The History of the Church - (World Literature in Translation) by Eusebius of Caesarea (Paperback)

About the Book

"Eusebius of Caesarea's Ecclesiastical History remains the single most important source for the history of the first three centuries of Christianity and stands among the classics of Western literature. Eusebius's iconic story of the church's origins, endurance of persecution, and ultimate triumph, with its cast of martyrs, heretics, bishops, and emperors, has profoundly shaped the understanding of Christianity's past. This fresh new translation, which includes detailed introductory essays and explanatory notes, presents Eusebius's work in a way that is both accessible to new readers and thought provoking for specialists"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Eusebius's groundbreaking History of the Church, remains the single most important source for the history of the first three centuries of Christianity and stands among the classics of Western literature. His iconic story of the church's origins, endurance of persecution, and ultimate triumph--with its cast of martyrs, heretics, bishops, and emperors--has profoundly shaped the understanding of Christianity's past and provided a model for all later ecclesiastical histories. This new translation, which includes detailed essays and notes, comes from one of the leading scholars of Eusebius's work and offers rich context for the linguistic, cultural, social, and political background of this seminal text. Accessible for new readers and thought-provoking for specialists, this is the essential text for anyone interested in the history of Christianity.

From the Back Cover

"Here is a fresh, sparkling translation of Eusebius of Caesarea's The History of the Church. It is distinguished by Jeremy Schott's ability to highlight the literary dimensions of the work, to help contemporary readers understand and appreciate the cultural influences that shaped Eusebius's story of Christian writers and their writings."--Gregory Allen Robbins, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Denver

"The introductory material in this book is an extremely effective distillation of many of the most insightful scholarly investigations into Eusebius's text, its themes, and its reception. Schott has done an excellent job of balancing the clarity of flow of his English and fidelity to the Greek. In sum, Schott has created the new standard English translation for The History of the Church."--Edward Watts, Alkiviadis Vassiliadis Endowed Chair in Byzantine Greek History, University of California, San Diego

"Jeremy Schott is the ideal translator for Eusebius's The History of the Church. Schott thoroughly contextualizes Eusebius in the most important cultural, ecclesiastical, and political currents. This new translation will be indispensable for teaching the early history of the Christian church as well as late Roman history and courses on Late Antiquity. This will be the definitive English translation for decades to come."--Elizabeth DePalma Digeser, Professor of History, University of California, Santa Barbara

Review Quotes

"A remarkable work of scholarship. . . . Schott's translation has certainly become the first I turn to."-- "Ancient Jew Review"

"This new translation offers contemporary readers an accessible text with insights into the cultural and social influences that shaped Eusebius' story of Christianity."-- "Reading Religion"

"A singular achievement in Eusebian studies. . . . This volume will become the standard translation."-- "Journal of Classics Teaching"

"Schott's translation was a bold undertaking; it has generated a monumental achievement. It certainly deserves to become the next generation's standard English version of Eusebius' History."-- "Studies in Late Antiquity"

"This outstanding version will soon become standard in courses, for it is in every way superior to its competition."-- "Review of Biblical Literature"

"Students of ancient Christianity and general readers will find here a lucid translation and a helpful guide to the study of an important source for early Christian history."-- "Church History and Religious Culture"

About the Author

Jeremy M. Schott, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University, has published extensively on religion, philosophy, and culture in the era of Eusebius and Constantine. His previous books include Christianity, Empire, and the Making of Religion in Late Antiquity.