Grant ackowledges that Christian theology owes much to the philosophy of the classical world, but he believes the remarkable tenacity of Christian inspiration resulted from the revelation of the Trinity. From the philosophical background of Christian doctrine, especially Middle Platonism and the writings of Numenius of Apamea, Grant traces the development of God the Father, Creator, and Preserver of the universe.

Early Christians and Animals presents a lively study of the significance of animals in early Christian thought, tradition, text and art. Robert M. Grant: * examines the diverse and often conflicting sources, from the pagan antecedents Aristotle and Pliny, to Biblical animal references and the Church fathers * provides fresh translations of key texts concerning animals - the Physiologus, Basils homilies and Isidores chapters.

During the second century the Christian world was shaken by the Gnostics. Irenaeus came from Asia Minor via Rome to become bishop of Lyons, clarify Christian doctrines and fight the Gnostics with a major, five-volume work. He was a living part of his contemporary culture and his approach filled early Christian thought with new life.
The writings of Irenaeus exist as a whole only in Latin and Armenian. This study offers new translations of significant parts of his work, critically based on a complete reconstruction of the original Greek in the French series Sources Chretiennes. This collection of sources will also be an invaluable resource for students of the Early Church.

During the second century the Christian world was shaken by the Gnostics. Irenaeus came from Asia Minor via Rome to become bishop of Lyons, clarify Christian doctrines and fight the Gnostics with a major, five-volume work. He was a living part of his contemporary culture and his approach filled early Christian thought with new life.
The writings of Irenaeus exist as a whole only in Latin and Armenian. This study offers new translations of significant parts of his work, critically based on a complete reconstruction of the original Greek in the French series Sources Chretiennes. This collection of sources will also be an invaluable resource for students of the Early Church.

Early Christians and Animals presents a lively study of the significance of animals in early Christian thought, tradition, text and art.
Robert M. Grant:
* examines the diverse and often conflicting sources, from the pagan antecedents Aristotle and Pliny, to Biblical animal references and the Church fathers
* provides fresh translations of key texts concerning animals - the Physiologus, Basils homilies and Isidores chapters.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203017471

Grant ackowledges that Christian theology owes much to the philosophy of the classical world, but he believes the remarkable tenacity of Christian inspiration resulted from the revelation of the Trinity. From the philosophical background of Christian doctrine, especially Middle Platonism and the writings of Numenius of Apamea, Grant traces the development of God the Father, Creator, and Preserver of the universe.

This masterful study of the early centuries of Christianity vividly brings to life the religious, political, and cultural developments through which the faith that began as a sect within Judaism became finally the religion of the Roman empire. First published in 1970, Grant's classic is enhanced with a new foreward by Margaret M. Mitchell, which assesses its importance and puts the reader in touch with the advances of current research.

This revised and expanded edition of a book that first appeared in 1945 offers an inside look at the growth and spread of Christianity in the second century by providing source materials from pagan witnesses, Christian churches, and movements that became known as heretical. Reading these selections provides a first-hand sense of issues and concerns in that period. It brings the reader right into the arena in which Christianity and Christians were being discussed and provides a first-hand look at what churches were facing as the Christian movement spread. Thirty-nine sections plus a biography are included.

Though the apostle Paul wrote letters to many of the chruches he founded, none of his extant letters reveal more about him, his missionary activity, and the comunity of faith he sought to foster than 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians, Paul tried to influence - even control - the church in the context of a city that had lasting memories of Greek democracy but was having to live with the present realities if a Roman proconsul. This text highlights Paul as apostle, missionary and pastor against the backdrop of Greco-Roman culture, economics and politics.

Robert Grant draws upon his fifty years of experience dealing with the correlation of early Christianity and classical culture to demonstrate that Christian "heretics" were the first to apply literacy criticism to Christian books. He shows that the heretics' methods were the same as those of pagan contemporaries, and that literary criticism derived from the Hellenistic schools. Literary criticism was later used by famous orthodox leaders, and, as time passed, orthodox critics increasingly found that these methods could serve them well. Grant supports his argument by focusing on principal figures Origen, Dionysius of Alexandria, Eusebius, and Jerome.

This study first examines the New Testament origins of second-century thinking: the humanity of Christ in biblical Christology, including the infancy narratives and the divinity of Christ. The book then deals with Gnostic Christologies of the early second century, interprets the christological thinking of the apostolic fathers and Justin Martyr, discusses the Jewish Christian Christology of Theophilus, shows how disagreements were dealt within developing concepts of orthodoxy versus heresy, and explores how Irenaeus's Christology was worked out as a basis for molding an orthodox consensus. The book shows early attempts to synthesize diverse strands in the Gospel portraits of Jesus.

This volume in the Library of Early Christianity series explores the early Christian movement, especially as it is described in the book of Acts, and uses information about other religions being practiced during the same time period to fill in the story of religious confliect.

The Library of Early Christianity is a series of eight outstanding books exploring the Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts in which the New Testament developed.