Church History
The story of the church
The histories, chronicles, lives of saints and decrees of the councils that tell what happened and when. Each is given whole, in a public-domain translation, with its source stated. Writings of the early Fathers are in the Fathers library and the great teachers of each denomination in the Traditions library.
Church histories
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Narrative history · 7 parts · AD 305–439
The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus
Seven books (written about 440) carrying Eusebius's story from the persecution of Diocletian to 439: the Arian dispute, the councils, the bishops and emperors, told by a lawyer of Constantinople.
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Narrative history · 9 parts · AD 323–425
The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen
Nine books (written about 443) on the church from Constantine to Theodosius II, with much on the spread of the faith, the monks of Egypt and Palestine, and the church in Persia.
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Narrative history · 5 parts · 55 BC–AD 731
The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
Bede's history (731) of how Christianity came to England: Augustine's mission from Rome, the Irish monks of Iona and Lindisfarne, the Synod of Whitby, and the lives of saints, kings and bishops.
Lives and chronicles
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Biography · 4 parts · AD 303–337
The Life of Constantine
Eusebius's four books on the first Christian emperor: the vision of the cross, the victory at the Milvian Bridge, the end of the persecutions, the Council of Nicaea and Constantine's death.
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Chronicle · 2 parts · to AD 400
The Sacred History
A short history of the world from creation to about AD 400 in two books, drawn from the Old Testament and then the story of the church and its persecutions; the first Latin church chronicle.
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Biography · 4 parts · c. AD 316–397
The Life of St Martin and Three Dialogues
The life of the soldier who became bishop of Tours, written by his friend while Martin was still alive, with three dialogues on his miracles. It began the Western tradition of the saint's life.
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Biography · 2 parts · the first five centuries
Lives of Illustrious Men
Short lives and bibliographies of 135 Christian writers from Peter and Paul to Jerome's own day (392), continued by Gennadius to about 480: the first history of Christian literature.
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Chronicle · AD 1–1154
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The year-by-year record kept in English monasteries from King Alfred's day (about 890) to 1154: the conversion of the English, Viking raids, kings and bishops, and the coming of the Normans. Entries added from Giles's translation are marked.
Councils and canons
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Decrees and canons · 10 parts · AD 325–787
The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Undivided Church
The creeds, definitions and canons of the seven councils from Nicaea (325) to the second Nicaea (787), with the canons of the local synods the whole church accepted, and Percival's historical notes.
A history of the whole church
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Church history · 16 parts · AD 1–100
History of the Christian Church, Volume 1: Apostolic Christianity
Schaff's first volume: the Jewish and Greek world Christ came into, his life and teaching, the work of Peter, Paul and John, the life, worship, organization and theology of the apostolic church, and the New Testament.
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Church history · 15 parts · AD 100–325
History of the Christian Church, Volume 2: Ante-Nicene Christianity
The second volume: the spread of the faith, the persecutions, the pagan attacks and Christian answers, church order and worship, the catacombs, the heresies, and the growth of Catholic theology.
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Church history · 13 parts · AD 311–600
History of the Christian Church, Volume 3: Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity
The third volume: the victory of the church under Constantine, its alliance with the state, the rise of monasticism, the hierarchy, worship, art, the great doctrinal controversies and the Fathers.
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Church history · 14 parts · AD 590–1073
History of the Christian Church, Volume 4: Mediaeval Christianity
The fourth volume, from Gregory the Great to Gregory VII: the conversion of northern and western Europe, Islam, the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire, the split of East and West, monasticism, worship and learning.
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Church history · 18 parts · AD 1049–1294
History of the Christian Church, Volume 5: The Middle Ages
The fifth volume: the Hildebrandian popes, Gregory VII, Innocent III, the Crusades, the monastic orders, missions, heresy and its suppression, the universities and cathedrals, scholastic and mystic theology.
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Church history · 11 parts · AD 1294–1517
History of the Christian Church, Volume 6: The Middle Ages
The sixth volume, completed by David S. Schaff: the papacy at Avignon, the papal schism and the reforming councils, the German mystics, the reformers before the Reformation, the Renaissance and the close of the Middle Ages.
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Church history · 9 parts · AD 1517–1530
History of the Christian Church, Volume 7: Modern Christianity: The German Reformation
The seventh volume: Luther's training and the ninety-five theses, the Diet of Worms, the spread and the persecution of the new faith, the Peasants' War, the sacramentarian controversies, and the Diet and Confession of Augsburg.
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Church history · 19 parts · AD 1519–1605
History of the Christian Church, Volume 8: Modern Christianity: The Swiss Reformation
The eighth volume: Zwingli at Zurich, the spread of the Reformation in Switzerland, Calvin's life and work at Geneva, his theology and discipline, the case of Servetus, and Theodore Beza.