Definitive Church History

[ClementofRome]

Who has written the definitive Church history from an Orthodox perspective?,,,esp, from inception through the Great Schism.

[Dewi Sant]

That would be one long read! :eek:

[RobNJ]

Well, if you're looking for a new hobby............... ^_^

[ClementofRome]

That would be one long read! :eek:

Yep....Latourettes's two-volume set is close to 2000 pages. Pelikan's Church History is 5 VOLUMES!

[Dewi Sant]

I do enjoy learning about church history, it is just that there is so much of it!

[ClementofRome]

There is a logic behind my madness.... I was doing some research on the Photian Schism on the internet (yea, I know....bad place to get any truth), and I was amazed at how skewed some of the sites were in giving a "historical" report of the issue. One RCC site in particular was rabid in its insistance on the matter. So, I thought I would try to find a balance on this and many other matters of Church history. :)

[buzuxi02]

Huge undertaking. A completely impartial account of church history probably doesnt exist.
But for a general history with an Orthodox point of view i suggest:
1. 'Eucharist, Bishop ,Church' (for a historical development of the first 300 years of the church's formation) by John Zizioulas

2. 'Eusebius Ecclesiastical History' (for the 1st century to nicea)

3.jaroslav pelican (first 2 volumes)

4. The Papacy by Abee Guetee (for counters to roman spin, the best Orthodox point of view which counters papal claims and a book on the vaticans index of forbidden books) what more can be said?

[Ioan cel Nou]

4. The Papacy by Abee Guetee (for counters to roman spin, the best Orthodox point of view which counters papal claims and a book on the vaticans index of forbidden books) what more can be said?

There is one more thing that can be said. The fact that Guettee was a Roman Catholic, not Orthodox, when he wrote it speaks volumes to me. I didn't know it was a forbidden book for RCs, but I can certainly see why it would be. It was a real eye opener for me.

James

[buzuxi02]

Most of the research found in 'the papacy' by abee guettee was done while he wrote a multivolume history of the church of france, that set (7 volumes) was added to the index of forbidden books(see- pgs vi, 24 ) Much of the info found in those books are also recorded in "the papacy"

[kamikat]

For a quick read, check out the Historical Road to Eastern Orthodoxy by Fr Alexander Schmemann.

kamikat

[prodromos]

For a relatively balanced Catholic view of the so called 'Photian Schism', read the book of the same name by Catholic historian Francis Dvornik. For a theological perspective on the great schism I'd recommend "Church, Papacy and Schism" by Philip Sherrard. He has an earlier book that looks at it from a historical perspective too, though I can't remember the name.

John

[kamikat]

For a theological perspective on the great schism I'd recommend "Church, Papacy and Schism" by Philip Sherrard. John

Is it good? I just ordered it from Amazon a couple days ago.

kamikat

[prodromos]

Is it good? I just ordered it from Amazon a couple days ago.I thought it was brilliant, but then again I'm pretty easy to please. I have actually scanned the book and have it as a Word document on my computer so I can email it to people who want to read it (with the proviso that they buy the book themselves if they appreciate it).

Did you read the negative review of it on Amazon? That guy has made it his mission in life to put it down where ever he finds it for sale. He had posted the exact same review at two other online book stores that I had found. If someone is willing to go to that much trouble then I reckon it must be good :D

John

[ClementofRome]

Thank you all very much for all of the above recommendations......so many books....so little time! :)