The Early Church (33-313): St. Peter, the Apostles, and Martyrs - Paperback

by James L. Papandrea (Author), Mike Aquilina (Editor)

Winner of a 2020 Catholic Press Association book award (first place, best new religious book series).

Church history is a lot like the tale The Emperor's New Clothes, according to Catholic historian James L. Papandrea: No one wants to seem unenlightened, so they pretend to see what's not there.

In The Early Church (33-313): St. Peter, the Apostles, and Martyrs, Papandrea refutes fourteen fashionable "mythconceptions" about early Christian history and enables believers to make sense of the Church's beginnings.

The first Apostles spread the message of Jesus Christ and were willing to suffer and die for their faith. The next generations of believers followed their example with zeal, producing inspiring martyrs including Sts. Justin and Perpetua, and great thinkers such as Irenaeus, and Tertullian.

In this book, you will learn:

• No money or power was attached to being a bishop or priest in the early Church.
• Christian holidays were not adaptations of pagan celebrations.
• Christians have never believed in an eternal life for souls without bodies.
• The doctrine of the Trinity was not forced upon the Church by Constantine, but rather was a belief from the beginning of Christianity.

Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time

Author Biography

James L. Papandrea is a Catholic author, professor, speaker, and musician. He teaches Church history and historical theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University. Papandrea is a fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and also serves as a consultant for adult faith formation.

After earning his master's degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, Papandrea spent several years focusing full time on youth and music ministries and serving as a consultant in youth ministry. He earned his doctorate in the history and theology of the early Christian church from Northwestern. He has also studied Roman history at the American Academy in Rome.

Papandrea is the author of a number of books for academic and general audiences, including The Early Church (33-313), A Week in the Life of Rome, From Star Wars to Superman, and Trinity 101. He has appeared on EWTN TV and a number of Catholic radio shows. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the North American Patristics Society, and the Catholic Association of Music. Papandrea lives in the Chicago area.

Mike Aquilina is a Catholic author, popular speaker, poet, and songwriter who serves as the executive vice president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.