The basic decisions which were taken in the time of the early Christianity determine the history of the church up to the presence. Duty of this book is it, in narrative technique, and academically to explain the history of this early Christianity of the announcement of Jesus answers up to closing the Platonic academy in the year 529. The influence of the antique philosophy, the mystery cults and the Roman state in its historical development is described and the characters are shown in their specifics and their main focuses.
In the time of the early Christianity, from the announcement of Jesus up to the closing of the Platonic academy in the year 529, many basic decisions are taken in the areas of the dogmatics, the canon law and the history of devotion. A study of this church-historical period is essential for the understanding of the complete future up to the present times. But therefore it is necessary to follow the connections with the antique philosophy, the influence from the area of the mystery cults, the opposition of the Judaism and the thoughts of Philo and the development of the Roman state. The varied world of the Hellenism and the early Byzantine culture influence and penetrate the development of the Christian church, a phenomenon to which concepts like „the Hellenisation of Christianity“ or the "Caesaropapism" belong.
This complexity of this time makes the study interesting and difficult at the same time. An almost endless amount of single connections and a wide spread professional terminology complicate a consideration of this epoch which seems urgently necessary, nevertheless, in our time. Perspectives for the way of the Christian churches in the 21st century require the background of Christian tradition and an understanding of the typical processes of church-historical courses of development. Not only professional theologians and people in leading positions of the church are demanded here, but also the single responsibly thinking and acting Christian as a priest or teacher, interested member of church, student or schoolboy.
In the present book the attempt is made to show the history of the early Christianity in narrative technique coherently. Historical connections and lines of development are made clear, the acting people are introduced in their life relations and with their main focuses. The history of the early Christianity appears in her lively versatility and can be understood from her connections to other developments. Professional terminology is explained in the course of the representation. A bibliography gives the newest literature to the single chapters to serve deeper studies. A glossary gives short and clear explanation of currently used terms. In this way it should be possible to the interested reader, the schoolboy, student, teacher or church member to procure a total view of the history of the early Christianity, as well as to deepen his knowledge in the main topics. The book is obliged not to scientific individual questions, but to a scientifically responsible representation in generally presentation.
„Das Buch bietet wertvolle Information über die Christenheit bis zum Beginn des Mittelalters. Der Pfarrer schreibt kompakt, aber doch flüssig, er ist immer nah an den Quellen. Sein Buch ist schlüssig aufgebaut. Wulfert schreibt, sein Werk richte sich vor allem an Pfarrer und Religionslehrer. Aber auch wer nicht weiß, was eine »endemische Synode« ist oder was »Homilie« bedeutet, liest das Buch mit Gewinn. Erhellendes findet man nämlich im guten Glossar.“
In: Evangelische Sonntags-Zeitung, 9. August 2015.
Dr. Heiko Wulfert (1960) is a Protestant parish priest in Aarbergen and secretary of the Evangelische Michaelsbruderschaft for theology and ecumenism. After the publication of his thesis “Die Kritik an Papsttum und Kurie bei Ulrich von Hutten 1488-1523” (The Criticism of Papacy and Curia by Ulrich von Hutten 1488-1523 – [2009]) he gave Reformation-historical block seminars at the university of Rostock, led ecumenical conferences in the Berneuchener Haus Kloster Kirchberg on the subjects „Mystery. The Christian cult mystery in the ecumenical debate“ and „Life from baptism“ and published essays in the magazine "Quatember" with a main focus on the history of the early church and the mystic theology.
Preface