Turning points mark noll pdf

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Email required Address never made public. Name required. Main Sections Bibliography Chronology Documents. These both had some There was definitely a turning point in the way war would be fought. The point that the population intensifies during this time marks a decisive turning point in history because. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of - In "Turning Points", Mark Noll departs from his normal comprehensive approach to history and distills years of Church history into a mere 12 momentous even monumentous events.

Nolls does his typically excellent job of bringing history to life by providing details, explaining events and. Access options. Please tick the box to confirm you agree that your name, comment and conflicts of interest if accepted will be visible on the website and your comment may be printed in the journal at the Editor's discretion. It started off with only five miniatures in its first edition and grew to a collection of 14 with later editions.

Noll with a free trial. History professor and author Mark Noll presents a comprehensive view of Christianity by highlighting events throughout history. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity, - Now organized around 14 key moments in church history, this well-received text provides contemporary Christians with a fuller understanding If Mark Noll's Turning Points gets the attention it deserves, it will contribute immeasurably to a turning point in the struggle for Christian unity within.

Full version Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History - Now organized around fourteen key moments in church history, this well-received text provides contemporary Christians with a fuller understanding of God as he has revealed his purpose through the centuries. This new edition includes a new preface; updates throughout the book; revised ". The crucial question then arises, "Which events are the decisive moments in the history of Christianity?

Key shaping elements: Vatican affirmation that non-Catholic Christians are joined to Catholics in the Holy Spirit; affirmed involvement of Catholic laity; Mass in vernacular not Latin; affirmed religious freedom as. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of - The "turning points" put history into perspective and provide opportunity to add a human quality by often focusing on individuals while looking over Chapter 10 of Noll's Turning Points is entitled "The New Piety," and focuses on the conversion and works of the Wesley brothers in the 18th century.

What are some underrated turning points in history? This man is Huang Mulan, a little man who changes the direction of history.

Noll - Noll brings over 13 turning points in the history of Christianity to his book in 20 page segments. The turning points are placed in full context of surrounding, influencing forces such as government, wars, economics, languages, theology, church maturity, Christian zeal, personalities, etc.

Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity - Certain historical moments that another might see as monumental enough to be included are sometimes only mentioned in brief or not at all 3. Yet In addition to these specific examples, I offer this general take on Turning Points.

Lutherans view the history of the church with Lutheran eyes. By Mark A. Baker Academic, Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity - An outstanding historian of Christianity, Mark Noll identifies pivotal events or movements throughout history beginning with the fall of Jerusalem 70 through the 20th century. The events are admittedly subjective selections as the author explains in the introduction.

Jan 05, Tyler Burton rated it really liked it Shelves: reading-challenge. A helpful, thorough, and accessible walkthrough of Christian history through the lens of its most crucial events. Great for anyone who wants a volume on church history that is accessible yet also packed with great stories, insights and book recommendations. I found the sections on the Council of Nicaea, 19th century missions, and the Second Vatican Council to be the most enjoyable and thought provoking.

Aug 27, Lance Crandall rated it really liked it. Very fair with the broad view of church in mind. It includes songs and quotes for each point which was cool!

A really solid look at decisive points in history that shaped the Christian movement. Jan 08, Lego Ergo Sum rated it really liked it Shelves: the-church. I found this to be amongst the best of the books I have read on this topic, and I have read a few this year.

Most of the volumes I have read or seen on the history of the Church appear to be college textbooks. As such, well, they kind of make for dry reading. This is sad because most Christians then justifiably choose not to become aware of their family history, thus becoming a people without roots. Even more sad is that it leaves t I found this to be amongst the best of the books I have read on this topic, and I have read a few this year.

Even more sad is that it leaves the Church open to be manipulated by those with various sectarian or heretical axes to grind. Often this is executed by means of naive fantasies about the early Church that are used to justify division or stories taken out of context of injustices suffered that are calculated to make the blood boil with the same divisive goal.

Books such as "Turning Points" stand to strengthen the Church by reconnecting her to her roots. One quickly gets the sense that very few of the challenges the Church faces today have not been faced in the past. One can easily appropriate many of these lessons learned either positively or negatively from the past and apply them to contemporary challenges.

One also gets the sense that God has guided His Church in ways that we in all of our postmodern wisdom would not. In the history of the Church, one can see our legacy as an unbroken tapestry that exists within the bounds of the cloth orthodoxy proceeding forward by the guidance of the Holy Spirit with unexpected color and diversity. The story on the cloth always manages to transcend the drops of black from the self-inflicted wounds that arise out of our mysterious state of being, as Luther put so well, a people that are simultaneously justified and yet sinners.

Even now as the Church moves its center of balance away from the west and is appropriated by cultures in Asia and Africa, its color and diversity continues to explode in new vibrancies that carry the story forward within the bounds of orthodoxy while amazingly finding a kind of unity in its diversity that does not spill off of the cloth.

