Philip Schaff's History of the Christian
Church excels at providing an impressive and instructive
historical treatment of the Christian church. This eight
volume work begins with the early Church and ends at 1605
with the Swiss Reformation. Schaff's treatment is
comprehensive and in depth, discussing all the major (and
minor!) figures, time periods, and movements of the
Church. He includes many footnotes, maps, and charts; he
even provides copies of original texts in his treatment.
One feature of the History of the Christian Church that
readers immediately notice is just how beautifully written it
is--especially in comparison to other texts of a similar nature. Simply
put, Schaff's prose is lively and engaging. As one reader puts it, these
volumes are "history written with heart and soul." Although at points
the scholarship is slightly outdated, overall History of the
Christian
Church is great for historical referencing. Countless people have
found
History of the Christian Church useful. Whether for serious
scholarship,
sermon preparation, daily devotions, or simply edifying reading,
History
of the Christian Church comes highly recommended.
