CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface to the First Edition ix

Preface to the Second Edition xiii

Part I

PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY

Chap. I—The Beginnings

§ 1.[Documentary Clues]1
§ 2.[The Earliest Christian Sects]5
§ 3.[Personality of the Nominal Founder]10
§ 4.[Myth of the Twelve Apostles]16
§ 5.[Primary Forms of the Cult]20
§ 6.[Rise of Gentile Christism]28
§ 7.[Growth of the Christ Myth]36

Chap. II—The Environment

§ 1.[Social and Mental Conditions in the RomanEmpire]41
§ 2.[Jewish Orthodoxy]46
§ 3.[Jewish Sects: the Essenes]49
§ 4.[Gentile Cults]51
§ 5.[Ethics: Popular and Philosophic]60

Chap. III—Conditions of Survival

§ 1.[Popular Appeal]67
§ 2.[Economic Causation]69
§ 3.[Organization and Sacred Books]72
§ 4.[Concession and Fixation]75
§ 5.[Cosmic Philosophy]78

Part II

CHRISTIANITY FROM THE SECOND CENTURY TO THE RISE OF ISLAM

Chap. I—Developments in the Unestablished Church

§ 1.[Numbers and Inner Life] 81
§ 2.[Growth of the Priesthood]87
§ 3.[The Gnostic Movement in the Second Century]91
§ 4.[Marcionism and Montanism]97
§ 5.[Rites and Ceremonies]101
§ 6.[Strifes over Primary Dogma]102

Chap. II—Relations of Church and State

§ 1.[Persecutions]106
§ 2.[Establishment and Creed-Making]114
§ 3.[Reaction under Julian]127
§ 4.[Re-establishment: Disestablishment of Paganism]133

Chap. III—Failure with Survival

§ 1.[The Overthrow of Arianism]142
§ 2.[The Cost of Orthodoxy]146
§ 3.[Moral and Intellectual Stagnation]153
§ 4.[The Social Failure]159

Part III

MEDIEVAL CHRISTIANITY

Chap. I—Expansion and Organization

§ 1.[Position in the Seventh Century]165
§ 2.[Methods of Expansion]168
§ 3.[Growth of the Papacy]174

Chap. II—Religious Evolution and Strife

§ 1.[Growth of Idolatry and Polytheism]184
§ 2.[Doctrines of the Eucharist, Purgatory, andConfession]189
§ 3.[Rationalistic Heresies]194
§ 4.[Anti-clerical Heresies]197

Chap. III—The Social Life and Structure

§ 1.[The Clergy, Regular and Secular]205
§ 2.[The Higher Theology and its Effects]211
§ 3.[Christianity and Feudalism]213
§ 4.[Influence of the Crusades]218

Chap. IV—The Intellectual Life

§ 1.[Superstition and Intolerance]224
§ 2.[The Inquisition]227
§ 3.[Classic Survivals and Saracen Contacts]231
§ 4.[Religion and Art]236

Chap. V—Byzantine Christianity 238

Part IV

MODERN CHRISTIANITY

Chap. I—The Reformation

§ 1.[Moral and Intellectual Forces]245
§ 2.[Political and Economic Forces]249
§ 3.[Social and Political Results]257
§ 4.[Intellectual Results]265

Chap. II—Progress of Anti-Christian Thought

§ 1.[The Physical Sciences]278
§ 2.[Philosophy, Cosmic and Moral]283
§ 3.[Biblical and Historical Criticism]286

Chap. III—Popular Acceptance

§ 1.[Catholic Christianity]292
§ 2.[Protestant Christianity]296
§ 3.[Greek Christianity]303

Chap. IV—The Relation to Progress

§ 1.[Moral Influence]310
§ 2.[Intellectual Influence]315
§ 3.[Conclusion and Prognosis]319

[Synopsis of Literature] 323

[Index] 339