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10 Reasons You Should Read Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History

After seeing Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History (get that edition! and read the footnotes!) referenced in, oh, just about every single book that deals with the history of the Early Church, I decided that I had to go back to the source and read it myself.  So I jumped on Amazon and bought it.  After it sat on my nightstand for about six months, I finally got around to reading it.  Here's 10 reasons why you should read it, too.

#1: History has a way of humbling you.  It forces you to see that your perspective on any given topic is not only one of many, but is perhaps not even one that was considered at all in times past.  This was a particularly important lesson for me as a Presbyterian because too many of us a) think we know Church history (we actually only know post-Reformation Reformed history) and b) we think the Reformed perspective is the only valid one.

#2: Eusebius preserves the writings of many early church fathers.  There is something uniquely edifying in reading the words of those who lived within a few centuries of Christ.  Some of the writings found in this book are dated back to within the lifetimes of those who knew the Apostles. Even though we don't consider these writers/writings to be infallible or canonical by any means, they are incredibly beneficial to read.

#3: Eusebius preserves the accounts of many martyrs for the faith.  By far the most emotionally engaging section is the Book of Martyrs (originally a separate work), which offers in some detail the suffering (sometimes graphic) of those who refused to offer incense to the emperor.  This section is both encouraging and challenging.

#4: This book helps to foster an ecumenical spirit by reminding the reader of a time when the Church was truly Catholic (universal).  There were heresies and schisms, but unity was preserved through all of it, and it was often done in a loving, gentle way.  It serves as a good reminder that we are all part of the one body of Christ.

#5: On that note, it is also a good reminder that the Universal Church is not simply an international, cross-ethnic reality, but also an eternal reality.  We are as truly united in Christ to the Christians of the first century as we are to the Christians alive right now in Asia, Africa, etc.  It is good to remember your place in Church history and your unity to all who have, are, or will be in Christ.

#5:  The early church fathers weren't idiots.  You can actually learn a ton by reading what they wrote.

#6: Though tedious, it's interesting and will expand your mind.

#7: Reading history, especially Church history, reminds the reader that everyone everywhere at every time had problems, and many of those problems were way worse than the ones we experience in our own day.

#8: Reading Church history, especially from such an early period, helps us to understand the role that the Church has played in the history of the world, particularly Western thought and culture.

#9: Eusebius emphasizes Church government, and while he does not intentionally outline the evolution of Christian ecclesiastical government, his work is full of useful information for the student of church polity.  This is something modern evangelicals will benefit from as it will challenge some of our preconceived notions about how the church was run in the seminal days of our history.

#10: It's a stinkin' classic!  What more do you need to know?  Eusebius truly is the father of ecclesiastical history and he preserves so much that would have been otherwise lost.  Sure, his sentences run as long as paragraphs sometimes.  Sure, the book is longer than your comic book or UsWeekly, but, as with most classics, it is a classic for a reason, and it's well worth the time invested to read it.

And for a bonus:

#11: You'll learn big words (well, if you care enough to take the time to look them up; if not, you'll simply not understand half of the book).

So follow the link and order your copy today!  You'll be glad you did!



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