The 40 Most Influential Christians . . . Who Shaped What We Believe Today

by Daryl Aaron

Overview

Compelling Accounts of Key People Who Have Formed Christian Belief through the Ages

All Christians' beliefs are shaped by those who went before them. Now these giants of Christian history are presented chronologically and in a format that helps readers get to know them. In addition to a biographical sketch, readers will discover each person's primary contributions to the Christian faith along with a brief quotation from their work. Students, history buffs, and curious readers will be fascinated as their faith is strengthened. Included are Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Karl Barth, Carl F. H. Henry, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780764210846
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2013
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Daryl Aaron earned his ThM at Dallas Theological Seminary and his PhD at Graduate Theological Foundation. He spent fourteen years in pastoral ministry before becoming a professor of biblical and theological studies at Northwestern College. He lives with his wife in Mounds View, Minnesota.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 9

A Chronology of These Influential Christians 10

Introduction 11

1 Clement of Rome 17

2 Ignatius of Antioch 23

3 Justin Martyr 29

4 Irenaeus 35

5 Tertullian 43

6 Clement of Alexandria 51

7 Origen 57

8 Cyprian of Carthage 65

9 Athanasius 71

10 Basil, Gregory, and Gregory (The Cappadocian Fathers) 77

11 Theodore of Mopsuestia 83

12 Cyril of Alexandria 89

13 Leo the Great 95

14 Augustine 101

15 Gregory the Great 111

16 John of Damascus 117

17 Anselm of Canterbury 123

18 Peter Abelard 129

19 Thomas Aquinas 135

20 Julian of Norwich 143

21 Martin Luther 149

22 Ulrich Zwingli 157

23 John Calvin 163

24 Menno Simons 171

Brief Interlude 177

25 Richard Hooker 183

26 James Arminius 189

27 Philipp Spener 195

28 Jonathan Edwards 201

29 John Wesley 209

30 Friedrich Schleiermacher 215

31 Albrecht Ritschl 221

32 J. Gresham Machen 227

33 Karl Barth 233

34 Paul Tillich 243

35 Dietrich Bonhoeffer 251

36 Jürgen Moltmann 257

37 Karl Rahner 263

38 Gustavo Gutiérrez 271

39 Rosemary Radford Ruether 279

40 Carl F. H. Henry 285

Conclusion 293

Appendix

The Creed of Nicea 297

The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed 299

Resources 301