Feb. 26, 2015
For Immediate Release

 

By Drew Tucker, communications assistant

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - The time of Christ and the rise of the Christian religion has been documented hundreds of times, but almost never from a Protestant, nor a Baptist, perspective. This is why Dr. Joe Early Jr., associate professor of theology at Campbellsville University, decided to write “A History of Christianity: An Introductory Study.”

“The book is a history of Christianity from the time of Christ until today,” he said. “I hope people will gain an accurate representation of Christian history.”

According to the book's description, it “centers on key events, people, theological development and conflicts that have shaped Christianity over its two-thousand-year history.”

Early “presents the development of Christianity within the social, political and economic challenges of the times. In doing so, he paints a clear, detailed, and balanced picture of the opportunities and struggles faced by the church and the contributions made by significant people, institutions, and traditions.”

“Too often academic presentations of the history of Christianity are a mere pile of bones containing the necessary facts and figures but without any life. Early's contribution has commendably assembled these bones and put life and flesh around them in a way that will inspire and instruct,” Dr. Jason G. Duesing, provost at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and College, said.

Early said the book is designed for college and graduate level students and has already been adopted or considered by several schools.

There will be a book signing at Campbellsville University's Barnes & Noble College Bookstore, 410 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville, on Monday, March 2 at 2 p.m. and a lecture on the Importance of Church History in CU's Badgett Academic Support Center Banquet Hall, 110 University Drive, Campbellsville, at 6 p.m. March 2. Snacks and convocation credit will be available.

Early has written about 20 peer-reviewed academic journal articles and eight other books, including “Readings in Baptist History” and “The Life and Writings of Thomas Helwys.”

“A History of Christianity” is 504 pages long and is available at all major book retailers, including Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Lifeway and Books a Million.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.