Anyway read the book. Sep 21, Mark rated it really liked it. The second of Mark Noll's books that I've read, and again I was impressed. This is most clear in the west, as that's the focus of this book. Though it makes one wonder if this isn't a common or natural development in other cultures, too. At various times in our history, what we broadly call christianity has also been used to form the infrastructure of civilization and government. When secular alternatives to the functional needs of society were developed, the church lost part of what it was doing--often with ensuing conflict.

It SHOULD be leading back to a religious faith that is personal, and unencumbered by social functions, but I'm not sure that's really happening. The other unavoidable conclusion from this book is that Christianity, at least as an institution, is far from unchanging.

It's not a constant. Though it may have a real truth at is core I believe so--where it can work at a personal faith level , when built up into an organization, society, or government it's clear that it has done nothing BUT change during the past two millennia.

That's a useful confirmation for me, because it means that anything that's done in the name of christianity as an organization or tradition should be scrutinized.

It's often not the immutable truth that its proponents suggest. We need to think critically, pray fervently, and decide for ourselves. Hmm, I guess this review turned into a soapbox somewhere along the way. View 1 comment. Sep 29, Frances rated it it was ok. I am agnostic but, given my deep love of literature and history, wanted to know more about the history of Christianity, and so have been reading about its development.

Boy, was I disappointed. And before some ass wipe tells me that my assessment of this book is colored by a hatred of Christianity, I will say that I do not hate Christianity or religion in general; my belief is that shitty people can be found everywhere and they will use whatever tools at their disposal to be shitty. I also believe that unthinking adherence to any doctrine is dangerous, especially those that encourage hatred and violence towards others.

Of course, no one can be wholly objective. It is not. Rather, his views, which of course are not representative of all Protestants, are aired as authoritative.

Johnson is also Christian and he comes out as a Catholic in the introduction to his book. But he tries to not let his personal beliefs get in the way of academic rigor.

He criticizes and praises people from all denominations. His overview of missionary work is offensively lacking What I hated most about this book was its complete glossing over of the horrors enacted and encouraged by Christian nations and people. I found his treatment of missionaries especially disturbing: he completely disregards how missionaries were part and parcel of destructive, dehumanizing, and cruel colonial endeavors.

The most cursory reading or googling about the role of Christianity in colonial expansion will teach you that religion was often used as an excuse for the most horrifying violence.

Even with missionaries who were motivated by a sense of altruism, that altruism often came from a racist conviction of the cultural supremacy of white Europeans and Americans.

And of course there is no mention of how religion was used to justify the horrors of the Inquisition, the Crusades which were political and economic ventures as well as religious , the Holocaust, etc. It is obvious that Noll deliberately omitted any facts that would have cast any Christian in a less than noble light.

But he does NOT mention that it was de las Casas who proposed that, to solve the problem of Spanish cruelty, Africans should be brought as slaves to Hispaniola. He later went back to say that both forms of slavery were wrong. His treatment of missionaries among Native Americans is also risibly pollyannish. Johnson also talks about how Christians collaborated with Nazis or remained silent during the Holocaust, and also points out other times in history when Christians behaved in terrible ways.

Turning Points does a disservice to Christians. I would want to know the strengths and weaknesses of the people who preceded me so I could have a deeper understanding of how my own religion could be improved, and how I, as a Christian, could become better. Rather than being billed as an academic work, this book should be relegated to Sunday school, alongside the equally simplistic Veggie Tales.

The reason I gave this book two stars instead of one is because, like Veggie Tales, it provided me a sense of how many Christians view themselves, as well as a brief sketch of important events and stories. I do feel like I have a sense of some big moments and their consequences. Had Noll simply cobbled together Wikipedia pages on the turning points he explores, he would have had a much better and more extensively cited book.

The textbook for a Church History subject I'm teaching. A balanced, readable, interesting single volume survey. The selection of 13 'turning point' events from years of church history is a great device -- Noll has managed to present a reasonably satisfying treatment of the subject in only pages, whilst also keeping the significance of each event constantly in view.

Well presented as an introductory textbook with photos, select quotations from primary sources, each chapter starting with The textbook for a Church History subject I'm teaching. Well presented as an introductory textbook with photos, select quotations from primary sources, each chapter starting with a hymn and finishing with a prayer from the period under discussion, good further reading lists and even a set of study questions.

Noll's balanced approach is the basic strength of the book -- he speaks from an evangelical perspective whilst treating other traditions objectively. Highly recommended as an introduction to the topic. Jun 10, Ted rated it liked it. He is an evangelical who lives and works in a Roman Catholic school and has written a number of significant books that evangelicals have pointed to as important books to their movement.

Chapter 1: The Fall of Jerusalem Noll begins his list of turning points in the year 70 AD when Rome completely crushed the revolt in Jerusalem and laid waste to the city. Christianity was pushed out of its Jewish nest and became something very different. Christianity had a special relationship with Judaism Noll In order for Christianity to become a truly global religion it had to shed its distinctly Jewish character and this was the turning point. Noll believes that it was when Christianity had to stand on its own, apart from Jerusalem - that it began the process of becoming a truly global religion.

