The Quest for Early Church Historiography: From Ferdinand C. Baur to Bart D. Ehrman and Beyond

by Jeremiah Mutie; James I. Fazio

Publisher:

Wipf and Stock

, 2022

Overview

The Quest for Early Church Historiography explores how early church historiography underwent a significant shift beginning with the thought of Ferdinand Christian Baur (1792-1860), a shift that eventually culminated in the current extreme historiographies of such scholars as Bart D. Ehrman (1955-). Through the tracing of this historiographical trajectory, this work argues that, rather than seeing these current historiographies as having suddenly appeared in the scholarly scene, a better approach is to see them as the fruit of this long trajectory. Of course, as the work has sought to demonstrate, this trajectory is itself full of turns and twists. But the careful reader will, hopefully, be able to see the intrinsic connections that are demonstrably evident.

Praise for The Quest for Early Church Historiography

“Mutie’s meticulous and logical analysis of Baur’s false theories puts the study of church history back on a correct and logical path once again. This book should be required reading at all seminaries for those doing church-history studies.”

—Bob Freiberg, Central Baptist Theological Seminary



“In this penetrating study, Mutie . . . persuasively demonstrates that the church always set a demarcation between what it knew as orthodoxy and heresy. In so doing, the ancient faith was never reinvented but remained as that ‘once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3). I highly commend this balanced ‘quest’ for an early-church historiography that accounts for all the available data.”

—Cory M. Marsh, Southern California Seminary



“Mutie has written a systematic and comprehensive book on the historiography of the early church. It is a voice of clarity amid confusion of our time and a must-read for every student of church history.”

—Sohrab Ramtin, Southern California Seminary



“Mutie carefully and clearly divides truth from error, orthodoxy from heresy, early Christian historiography from modern historiographies that are pale reflections of their researchers. . . . Mutie convincingly demonstrates that orthodoxy emerged from the New Testament, was guarded by the apologists, and was solidified in the councils. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the New Testament, the fathers, orthodoxy, heresy, historiography, and Christology.”

—Justin W. Bass, author of The Bedrock of Christianity: The Unalterable Facts of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection



“Jeremiah Mutie’s valuable study offers an important context for understanding the popularity of biblical critics such as Bart Ehrman. Mutie skillfully shows that ideas have roots, and the roots of modern biblical skepticism go back for centuries. I commend the author for this clear and insightful contribution to Christian historiography.”

—Mark Shaw, Africa International University



“Did the Christian faith gradually emerge through the early centuries, a final triumph of one option over competing formulations? Or was there a singular, consistent rule of faith, an unsullied apostolic deposit that alone is found in the canonical Scriptures? . . . This is the one book I would read if I was concerned to understand the flow of the more recent history on the subject. Obviously, Mutie seeks to defend the integrity of the witness of Holy Scripture and the apostolic rule of faith.”

—John D. Hannah, Dallas Theological Seminary



“In an era when scholars view faith commitments in historical writings as suspicious, Mutie shows that early church histories can still be recognized as credible and genuine. A regula fidei is restored here as central to an early Christianity which is multifaceted and diverse. Yet, it is also safeguarded, unified, and orthodox, and Mutie salutes it as he calls for a workable early church historiography that is balanced and refreshing.”

—W. Brian Shelton, Asbury University

Product Details

• Title: The Quest for Early Church Historiography: From Ferdinand C. Baur to Bart D. Ehrman and Beyond
• Authors: Jeremiah Mutie, James I. Fazio
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Print Publication Date: 2022
• Logos Release Date: 2024
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Ebook
• ISBNs: 9781666711462, 9781666711448, 1666711446, 9781666711455, 1666711454, 1666711462
• Resource ID: LLS:9781666711462
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-10-23T09:09:28Z

About the Authors

Jeremiah Mutie is Professor of Theology and Church History at Southern California Seminary in El Cajon, San Diego. He is the author of Death in Second-Century Christian Thought: The Meaning of Death in Earliest Christianity (2015). Dr. Mutie holds a ThM and PhD from Dallas Theological Seminary.