Amazon reader review: Here is a general church history that covers everything vital to the Church's growth during the first six centuries. In this volume, Henry Chadwick manages to define the Church's uniform identity within the context of the cosmopolitan Greco-Roman world. This work is a finely-crafted and well-researched summation of Christianity's early legacy, and it is written for all Christians and all students of the era. Chadwick is a very judicious historian, and he is one of the foremost authorities on Early Christianity. To say the least, this work is the fruitful product of many years of Chadwickian scholarship. Every university bookstore, church library, secular bookstore, and personal library should have this book on hand.

This enlightening study examines the relationship of the early Christians to the classical tradition. Based on the work of the Christian thinkers, Justine, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen, and existing pagan criticism of the Church, the book illustrates how rejection of the classical tradition combined with profound acceptance of its humanism were synthesized by the early Church.

Amazon reader review: I will begin by stating that I am an estranged ex-catholic. But as a philosopher and writer, I always wanted to read The Confessions of St. Augustine. The famed quote of Give me chastity and continence but not yet is one that I have often used out of context with a wicked smile. It was great to read these lines within the intended framework of Augustine's writing. This is a beautiful book. Augustine's gradual turn toward God is glorious. This book beautifully illustrates the human ability for transformation and transcendence. Along with Meister Eckhart and Thomas Aquinas it gives one a good grasp of the early Christian and Catholic theory. As a cynic I must question what went wrong but my sarcasm should not detract from the sheer beauty and power of St Augustine. It brought me closer to God if not back to my original faith. Like the Bible itself, this is a book that many Christians in general and Catholics in specific really ought to read.