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For many, the term “ancient” implies drudgery and irrelevance. However, the outset of this book will dispel any such notions. The ancient age brims with interest, instruction, and encouragement for today’s readers. This was an age of miracle-working apostles, fearless martyrs, and stalwart church fathers; an age that preserved the scriptures, prescribed the creeds, and produced timeless Christian classics; an age when the church was buffeted by fierce waves of persecution and assailed by heresies of every sort. Through this volume and the ones that follow, students will learn how the Lord Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the church, sovereignly shepherded his beloved church by his word and Spirit.
In this first volume of Christ and His Church through the Ages, author and historian Herman Hanko tells the fascinating story of the ancient church during the first six centuries of the New Testament dispensation. He relates how Christ faithfully guided the church from the ministry of the apostles through the fall of the Roman Empire. Highlights of this history include the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles, the persecution of the church under Roman emperors, the deliberations of the ecumenical councils, and the battle for the truth of sovereign grace.
Through this and future volumes, students of church history and interested readers alike will surely grow in their love and appreciation for the saga of Christ’s church. They will find church history to be, as the author once affectionately described it, “the exciting adventure of the marvelous work of grace.”
What others are saying about this series:
"I consider The Ancient Church to be the definitive history book on this period of church history for the Reformed school student. The Ancient Church reads like an adventure, which the history of the church is. Upon picking up such an 'exciting adventure of the marvelous work of grace,' who could put it down?...The great strength of The Ancient Church is the constant relating of the history of the church to Jesus Christ, whose church it is. This is what gives the volume its lasting value for the believer and his children’s children. The Ancient Church also gleams with scholarship that stands in the service of the believer...the copious charts, maps, pictures, and revisions for accuracy enhance the reader’s experience and fortify his understanding. [The book] appears perfectly suited to be a church history textbook for the high school level. The information is organized into chapters and subheadings that could be readily adapted into a lecture outline for a classroom...The same qualities that make The Ancient Church suited to be a school textbook make it suited to a very broad audience. The man who is weary from a long day of work and who finds it hard to stay awake with a book in the evening will find the material engaging and the subsections manageable. The reader who devours books will find this one to be a feast that he consumes and then returns to...Conclusion: highly recommended. May the companion volumes be on our doorsteps soon." - Reformed Pavilion
"I thank my former professor for taking the time to write the book, and look forward to the release of the next three volumes. The [significant and time-consuming] contributions of the editor and reviser, Dan VanUffelen, are also commendable. The addition of introductory essays, biographical sketches, sidebars, charts, and pictures makes the book more enjoyable to read, and more suitable for a textbook. The addition of an index to the book is also welcome. The subject matter is precious. The matter is presented at a level that many can read. [Readers] will not only enjoy reading the book, but likely recommend it to others interested in the church’s history." - The Standard Bearer
"Hanko writes with infectious enthusiasm for his subject, which is not dull history, but the history of the church, which, Hanko reminds us, is the center of history...For many of us the only church history we know well—and the only part in which we are interested—is the Reformation. That is a mistake, for ancient church history includes exciting and formative years, even centuries...VanUffelen, who edited and revised the work, has added helpful charts, maps, timelines, and illustrations, which greatly enhance the book. This is a great read and will appeal even to children...May the Lord use it for the edification especially of Christian youth in the schools, for the instruction of God’s people everywhere, and for his own glory! May it serve as a family history for the church of which all believers are members! I look forward to the next volumes." - RFPA Blog
Read reviews by Doug Kuiper (The Standard Bearer), Martyn McGeown (RFPA Blog), Jerome Julien (The Outlook), and Andy Lanning.
Herman Hanko (1930-2024) served as a minister in the Protestant Reformed Churches from 1955 to 1965, when he was appointed to serve as professor in the Protestant Reformed Seminary in Grandville, MI. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. Until his passing in April 2024, he continued to lecture widely in the USA, the United Kingdom, and other countries, including Singapore and the Philippines. He is the author of several RFPA books.
Dan Van Uffelen is a church history teacher at Covenant Christian High School in Walker, Michigan. He has been teaching church history since 2001.
- 272 pages
- hardcover
- ISBN 978-1-944555-75-7
- Release date: 2018, 2021
Other Books in this Series:
COMING SOON!
