Description: Heresies, like doctrinal formulations, are products of history. They must be understood historically as well as theologically. When doctrinal issues become intertwined with historical ones, advocates of a new understanding have often run afoul of religious authorities.
Brief description: Joseph F. Kelly, PhD, (1945-2023), was the chair of the department of theology and religious studies at John Carroll University and was active in adult religious education in the Greater Cleveland area. The World of the Early Christians (1997), The Problem of Evil in the Western Tradition (2002), and History and Heresy (2012) are among his nine previous books published by Liturgical Press.
Review Quotes: With his usual historical reliability and accessible style, Kelly puts the history back into church history. He demonstrates how heresy and doctrine have worked in tandem over time, and offers lessons for that dance--that often turned into a duel--for today's church. An engaging storyteller, Kelly teaches well what happens when context gets lost and people start using church history as a proof text instead of a dynamic interplay of events, places, and circumstances. Kelly invites the reader to encounter questions just as these historical players did: without knowing precisely the best way to explain mysteries or how things would turn out. Kelly shows well how ideas are shaped and doctrines are set by the times in which they appeared.Christopher M. Bellitto, Ph.D., Kean University, Author of The Living Church and 101 Questions and Answers on Popes and the Papacy