Lion Histories Series (10 vols.)

by Andrew Knowles; Pachomios Penkett; Ted Olsen; Timothy Yates; Mark Galli

and

6 more

Publisher:

Lion Hudson

, 2002–2004

Overview

Lion Histories is a major new series aimed at those who are seeking accessible introductions to key periods, people and themes in Christian history. These Histories are excellent resources for pastors, students, Bible study leaders and Sunday school teachers to gain an understanding of these important events and people in Christian history. This series covers the world of Jesus and Paul, and shows how Christianity expanded throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. It introduces important church figures like Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Luther and the Celtic people, as well as significant eras including the Byzantine and Medieval periods, and the Enlightenment.

Key Features

• Introductions to periods, people, and themes
• Ideal for students, pastors, and teachers

Product Details

• Title: Lion Histories Series (10 vols.)
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Volumes: 10
• Pages: 1,896

Jesus and His World

• Author: Peter Walker
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 192

Jesus and His World places Jesus firmly in the Jewish world into which he was born, and helps the reader grasp the context in which he grew up and in which he spread the gospel message. Walker examines the world of Palestine in the first century and looks at the evidence that exists about Jesus. He then looks at Jesus in the world of Judaism, giving the Jewish background and the Jewish expectations of the Messiah. In the second half of the book he describes the ministry and teaching of Jesus and shows how our Lord related to the world around him. Walker draws on biblical scholarship and sharp insight to bring this central figure in world history to life.

Paul Walker studied classics at Cambridge University and was ordained in the Anglican Church in 1989. He has lectured in New Testament studies at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and has done extensive research in the Holy Land. He is the author of In the Steps of Jesus and In the Steps of Paul.

Paul and His World

• Author: Stephen Tomkins
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 192

Taking account of biblical and historical scholarship, Stephen Tomkins presents a vivid portrait of Paul and the world he lived in. He shows what the early church was like before Paul’s conversion, and then tells the dramatic story of Paul’s experience on the Damascus Road followed by his missionary journeys and disputes with fellow leaders. He also traces the changes in Paul’s thinking and poses the question - did Paul rewrite Christianity? Tomkins cogently remarks, “Two billion people today are followers of Jesus, and every one of them sees him through a lens crafted by Paul. A person of that influence is worth getting to know.”

Stephen Tomkins has a Ph.D. in Church History from London Bible College and is a contributing editor to the Ship of Fools website. He is a freelance writer and author of John Wesley: A Biography and William Wilberforce: A Biography.

The Expansion of Christianity

• Author: Timothy Yates
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 190

The Expansion of Christianity tells how the Christian faith spread from its beginnings in first century Palestine, in the midst of a persecuting Roman empire, to become the largest religion in the modern world. Starting with the first missionary journeys to places such as Antioch, Ephesus, Philippi, Corinth, Athens and North Africa, Yates shows how Christianity has expanded both chronologically and geographically into each continent. He presents some of the missionary pioneers of Christianity such as the Apostle Paul, Willibrod, David Brainerd, William Carey, David Livingstone, and Mary Slessor and assesses how missionary activity has changed from the twentieth century onwards with indigenous churches taking up the task. Christianity magazine, in 2005, said of The Expansion of Christianity that it is a “great overview of a vital subject,” and “an ambitious attempt to survey Christian missions throughout church history.”

Timothy Yates is an Anglican priest and expert in mission studies. He has taught in the University of Durham as tutor and lecturer at St. John’s College and in the faculty of theology. He holds a doctorate in mission studies from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. Yates is the author of Christian Mission in the Twentieth Century.

Augustine and His World

• Authors: Andrew Knowles and Pachomios Penkett
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 190

Knowles and Penkett introduce readers to the world of the early church and to one of the giants of Christianity—Augustine of Hippo. From his birth in North Africa and his days as a free-living young man, through his mid-life conversion to Christianity and career as bishop of Hippo, Augustine’s story has inspired generations for over 1600 years. The Church Father’s greatness lay in his ability to relate the philosophies of ancient Greece and Rome to the precepts of the Christian faith. He also saved the Church itself from disintegrating into rival factions, by forging sound doctrine in the fires of controversy, providing a basis for doctrinal unity, and presenting the Church with a vision for its role in the world. Engaged in personal spirituality, Augustine probed his own heart and mind to discern God’s influence in his life, and thereby discovered lessons and insights Christians have found helpful throughout the centuries.

Andrew Knowles, Canon Theologian at Chelmsford Cathedral, has written many books on Christianity and the Bible, including The Bible Guide and Real-Life Christianity

Pachomios Penkett wrote his doctoral thesis on Asceticism and lectures internationally. He has published works on the Desert Fathers and Orthodox spirituality and directs the National Icon Collection Project in the UK.

Faith in the Byzantine World

• Author: Mary Cunningham
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 192

Faith in the Byzantine World examines the key features of Byzantine Christianity from the 4th to the 15th centuries. Cunningham covers a wide variety of subjects, such as: the structure of the Byzantine Church; liturgy and daily worship; doctrine; monasticism; icons and iconoclasm; architecture, art and iconography; relations with the western church; and mission and expansion. The book ends by assessing the lasting legacies of the Byzantine Church, especially in the areas of liturgy, spirituality and art.

