Analysis Of Everett Feruson s Church History Essay

Everett Feruson in Church History does a spendid work in coursing through church history until the 13th century. Ferguson’s writing keeps the reader captivated, being witty at times, but overall being very helpful, for example in defining the term simplex of Charles the Simple to mean without guile. This is notable for he covers a wide swath of history with a life differing from ours while including a review of culture, architecture and politics. His descriptions vividly portrait the faithfulness and the struggles of the church. This strife was also within the church as striving in doctrine occurred, two important areas were the fight against docetiscism and addressing sins occurring after baptism. We appreciate the value of the installed leaders such as Ignatius and Irenaeus, to whom apostolic succession meant a holy life with sound doctrine. Whether these or other church fathers of whom some fragments of writings are extent we are thankful for (Kirby, 2016) such as Pol ycarp and Papias. â€Å"Papias has the credit of association with Polycarp, in the friendship of St. John himself, and of others who had seen the Lord. He is said to have been bishop of Hierapolis, in Phrygia, and to have died about the same time that Polycarp suffered; but even this is questioned. So little do we know of one whose lost books, could they be recovered, might reverse the received judgment, and establish his claim to the disputed tribute which makes him, like Apollos, an eloquent man, and