Overview

When one considers the early Christian church, one is immediately struck by the exponential growth that the church experienced. The inevitable question one must ask when considering the early church's rapid rate of growth is: How did it happen? While social forces, plagues, politics, and ideology competitions were certainly factors in the growth of Christianity, one would be remiss not to consider the methodology behind the considerable evangelistic effort made by the patristic church. This dissertation analyzes the use of Scripture in the apologetic and evangelistic writings produced by Christian leaders within the Greek patristic tradition and their belief that Scripture was the primary tool given by God for the conversion of souls.

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9781666713039

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Numerous studies in patristics have focused on the beliefs about the nature and authority of Scripture among the church fathers. Dr. Dearing has built on that research by demonstrating how the Greek church fathers used Scripture, specifically for evangelistic purposes. Carefully researched, clearly written--this work will help the reader understand the rapid spread of the gospel message in the early centuries of Christendom. I heartily endorse this book. --Timothy K. Beougher, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Studies of the evangelization of the Roman Empire usually are restricted in time and space. They usually conclude with the political triumph of Christianity in the late fourth century and encompass only the literary and material witness from the world of the Mediterranean. This fresh study by Dr. Dearing, which is focused on the key role played by the Word of God in the evangelistic outreach of the Greek patristic tradition, is not so limited. It takes into consideration not only key early figures like Justin Martyr and Origen, but also Chrysostom--a vibrant witness in the era immediately after trinitarian Christianity was declared the only legal religion of the Roman Imperium--and John of Damascus in the very different world of the Muslim-dominated Middle East. A very helpful study of this tradition of evangelism and the way that Scripture was absolutely central to it. --Michael A. G. Haykin, Chair and Professor of Church History, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Numerous studies in patristics have focused on the beliefs about the nature and authority of Scripture among the church fathers. Dr. Dearing has built on that research by demonstrating how the Greek church fathers used Scripture, specifically for evangelistic purposes. Carefully researched, clearly written--this work will help the reader understand the rapid spread of the gospel message in the early centuries of Christendom. I heartily endorse this book. --Timothy K. Beougher, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Studies of the evangelization of the Roman Empire usually are restricted in time and space. They usually conclude with the political triumph of Christianity in the late fourth century and encompass only the literary and material witness from the world of the Mediterranean. This fresh study by Dr. Dearing, which is focused on the key role played by the Word of God in the evangelistic outreach of the Greek patristic tradition, is not so limited. It takes into consideration not only key early figures like Justin Martyr and Origen, but also Chrysostom--a vibrant witness in the era immediately after trinitarian Christianity was declared the only legal religion of the Roman Imperium--and John of Damascus in the very different world of the Muslim-dominated Middle East. A very helpful study of this tradition of evangelism and the way that Scripture was absolutely central to it. --Michael A. G. Haykin, Chair and Professor of Church History, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Author Information

John Allen Dearing III is the pastor of Excelsior Springs Baptist Church in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

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