The Story of Christianity by Justo Gonzalez - 925 Words

The Story of Christianity is a book written by Justo Gonzalez; a native of Cuba. Gonzalez serves on the faculty of the Interdenominational Theological Center which is located in Atlanta Georgia. He attended Yale University, where he received his M.A. and Ph.D. in historical theology; in fact Dr. Gonzalez is the youngest person at Yale to be awarded a Ph.D. He is also one of the first generation Latino theologians and instead of growing up Catholic, comes from a protestant background. In addition to writing many other books, Gonzalez is also Cokesbury’s publishing chief narrator of the Christian Believer study video lessons course and the recipient of the Ecumenism Award from the Theological Consortium in Washington, which he received as a†¦show more content†¦9). He then moves to discussing theological issues and the developments involving various traditions within the church. Critical Interaction Gonzalez’ book manages to convince the reader of the topics discussed and also encourages them to go further in depth of the topics for a better understanding. The fact that the book begins by informing the reader about the existence of a power that influences their future, the author is able to capture their attention. Though, it may seem as if Gonzalez tries to scare the audience by stating that an individual’s past and vision interferes with their personal interpretation, however, the truth is that all of the statements in the book are actually meaningful and help to build the main theme. To capture the reader’s attention and improve their understanding of the book, the author provides a detailed analysis and description of what a Christian needs to understand regarding faith and factors that influence it. By the end of the initial section or at least the detailed introduction, almost any persons that reads Gonzalez work is confident that the book will provide a wide range of Christian related topics that influence our future. This will also entail informing the Christians who are the main audience that the author aims to reach on the importance of faith as a Christian. TheShow MoreRelatedChurch History Paper I1551 Words   |  7 Pagesof sacred literature. Their name is derived from a Greek word meaning â€Å"knowledge†, and believed that the followers of Gnosticism possessed a special and mystical knowledge that would ultimately be the key to salvation.5 Gnostics would often use Christianity as a stepping stone to further their platform that the earth is full of materialism, is intrinsically evil, and is an obstacle to the salvation of the spirit. While this may seem relatively similar to Christian thought, their view of Christ andRead More Spread of Christianity Among People Groups Essay1777 Words   |  8 PagesSpread of Christianity Among People Groups From the very beginning times of Christianity, its message has identified with and transformed communities of people. Christianity itself grew out of a people group who had an identity that stretches back in time thousands of years. The worship of Yahweh, geographically born in ancient Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) has spread through history to the farthest islands of the seas. Born into the people of Israel, Jesus gathered a small group of followersRead MoreThe And The Great Depression1233 Words   |  5 Pagesworship patterns in the holiness churches (i.e., speaking in tongues, miracles of healing etc.) ceased. Consequently, in 1906 the holiness style of worship was revived in a movement that was started by Pastor William J. Seymour. According to Justo L. Gonzalez, â€Å"William Seymour was a former slave who was influenced by a Pentecostal preacher.† Upon witnessing, the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit (i.e., speaking in tongues) Pastor Seymour Azusa Street Mission of Los Angeles was started. Read MoreChristianity : The Early Church And The Dawn Of The Reformation1203 Words   |  5 Pages Since its inception, various leaders have contributed to the overall development of the Christian Church, thereby effecting change and defining the trajectory of the Church as it stands today. In The Story of Christianity: The Early Church to th e Dawn of the Reformation, Justo Gonzà ¡lez points to two apostles—Peter and Paul, or Saul—as exemplars of such leadership, and the evidence suggests that both of these men had a considerable influence on the evolution of the Church. Concerning credentialsRead MorePaper 2 - the Rise of Fundamentalism1726 Words   |  7 Pagesintellectual crisis in the educated Christian community. The claims of Charles Darwin, that were in direct conflict with the statements of Scripture concerning the origin of life, created a damaging confusion that shook the very foundation of biblical Christianity, resulting in major spits within the Christian Church. Intellectual Christians became embroiled in heated debates. Particularly difficult was when Protestant leaders began to split on the proper Christian understanding of Charles Darwin’sRead MoreThe Origins And Central Beliefs Of Islam1735 Words   |  7 PagesThree Theologies for Thee The origins and central beliefs of Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity should be common knowledge to understand our world today and its history. Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion that professes that there is only one god. Muhammad is the last messenger of the god Allah. It’s the world’s fastest growing religion and the second largest in the world. Muslims make up 23% of the world’s population. Islam teaches that Allah is peaceful, all-minded, and unique, and he hasRead MoreBook Critique of2736 Words   |  11 Pagesauthor sets out to tell the story of the emergence of Protestantism, how it originated and how it has developed into its present role in Christianity. The book not only gives a historical account of the development of this radical movement but it also gives an analysis of its inner dynamics. It shows how Protestantism has survived through the conflicts and wars from its conception and through five hundred years of its existence and has found its niche in Christianity today. Although originallyRead MoreThe Rise of the Papacy Essay1637 Words   |  7 Pagespower and sustained authority. First, the spread of Christianity. Second, the reverence for the office of bishop or pope. Third, the Church’s control of the education system. These three factors directly led the church to a position of power in Western Europe and, by relation, the papacy came to be the most powerful position in the region. The first factor that led to the papacy’s increase in authority is the spread of Christianity throughout the region. Coinciding with the collapseRead MoreEssay on What is the Christians Relationship to the Old Testament887 Words   |  4 Pagesimportance the Old Testament applies to our Christian walk. Bibliography Aldrich, Roy L. â€Å"Causes for Confusion of Law and Grace Confusion of Law and Grace.† Bibliotheca Sacra 463, no. Jul (1959): 222–229. Gonzalez, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume I: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation. Second Edi. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2010. Greidanus, Sidney. â€Å"Preaching Christ from the Old Testament.† Bibliotheca Sacra 641, no. Jan (2004): 4–13. Hodges, ZaneRead MoreEssay about History of the Eartly Christian Church1231 Words   |  5 Pageschurch’s existence, the Roman government suppressed the spread of Christianity. Many emperors did their absolute best to try to stop the Christian populace from spreading with none succeeding (demonstrated by the fact that Christianity is still in existence today). It was not until 322 A.D. when Constantine united all of Europe under his throne that Christianity could be spread without threat of persecution. Under Constantine, Christianity, in terms of numerically, thrived. Councils were held, doctrine