April 07, 2025

With Gary Petty. We discuss his new book -- Christendom

41 minutes

Gary Petty and I talk about his recently published book Christendom.

Available on Amazon

Here is a description of the book.

For hundreds of years after the death of Jesus, the people who professed to be His followers faced persecution from the Roman Empire. Then a miracle seemed to happen to this fragmented and diverse religious movement. Emperor Constantine declared that he was a Christian, and then through the following decades attempted to create a unified Christianity.

This effort to build a unified Christian church continued during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. This effort was a complex chronicle of theological debates, schisms, political intrigue, and violence, at times. The people and events intertwine with the collapse of the Roman Empire and the impact of Germanic culture on the church as well as with plagues, wars, Crusades, and repeated attempts to recreate a united Europe.

The story includes Goths, Anglo-Saxons, Franks, Italians, Spanish, Vikings, Celts, Arabs, Jews, Mongols, and others whose identities have all but disappeared. Countless individuals played their parts in the events—Augustine and his mother Monica, who hailed from North Africa; Justinian and his wife Theodora from Byzantium; Charlemagne; Mohammed; and dozens of popes, peasants, aristocrats, priests, and warriors. All of them shaped the formation of Christendom—the Kingdom of God on earth—a kingdom that changed original Christianity until it would have been in many ways unrecognizable to Jesus’ earliest followers.

Christendom: The Kingdom that Changed Christianity is a companion book to Plato’s Shadow: The Hellenizing of Christianity.

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Gary Petty is an author and pastor known for his works on the historical and philosophical influences on Christianity, as well as guidance on managing personal conflicts. His notable publications include:Better World Books+4Google Books+4ThriftBooks+4

Plato's Shadow: The Hellenizing of Christianity

This book examines how Greek philosophy, particularly that of Plato, influenced early Christian teachings, leading to deviations from the original messages of Jesus and His apostles. Barnes & Noble

The Mercy Effect: A Spiritual Guide for Managing Conflict

In this work, Petty explores the spiritual roots of conflict and offers practical steps for resolving disagreements in various aspects of life, emphasizing the importance of mercy and forgiveness. Better World Books

Christendom: The Kingdom That Changed Christianity

Serving as a companion to 'Plato's Shadow,' this book delves into the transformation of Christianity during the formation of Christendom, highlighting how political and cultural shifts reshaped the faith. ThriftBooks+5Google Books+5Bookshop+5

These works reflect Petty's focus on understanding the historical contexts that have shaped modern Christianity and providing insights into personal spiritual growth.

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