Mary Cunningham is a Byzantine and Patristics scholar, part-time lecturer at the University of Birmingham, and tutor at the Cambridge Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies. She is the co-author of Preacher and Audience, the co-editor of Mount Athos and the Byzantine Monasticism, and has contributed a chapter to A World History of Christianity.

Faith in the Medieval World

• Author: G. R. Evans
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 160

Faith in the Medieval World paints a fascinating picture of the world of the Middle Ages, roughly the years from 500 to 1500. Evans first provides an overview of the development of Christianity in the west during this period. Then he introduces and describes such key themes as: bible study; belief; sin and the sacraments; politics and the Church; the Crusades and the idea of ‘holy war’; popular piety; the religious life; rebels; and the road to Reformation. He focuses on many of the important personalities in the medieval period, including Gregory the Great, John Wyclif, Peter Abelard, Dante, Bernard of Clairvaux and Chaucer.

G. R. Evans is Professor of Medieval Theology and Intellectual History at Cambridge University, and was British Academy Research Reader in Theology from 1986 to 1988. She is the author of John Wyclif and The Medieval Theologians.

Francis of Assisi and His World

• Author: Mark Galli
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 190

Mark Galli examines the life and influence of one of the most popular and charismatic figures in Christian history. Galli roots Francis in the context of his medieval world, showing both the violence of the Middle Ages and the corruption of the Church. When Francis rejected the affluent lifestyle he once enjoyed from his father’s prosperous business, he created a new and radical order of poverty and Christian witness. His impact on the times in which he lived and on the Church was immense, as has been his influence on western culture as well. A popular religious figure, Francis of Assisi has also been historically misrepresented. Galli attempts to strip away the modern gloss in order to present the real man. The person revealed here is not the romantic free spirit of popular imagination, but a complex and contentious figure who combined a deep mysticism with radical commitment to live a life that glorified God.

Mark Galli is managing editor of Christianity Today in the United States and former editor of Christian History magazine. He received an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary and for ten years served as a Presbyterian pastor in parishes in Mexico City and California. He has written books on preaching, prayer and the challenges of pastoral ministry. He has co-written and edited a number of books, including 131 Christians Everyone Should Know, Preaching that Connects, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Prayer.

Christianity and the Celts

• Author: Ted Olsen
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 192

Christianity and the Celts opens up for readers the impact of Christianity upon the Celtic world. Writing in a vivid style and focusing on the key figures involved, Olsen brings this distant world to life without losing historical balance and integrity. He begins by examining the Celtic world before the arrival of Christianity, and then focuses on subjects such as: the influence of Patrick; the beginnings of Irish/Celtic monasticism; Columba and the founding of Iona; Celtic missionaries; the Viking raids; and Celtic revivals through history.

Ted Olsen is Online and Managing Editor for Christianity Today. He was previously Assistant Editor for Christian History magazine. A freelance writer, he has written numerous features and articles and is co-author of 131 Christians Everyone Should Know

Luther and His World

• Author: Graham Tomlin
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2002
• Pages: 190

In Luther and His World Graham Tomlin examines the central figure in the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century. He explains Luther’s background and helps the reader to understand the process leading up to his rebellion against the late medieval church. This vivid account brings to life the world of the early reformers as well as their battles and disagreements over the way forward for the new church. Tomlin presents a complex mix of history, theology, translation, biography and good storytelling, while offering an assessment of Luther’s significance for, and his contribution to, western culture and Christianity.

Graham Tomlin is Vice Principal and Tutor in Historical Theology and Evangelism of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served in a parish in Exeter before becoming Chaplain of Jesus College, Oxford. A member of the Faculty of Theology in Oxford University, Tomlin teaches on Martin Luther and the Reformation there. He is the author of Power of the Cross and Walking in His Steps.

Faith in the Age of Reason

• Author: Jonathan Hill
• Series: Lion Histories Series
• Publisher: Lion Hudson
• Publication Date: 2004
• Pages: 208

Jonathan Hill begins by describing how the Middle Ages came to an end with the Renaissance and the Reformation, setting the scene for the Enlightenment. Hill then concentrates on the central themes and characteristics of this turbulent period: the Churches, the New Science, the New Philosophy, the Question of Authority, Politics and Society, God, Humanity and the World, and the Reaction and the Legacy. Key figures that Hill features are: Samuel Johnson, Galileo, Newton, Descartes, Hume, Voltaire, Pascal, Locke, Diderot, Rousseau and Kant. The Age of Reason was an age when world views clashed and new ways of understanding emerged. Faith in the Age of Reason examines what these powerful new ideas were, and how they impacted on Christianity.

Jonathan Hill achieved a first-class degree in Philosophy and Theology from Oxford University and an M.Phil. in Theology, specializing in the church fathers. He has worked in publishing and broadcasting and is currently working on Sky News, a web-based news and information site. He is the author of The History of Christian Thought.