Early Christianity: A Textbook for African Students

by Wendy Elgersma Helleman; Musa A. B. Gaiya

Publisher:

Langham

, 2019

Overview

Designed as an undergraduate textbook, and shaped by needs of both Muslim and Christian students across Africa, this resource provides a thorough introduction to the history, theology and teaching of early Christianity.

Professors Helleman and Gaiya follow Christianity from its inception in Jerusalem through to the decline of the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean and the development of Orthodox churches in the East and in Africa before the arrival of Islam. The book provides an overview of critical historical events, controversies, teaching, and important individuals and movements providing foundational understanding of early developments in Christianity and the general history of antiquity. Students and lecturers will also appreciate the attention given to the role of North African leaders in early Christianity and the impact of major issues on the North African church, such as Gnosticism, Donatism and Arianism.

Key Features

• Focuses on the role of North African leaders in early Christianity
• Provides an overview of critical historical events, controversies, teaching, and important individuals
• Follows Christianity from its inception in Jerusalem through to the decline of the Roman Empire in the Mediterranean and the development of Orthodox churches in the East and in Africa before the arrival of Islam

Contents

• Section I: Issues in the History of Early Christianity
• Section II: Christian Belief and Teaching
• Section III: Epilogue

Early Christianity: A Textbook for African Students, a significant contribution, is very timely in addressing a broader readership of Christians and Muslims interested in understanding an important common heritage of contemporary Africans. A substantive resource for students.

—Tite Tienou, PhD

Wendy Helleman and Musa Gaiya provide an indispensable resource for the study of early church history. Building on the work of Bediako, Kalu and other African scholars, they take seriously Africa’s contribution to world Christianity – the text itself is anything but Afrocentric however. It plumbs the depths of the great minds of early African Christianity, placing them in the context of the larger church and the theological, political, social and cultural issues early Christianity in general faced. This is the kind of Christian history text African Christians have been waiting for.

—Joel C. Elowsky, PhD

Product Details

• Title: Early Christianity: A Textbook for African Students
• Authors: Wendy Elgersma Helleman, Musa A. B. Gaiya
• Publisher: Langham
• Print Publication Date: 2019
• Logos Release Date: 2021
• Pages: 504
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Church history; Christianity › Africa; Africa › Church history
• ISBNs: 9781783685684, 9781783685691, 9781783685707, 9781783685714, 1783685689, 1783685697, 1783685700, 1783685719
• Resource ID: LLS:RLYCHRSTNSTDNTS
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:44:47Z