He sets forth three distinct paths that the Church would ultimately take that began in this era. First, he notes that Catholic interpretation would give the church a focus on the leadership and governing forms that would be later adopted. Second, Orthodox belief, in contrast, saw the church in an organic process of "worship, liturgy, and corporate action" Noll Finally, Protestant belief would look at the power of the Word and is rather suspicious of human institutions and means While noting that this is a gross oversimplification, it does provide a way for seeing how church history would later unfold.

Of these three, the creeds were perhaps the most important. These were set in motion when the church began to stand on its own after the Fall of Jerusalem. Chapter 2: The Council of Nicaea [] The importance of the council of Nicaea is that it forced the church to define how Christianity would view the nature and person of Christ. Arius of Alexandria challenged the idea that Jesus was fully God and fully man.

Because Constantine had recently become a Christian, he was invested in this controversy. As such, he pulled the council together and asked for the topic to be debated in full. The council of Nicaea flatly rejected the Arian view in favor of a description which would embrace the full divinity and full humanity which was not in question of Christ. According to Noll, this makes it important because it not only addressed the theological question but also was the first time that Constantine, a governing ruler, would act on behalf of the church.

Subsequent emperors would simply to do the same thing, and thus the idea that the church was a pilgrim community, set apart from the political world was diminished There was now a mixing of church and state. So Nicaea had a dual legacy The important sharpening of theological understanding kept the early church from splitting over so crucial a concept. Chapter 3: The Council of Chalcedon [] Whereas the council of Nicaea answered the question about Jesus' divinity, it left open the question of Jesus' humanity.

The council of Chalcedon took up this question some years later. Noll highlights the complex history of the issue. By stressing the divinity of Christ too much, some have argued in favor of dropping Jesus' humanity. They questioned the idea that both could be together at the same time.

At the council, two primary factions emerged, one arguing for a word-flesh Christology. In this view, the divinity of Christ is stressed to the detriment of his humanity.

The word-man Christology presented Christ as fully divine and having a full human nature. This, of course, presents the problem of division in the person of Christ, a question the council did not attempt to answer Noll Very careful theological thought was presented at the Council of Chalcedon. Noll makes mention of the fact that it is this very theologizing that is important for us to note as it sets forth a pattern which future Christian would draw from. The question was technical both philosophically and theologically Noll In answering it, Chalcedon presents a skillful and balanced statement about the person of Christ and gives us what today we know as true and orthodox belief.

The importance of Chalcedon is linked not only to the issue it addressed but the way in which it was handled. Benedict developed a deep spirituality and provided a model of devotion that has survived to this day. It reveals the extent to which Rome exerted influence on the governing systems of the day influence which would continue to grow It also marks the beginning of the end for Islam in Europe as Charlemagne immediately begins his reconquest of lands taken by Muslim armies.

Rome was turning its attention from the East and a dream of a Mediterranean empire to the North Theologically, Christianity embraced sacramental sanctification. This is a distinction of Roman Catholicism to this day. There had already been a lengthy dispute with both the Western church and among various church leaders about succession.

Constantine IX refused a settlement made by Leo about the Roman church gaining authority over the few Greek churches in Italy The dispute grew through a series of demands that were escalated by small scale military actions. A final demand by Humbert, a representative of Rome, was rebuffed on the basis that the pope himself had recently died. The Eastern ruler, having rejected the Roman demands, was declared by Humbert to be excommunicated and the permanent split in the church happened in Existing differences in their theological viewpoints were thus accentuated.

The Eastern church would ultimately project its influence into Russia. Eastern Orthodoxy continues to emphasize its unique distinctions in the form of its liturgy, monastic life, and emphasis on the ethereal nature of God. In the past century there has been an attempt to reconcile the differences between the Roman and Eastern branches of Christianity.

A powerful but young ruler, Charles and the council that had been assembled were asking Luther to recant. Luther, ever the crafty politician, agreed to recant on the condition that his errors were exposed. This did not satisfy those present and he was pressed to be more explicit. His reply was that unless scripture proved him to be in error, he would not recant. With this declaration, Protestantism was born Noll From this point forward, Protestants would obey the scriptures first and the church hierarchy second.

This appealed to the growing movement toward national autonomy and local authority. It also attacked the idea that ecclesiological and political rulers were to be fused into one. He was anti-Semitic and would make broad statements that offended many.

Yet, he was a prodigious author, deep thinker, and attracted many followers. So Henry decided to go elsewhere, outside of the Roman church. They effectively cut the relationship with Rome legally and financially. Noll sees this break as important not just because it affected England, but for the precedent it set. This led to a movement of Protestant churches that weakened Roman Catholicism and gave impetus to national aspirations.

No longer were royal families subject to Rome. Noll provides a list of reasons why reform was ripe based on abuses and power struggles within the Catholic system. He then notes that what emerged was not a single idea of Protestantism, but a set of differing national churches Noll While there were some similarities among them, there were also notable differences. This division within Protestantism continues today.