An exploration into the development of Christian thought and doctrine from the inception of Christianity through Chalcedon, focusing primarily on the development of Nicene theology and Chalcedonian Christology.

The author has written a fairly accessible work; the number of people and ideas involved will make it challenging for the novice, but the author approaches the matter in a way which attempts to provide basic explanation of what is going on. The author must make generalizations at times, and I am sure that specialists would cringe at some of them. Nevertheless, he makes his case well.

The author is sensitive to the claims of Hellenization and does well to chart exactly how Hellenic philosophy took on greater influence and how many of the arguments made, especially in and after the third century, were shaped by those philosophical presuppositions and principles. He also does well at identifying the greater role of internal church politics, especially as they relate to the post-Nicaea situation and the entire Christological controversy.

The work is a valuable and engaging analysis of how Christianity took the form it did, especially in terms of its view of the Trinitarian nature of God and the way it looked at Jesus' humanity and divinity. Worthwhile for the beginner or as a general introduction. ( )

Having finished the first of three volumes, I can say I enjoyed it a lot. It is informative, balanced and accessible which is amazing for a book of Doctrine.

I read a little volume of Gonzalez a couple years ago when I was reading his Story of Christianity called The Changing Shape of Church History. In that volume, Gonzales discusses the was historiography has changed since he began his career, and how it has become important to pay attention to different things in constructing a history. These include complex political and social factors.

Gonzalez brings this sensibility to bear upon his reading of the development of Christian dogma. He does this in a balanced and thoughtful manner. Obviously this three volume history of Christian thought is not as detailed as the magisterial five volume work of Jaroslav Pelikan, but it is an excellent introduction.

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History, Christianity