwin
 
Bill:

Try Christ the King Lord of History by Anne Carroll. Very very good. Fun to read.

Also, similar to it is Triumph by Crocker ( a convert to the CC from Anglicanism).

I second or third the other posts, Bennett’s book is good too.

May you find the historicity and the authenticity of the CC.

in XT.
 
J. N. D. Kelly’s *Early Christian Doctrines. *
Is good as an overview of early Church History, yet I really recommend reading the Early Church in their own words.

If you would like something with very little comment, unbiased and from what I believe is a non-catholic point of view you can try Penguin Books, Early Christian Writings.
us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,0_0140444750,00.html

This is one of the first books I bought as I studied my way back to the Church. I was cautious and wanted the least bias I could find, so it was nice to find something that was just in their own words.

God Bless
Scylla
 
I recommend The Faith of the Early Fathers, it’s a 3 volume set by William A. Jurgens.
 
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BillBame:
I am Southern Baptist who was raised Catholic. I’ve been asking alot of question lately and I’m look for a good book on church history especially early church history and the ealy fathers . I am having problems with some of the theology that Southern Baptist teach. I’m searching for what the early Church believed when there was only one Church. Can anyone recommend a book or two.
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I like “The history of the Church” by Eusebius. He was a fourth Century historian and his book is the first history of the Church. You can get and English translation from Ignatius Press.
 
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BillBame:
I am Southern Baptist who was raised Catholic. I’ve been asking alot of question lately and I’m look for a good book on church history especially early church history and the ealy fathers . I am having problems with some of the theology that Southern Baptist teach. I’m searching for what the early Church believed when there was only one Church. Can anyone recommend a book or two.
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Hi.

I recommend Mark P Shea’s By What Authority. I also recommend Fr Oscar Lukefahr’s We Believe - A Survey of the Catholic Faith (absolutely free, including shipping) to clear up any misconceptions that you have about the Church. Catholicism and Fundamentalism is another good read by Karl Keating and also Karl’s What Catholics really Believe-Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions.

I also recommend that you start watching the Coming Home Network on EWTN. Ave Maria Radio and Relevant Radio are also good resources. Welcome back. I also highly recommend picking up a Catechism of the Catholic Church and getting into RCIA classes at your local parish (which have already begun, so you’ll need to talk to your parish’s priest or secretary, RCIA isn’t necessary since you are already Catholic, but would be good for a reintroduction of the Faith).

God bless!

P.S. Check catholic.com, scripturecatholic.com and earlychristianwritings.com.
 
This may come as a shock, but if you want to know what the early Christians preserved for us in our Gospel of Faith, read the “Catechism Of The Catholic Church.” The original deposit of Faith is ALL there plus the parts revealed by the Holy Spirit to the Catholic Church later. Just read the references as to where each teaching came from. Ignore the more recent additions but be aware of what they are and how they are based on earlier dogma.

The Catholic Church is like a pyramid, one layer of stone atop another. All layers need the previous one and each layer gives a foundation for the next. This gives the Church 2,000 years of experience. Remember too that a writing today takes into account that we know the writings it is based upon for ‘context.’ Protestants often overlook this or cannot comprehend it when they criticize the Church.

A Baptist sect is basically no older then its preacher. It is like a wall one stone high. It never gets built up because someone comes along and pushes it down and starts to build it all over again. It is a sect with at best a couple of years of experience repeated over and over and over. It never really gains any new experience or knowledge.

I also recommend “The Teachings of the Church Father” by John Willis, S.J. This book has the writings arranged by topics.

I too went to Baptist sects for 27 adult years before the Holy Spirit lifted the scales off my eyes and led me home across the Tiber and to the visible body of Christ on earth, His Catholic Church. If you study history and Scripture without bias, then you too will soon be home in Rome. Follow Jesus regardless of what you want to believe, believe what He taught and you’ll be Catholic by this time next year.

Welcome home!

JMJ
 
I forgot to add. Catholics love to cite the Church Fathers because they support the Catholic Church. Baptists typically ignore the Church Fathers because it proves the Baptists do not believe what the early Church, taught by Jesus and His apostles believed.

