In-depth; illustrated exploration of how early North African Christians lived out their faith Using a combination of literary and archeological evidence; this in-depth; illustrated book documents the development of Christian practices and doctrine in Roman Africa -- contemporary Libya; Tunisia; Algeria; and Morocco -- from the second century through the Arab conquest in the seventh century. Robin Jensen and Patout Burns; in collaboration with Graeme W. Clarke; Susan T. Stevens; William Tabbernee; and Maureen A. Tilley; skillfully reconstruct the rituals and practices of Christians in the ancient buildings and spaces where those practices were performed. Numerous site drawings and color photographs of the archeological remains illuminate the discussions. This work provides valuable new insights into the church fathers Tertullian; Cyprian; and Augustine. Most significantly; it offers a rich; unprecedented look at early Christian life in Roman Africa; including the development of key rituals and practices such as baptism and eucharist; the election and ordination of leaders; marriage; and burial. In exploring these; Christianity in Roman Africa shows how the early African Christians consistently fought to preserve the holiness of the church amid change and challenge.
#455098 in Books Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 1998-06Ingredients: Example IngredientsOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 1.83 x 6.19 x 9.16l; #File Name: 0802844812888 pages
Review
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful. Encyclopedic Micro-History of College SecularizationBy John P. Rooney"The Dying of the Light" by Fr. James Tunstead Burtchaell. This is an enormous book; some 868 pages long. Fr. Burtchaell deals with the secularization of the Christian colleges; which; as with Harvard and Yale; changed from a church-started; church-supported institution into secular; non-sectarian schools. His method is to pick one; two or three institutions in the particular denomination and deal with the history of the changes from a religious school into a secular institution. Fr. Burtchaell has a chapter for the Congregationalists; Presbyterians; Methodists; Baptists; Lutherans; Catholics and Evangelicals. The author's irony borders on humor once in awhile; as when he wonders why the Presbyterians found it so difficult to report the number of attending Presbyterians to church boards; but now find it so easy to report to the Federal government the racial make-up of the student body; down to the last Samoan. In the preface; Fr. Burtchaell notes that the reader will probably go directly to the section dealing with his/her religious affiliation. I did; but mainly because I was working on an MA thesis on Catholic colleges in the United States. I would recommend this encyclopaedia work to any one truly interested in the recent wave of secularization of church-related colleges in the US. Many details and stories from around the nation make this an interesting micro-history....0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Accurate History; Relevant WarningBy John EidsmoeAn outstanding book! Fr. Burtchaell includes a chapter on my alma mater; St. Olaf College; from which I graduated in 1967. I know his description of St. Olaf's slide into apostasy is accurate; because I remember the events he narrates happening while I was there.THE DYING OF THE LIGHT is a warning to Christian colleges and universities of all denominations that if they lose the Christian distinctives upon which they were founded; they will be like salt that has lost its savor.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Provides Great InsightBy MJThis book is a great resource for gaining insight on how many of our colleges and universities were founded for providing religious training for their students...and how far they have deviated from the original purpose.
