Best Books on Church History
Church History is the Reformed study of how God has preserved, purified, and reformed his church across the centuries, from the apostles through the early creeds, the medieval church, and the Protestant Reformation to today. It traces doctrine, revival, and controversy to show God's sovereign hand at work in his people. Studying it from a Reformed perspective strengthens faith by learning from the saints, pastors, and reformers who came before.
Start Here
basic
Church History in Plain Language
Top pickBruce L. Shelley (with Marshall Shelley) · 2021
The classic beginner friendly narrative overview of 2,000 years of church history, ideal for a first read.
Sketches from Church History
S. M. Houghton · 1980
A short, warmly written survey from the apostles to the 19th century, long loved by Reformed readers.
The Church in History
B. K. Kuiper · 1988
A photo rich, Reformed textbook history of the worldwide church, long used in Christian schools.
Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History
Richard M. Hannula · 1999
Forty six short biographical stories that introduce church history through the lives of its saints.
The Unquenchable Flame: Discovering the Heart of the Reformation
Michael Reeves · 2010
A lively, readable introduction to the Reformation's leading figures and their core convictions.
Go Deeper
intermediate
2,000 Years of Christ's Power, Vol. 1: The Age of the Early Church Fathers
Top pickNick Needham · 2016
The first of a five volume Reformed series giving detailed, readable, era by era coverage of history.
Christianity Through the Centuries
Earle E. Cairns · 1996
A standard evangelical college textbook covering the whole sweep of church history in solid detail.
The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation
Justo L. Gonzalez · 2010
A widely used narrative survey of the early and medieval church, strong on context and readability.
The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones · 1987
Addresses tracing Reformed piety and Puritan figures from Calvin and Knox through Edwards and Whitefield.
Reformation Thought: An Introduction
Alister E. McGrath · 2020
A clear, widely assigned introduction to the theological ideas that drove the Reformation.
For Study
advanced
History of the Christian Church (8 volumes)
Top pickPhilip Schaff · 2006
The monumental multi volume scholarly history from the apostles to the Reformation, still unmatched in depth.
The Reformation: A History
Diarmaid MacCulloch · 2005
An award winning, deeply researched scholarly history of the Reformation and Counter Reformation.
The European Reformation
Euan Cameron · 2012
A rigorous academic analysis of how the Reformation split Europe into Protestant and Catholic camps.
Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought
Alister E. McGrath · 2022
A scholarly survey tracing the development of Christian doctrine from the church fathers to today.
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A tiered reading guide of the best books on Church History.