The Founding of Christendom: A History of Christendom (Vol. 1)Volume 1

by Warren H. Carroll

Book Overview

The Founding of Christendom is the first volume in "The History of Christendom" series. This series is the only in-print, comprehensive narration of Western history written from an orthodox Catholic perspective. How would a historical narrative read if the author began with the first principles that truth exists and the Incarnation happened? This series is essential reading for those who consider the West worth defending.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0931888212
• ISBN13: 9780931888212
• Release Date: October 2004
• Publisher: Christendom Press
• Length: 605 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.2" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Not at all boring

I labored through several other church history books until I came across this gem of a series (four of six completed). Dr. Carroll has done thorough research and comes across with a balanced view -- and from an unashamedly Catholic perspective -- in very readable prose. Now that Dr. Carroll has retired, perhaps he will make time for book five in the series. I cannot wait!

Brilliant Historical Context

First of all, it is worth note that Carroll admits his bias right from the beginning, and thus honestly admits to what would have been obvious from the first few pages of his work. Among the "objective historians", the lack of bias is paramount, and is established by attacking, diminishing, and demeaning whatever subject they approach. Carroll, by way of contrast, admits a pre-existing bias, and is thus free to explore, explain, and defend his subject matter.The Founding of Christendom accomplishes three great ends. First, it provides a succinct and riveting chronological study of the "History of the World." I admit I was quite shocked to discover that Carroll picks up his work not from AD0, but from the moment of Creation itself. Audacious! And yet his historical approach provides a new view of Genesis.Secondly, Carroll's portrait of the evolution of Judaism, through the birth of Christ gives a compelling view of the necessity of the Old Testament as a precondition to the New.Finally, the extent to which "Foundation" establishes chronological context is particularly impressive. Without so much as a "Meanwhile, in Greece..." Carroll manages to firmly establish the temporal relationship of Biblical events within the broader context of world history. It is one thing to look at a wall chart displaying events in different civilizations at different times, and quite another to understand the relationship between Philistine domination of the Israelites and the Homeric legends of ancient Greece. Certainly other works have hinted at the similarities between the Phillistines, Goliath and the Grecian demi-gods, but Carroll's was the first work that made it click so clearly.Finally, this is the best of the four comparably excellent volumes for one primary reason: this volume has the least number of references to "August, the ancient dying time of Rome," the phrase of resort that may be Carroll's one true weakness.

An outstanding Catholic alternative to Will Durant

«History is a cosmic battleground between Heaven and Hell.» - Warren H. CarrollThe first of a projected six-part *History of Christendom*, the next three volumes of which have already been published, *The Birth Of Christendom* is history with a difference : as its author, Warren H. Carroll, PhD, confesses at the very outset, it «is written by a Catholic, from a Catholic perspective, with the conviction that Jesus Christ founded a church and that the visible church He founded is the Roman Catholic Church which, through its succession of Popes in particular, has remained, and always will be his Church.»But a history of Christendom- of which this is, according to the author, the only example ever published in the twentieth century- is not just a history of the Church: it is the history of the «Christian public order», which «includes as a major element the lay or temporal order insofar as it is penetrated and influenced by Christianity. The greater the degree of this penetration or influence, the more significant is the temporal history so affected, for the historian of Christendom.»*The Birth of Christendom* therefore begins much earlier than with the birth of the Church, with an account of the events, Divine and human, that set the stage for «The Incarnation of the Lord» (to borrow the title of Chapter 14), the most momentous of which being Creation and Original Sin.The first thirteen chapters of the book are predominantly a history of Israel, for the Jews were after all God's Chosen People, the one with whom He made His first Covenant, and to whose prophets He provided some foreknowledge of the coming of His Son.But Carroll does not neglect the Providential role played by two Pagan civilizations, the Greek and the Roman, and more especially by two men, Alexander and Octavian : the former's Hellenization of the East «provided a cultural unity» and a common language that paved the way for evangelization, while the latter's establishment of the Pax Romana came at the appointed time : «The central event of history was drawing very close. The Prince of Peace needed to begin His work in a time of peace.» (p279)Carroll's interest, therefore, extends also to «the world which revelation had not yet reached». The Gentiles and Pagans he often characterizes as inspired by the devil (like the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, «those masters of satanic cruelty») and more occasionally as glorious, though Pagan virtue can only go so far, and « cosmic despair ... lies at the end of every pagan road, even the most brilliant». India definitely belongs to the former category : its «strange doctrines» and «convoluted mysticism» evince «a satanic spiritual climate». However brilliant the Buddha and the Mahavira may have been, and however benevolent their moral example, India's metaphysics destroys the very possibility of rationality : «in that world, there is no choosing, no either-or, no law of non-contradiction, everything and anything can be true, nothing is false.»An

Thoroughly documented and well researched.

I have never read a history book more thoroughly researched and documented. Just reading the footnotes alone will give the reader a new insight into the history of Judaism and Christianity. I look forward to reading the continuing volumes by Warren H. Carroll on the history of Christendom.

History the way it should be written.

Warren Carroll is a master at his craft. He writes history the way it should be written. His histories are true-to-life: full of heroes and villains engaged in the great struggle of good against evil. You'll find no economic or material determinism here. Carroll states at the outset that he is presenting an unabashedly Catholic history of Christendom. But, rest assured, these histories are no whitewash. The Catholic Church is presented with all its warts along with all of its glories. I have just finished the fist two volumes of this series and look forward to starting the third (and buying the yet-to-be-published volumes). The only way these volumes could have been improved would have been with the addition of maps helping to set the stage where the history is played out. Some of the ancient place names are obscure and many modern place names do not correspond exactly with similar ancient ones.