The Early Days Of Christianity
By Frederic W. Farrar
Published by Cassell & Company Limited: London 1891
"Frederic W. Farrar's The Early Days of Christianity is one of the most influential late-Victorian studies of the origins of the Christian Church, written with both scholarly authority and narrative energy. Farrar—renowned theologian, Canon of Westminster and chaplain to Queen Victoria—examines the world in which Christianity emerged, tracing the social, political and religious conditions of the Roman Empire during the first century. He explores the lives and teachings of the Apostles, the early missionary journeys, the communities founded across the Mediterranean, and the growing tensions between imperial power and a faith that challenged established belief. His synthesis of classical history, biblical scholarship and vivid storytelling offers readers a sweeping and accessible portrait of Christianity's formative era.
The work goes beyond simple chronology, delving into the moral and spiritual transformation brought about by the new religion. Farrar investigates the struggles of early converts, the development of doctrine, and the forces that shaped the character of the Church as it moved from persecution to permanence. He writes with a distinctly Victorian sense of moral purpose, seeking not only to describe events but to illuminate the ideals that animated the first generations of believers. The result is both an historical study and a meditation on endurance, conviction and the spread of a revolutionary spiritual movement.
This 1891 Cassell & Company "Popular Edition" is attractively bound in full black leather with raised bands, gilt titling and decorated gilt page edges, giving it a distinguished presentation quality. The volume includes a charming 1892 presentation plate to Rev. R. Down, commemorating his service and leadership on the Echuca Circuit—a piece of Australian religious history that enhances its provenance and collectability. An appealing volume for collectors of ecclesiastical history, Victorian theological works and finely bound presentation books with documented Australian associations."
