RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Church History
3. Historians from 1800 to 1900 : August Neander,' a converted Israelite, professor of church history in Berlin (d. 1850), marks an epoch in this branch of theological literature; and by his truly Christian, conscientious, impartial, truth-loving, just, and liberal, and, withal, thoroughly learned and profound spirit and method, he earned the title of " Father of Church History." His Allgemeine Geschichte der christlichen Religion und Kirche (6 vols., Hamburg, 1825-52), though incomplete (it stops with the Council of Basel, 1430), and somewhat diffuse and monotonous in style, is an immortal monument of genius and learning. It pays special attention to the development of Christian life and doctrine, and is edifying as well as instructive. It has been naturalized in England and America by the translation of Professor Torrey (5 vols., Boston, 1847-52; 12th ed., 1872; new ed., with a complete index, 6 vols., 1881), and will long be studied with profit, although in some respects superseded by more recent researches in the first three centuries. Equally valuable, though of an altogether different plan and spirit, is tha Kirchengeschichte of J. K. L. Gieseler (5 vols., Bonn, 1824-56), translated first by Cuimingham in Philadelphia (1846), then by Davidson and Hull in England, and revised and completed by H. B. Smith of New York (5 vols., 1857-80). The text is a meager skeleton of facts and dates; but the body of the work consists of carefully selected extracts and proof-texts from the sources which furnish the data for an independent judgment. F. C. Baur's work on church history, partly published after his death (5 vols., Tubingen, 1853 sqq.), is distinguished for philosophic grasp, critical combinations, and bold conjectures, especially in the treatment of the apostolic and postapostolic ages, and the ancient heresies and systems of doctrine. K. R. Hagenbach's Kirchengeschichte (7 vols. , Leipsic, 1869 sqq.; revised ed., by Nippold, 1885 sqq.) is a popular digest for the educated lay reader. Philip Schaff's History of the Christian Church (3 vols., New York, 1859 sqq. ; Germ. ed. of the 1st three vols., Leipsic, 1868, revised ed. of same in English, New York, 1882-1907) is written from the Anglo-German and Anglo-American standpoint. H. C. Sheldon's History of the Christian Church (5 vols.. New York, 1894) is by an American Methodist. England has produced greater works in special departments than in general church history —e.g.. Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Milman's Latin Christianity, Stanley's Jewish Church and Eastern Church, Farrar's Life of Christ, The Apostle Paul, and Early Days of Christianity, J. B. Lightfoot's Apostolic Fathers, Trench's Lectures on the Mediceval Church, the Texts and Studies ed. J. A. Robinson. George Waddington presents the general history to the Reformation inclusive (6 vols., London, 1833 sqq.); his work is superseded by J. C. Robertson's History of the Christian Church to the Reformation (3 vols., London, 1854 sqq.; new ed., 8 small vols., 1875). The older work of Milner (d. 1797) is written in popular style for edification. The most valuable contributions of modern English scholarship to ancient cnurch history are found in Smith and Cheetham's
Dictionary of Christian Antiquities (2 vols., London, 1875-80) and Smith and Wace's Dictionary of Christian Biography (4 vols., 1877-87). The largest Roman Catholic church history of recent times is Abbe Rohrbacher's Histoire universelle de I'eglise catholique (25 vols., Paris, 1842 sqq.).
4. Manuals of Church History in One or More Volumes: (a) Roman Cathohc: J. J. I. von Dollinger (Vienna, 1836, unfinished; Eng. transl., 4 vols., London, 1840-42); J. A. Mo hler (posthumous, ed. P. B. Gams, 3 vols., Regensburg, 1867-70); J. B. Alzog (10th ed., by F. X. Kraus, 2 vols., Mainz, 1882; Eng. transl., 4 vols., London, 1879-82; 3 vols., Cincinnati, 1876); F. X. Kraus (3 parts, Treves, 1872-75; 4th ed., 1896); J. Hergenrother (4th ed., ed. J. P. Kirsch, 3 vols., Freiburg, 1902 sqq.); F X. Funk (4th ed., Paderborn, 1902); C. J. von Hefele (4th ed., by A. Knopfler, 1905). (b) Protestant: K. A. Hase (11th ed., Leipsic, 1886; a masterly miniature picture; Eng. transl. New York, 1855); C. W Niedner (2d ed., Berlin, 1866; very learned and very heavy); J. H. Kurtz (14th ed., by N. Boriwetsch and P. Tschackert, 2 vols., Leipsic, 1906; Eng. transl., 3 vols.. New York, 1888-89); A. Ebrard (4 vols., Erlangen, 1865-67; polemically Reformed) ; J. J. Herzog (3 vols. , Erlangen, 1880-82; moderately Reformed); E. Chastel (French, 4 vols., Paris, 1859-74; new ed., 1881 sqq.); H. Schmid (2 vols., Erlangen, 1881); K. A. Hase, Vorlesungen (4 vols., Leipsic, 1885 sqq.); R. Sohm (9th ed., Leipsic, 1894; Eng. transl., London, 1895); W Moller (3 vols., Freiburg, 1889-94; 2d ed., by H. von Schubert and G. Kawerau, 1897-1902; Eng. transl., London, 1892-1900); Kari Miiller (2 vols., Tubingen, 1892-1902); F. Loofs (Halle, 1901); H. von Schubert (2d ed., Tubingen, 1904). By American and English scholars are G. P. Fisher, History of the Christian Church (New York, 1887); J. F. Hurst, History of the Christian Church (2 vols.. New York, 1897-1900); A. H. Newman, Manual of Church History (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1900-03); Cheetham and Hardwick, Church History (4 vols., London, 1908).
5. Histories of Doctrine: G. Miinscher (4 vols., Marburg, 1797-1809); F C. Baur, Lehrbuch der Dogmengeschichte (Tubingen, 1847; 3d ed., 1867); idem, Vorlesungen, ed. by his son (3 vols., Leipsic, 1865-67); A. Neander (ed. J. L. Jacobi, Beriin, 1857; Eng. transl., 2 vols., London, 1858); K. R. Hagenbach (5th ed., Leipsic, 1867; Eng. transl., 2 vols., Edinburgh, 1880); W. G. T. Shedd (2 vols., New York, 1863); G. Thomasius (2 vols., Eriangen, 1874-76); F. D. Nitzsch (Berlin, 1870; unfinished); A. Harnack, Lehrbuch der Dogmengeschichte (3d ed., 3 vols., Freiburg, 1894-97; Eng. transl, 7 vols., London and Boston, 1895-1900); idem, Grundriss der Dogmengeschichte (4th ed., Freiburg, 1905; Eng. transl. New York, 1893); F. Loofs (3d ed., Halle, 1893); R. Seeberg (2 vols., Leipsic, 1895-98); G. P Fisher (International Theological Library, 1896); H. C. Sheldon (4th ed., 2 vols.. New York, 1906). See Dogma, Dogmaticb.
6. Chronological Tables: H. B. Smith, History of the Church of Christ in Sixteen Chronological Tables (New York, 1860); F. X. Kraus, Synchronistische Tabellen zur Kirchengeschichte (Treves,
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