There was a Catholic Church BEFORE the Bible. The Baptist can not trace their roots or beliefs back beyound their founder, John Smyth in c. 1607 A.D. The Trail Of Blood is just an attempt to link heretical sects, and a poor job of it I might add.
 
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Malachi4U:
I too went to Baptist sects for 27 adult years before the Holy Spirit lifted the scales off my eyes and led me home across the Tiber and to the visible body of Christ on earth, His Catholic Church. If you study history and Scripture without bias, then you too will soon be home in Rome. Follow Jesus regardless of what you want to believe, believe what He taught and you’ll be Catholic by this time next year.
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Hey Malachi,

Thanks for adding the bit about the “Tiber”. Reminded me of another awesome book which the OP should read. HIGHLY recommended.
Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church. If you read just one book on Catholicism, read this one! You can get it used from $5.90 at Amazon.
 
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Malachi4U:
I too went to Baptist sects for 27 adult years before the Holy Spirit lifted the scales off my eyes and led me home across the Tiber and to the visible body of Christ on earth, His Catholic Church. If you study history and Scripture without bias, then you too will soon be home in Rome. Follow Jesus regardless of what you want to believe, believe what He taught and you’ll be Catholic by this time next year.
Click to expand...
Hey Malachi,

Thanks for adding the bit about the “Tiber”. Reminded me of another awesome book which the OP should read. HIGHLY recommended.
Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church. If you read just one book on Catholicism, read this one! You can get it used from $5.90 at Amazon.

Stephen K Ray is one of Fox (or CNN’s, can’t remember) correspondents on Catholicism. His website is at catholic-convert.com/.
 
I would recommend TRIUMPH: The power and glory of the catholic church by H.W. Crocker. He is a convert from anglicanism. That was the book that was recommended to me by the people who work for Scott Hanh when I was looking for a good History book of the Church. The FOUR WITNESSES is also a good read.
 
Semper Fi:
Hi.

I recommend Mark P Shea’s By What Authority. I also recommend Fr Oscar Lukefahr’s We Believe - A Survey of the Catholic Faith (absolutely free, including shipping) to clear up any misconceptions that you have about the Church. Catholicism and Fundamentalism is another good read by Karl Keating and also Karl’s What Catholics really Believe-Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions.

I also recommend that you start watching the Coming Home Network on EWTN. Ave Maria Radio and Relevant Radio are also good resources. Welcome back. I also highly recommend picking up a Catechism of the Catholic Church and getting into RCIA classes at your local parish (which have already begun, so you’ll need to talk to your parish’s priest or secretary, RCIA isn’t necessary since you are already Catholic, but would be good for a reintroduction of the Faith).

God bless!

P.S. Check catholic.com, scripturecatholic.com and earlychristianwritings.com.
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I have been watching the “Journey Home” . Its a wonderful show. I also have come to love “Life is worth living” with ArchBishop Fulton Sheen. I watch it in the wee hours of Friday after work.Its a wonderful show. We just recently got EWTN but I had already begun to Inquire about the Church, its where I spent the first 18 years of my life. I decided to take the home study course you recommended. I have taught Sunday School but I am beginning to feel hypocrital because I have trouble with the some of the Southern Baptist doctrine, especially the once saved always saved. Its the bedrock of their faith.

On a different note is there a spell checker on here ? 😃
 
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BillBame:
I have been watching the “Journey Home” . Its a wonderful show. I also have come to love “Life is worth living” with ArchBishop Fulton Sheen. I watch it in the wee hours of Friday after work.Its a wonderful show. We just recently got EWTN but I had already begun to Inquire about the Church, its where I spent the first 18 years of my life. I decided to take the home study course you recommended. I have taught Sunday School but I am beginning to feel hypocrital because I have trouble with the some of the Southern Baptist doctrine, especially the once saved always saved. Its the bedrock of their faith.

On a different note is there a spell checker on here ? 😃
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Hey, good job. Welcome back. 😉 Yes, Fulton Sheen is awesome. He has a cause for canonization which went through in 2003, so he should soon be canonized. If you have been confirmed, you can go to confession and take Communion next Sunday. You should go to Mass and talk to the priest about maybe getting into RCIA. 🙂
 
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