I found this book serving the very important function of dust-collector on an attic bookshelf. About two years ago I moved it to my "read this" stack, where it continued to collect some dust. Finally, several months ago, I read the book and am just now getting around to writing something about it. Chadwick's analysis of early Christian history was a fascinating introduction. One of the strengths I found in the book is that he is very good about specifying dates. So for the student who wishes to create a timeline of history, this is an excellent resource. Chadwick points out again and again the delicate tension between the Church's view of itself as God's appointed world leader and its realization that it was a small minority group. He also details many of the high points of early Church history, showing how the debate was carried on both within the Church and between the Church and State. We see clearly that the believers were not monolithic in their theological views. There was a good deal of diversity, sometimes without debate, sometimes with it.
I plan to refer to this book again with a timeline in hand, noting many of the dates and important people or controversies. It's a good sourcebook.
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