Winner of a 2020 Catholic Press Association book award (first place, best new religious book series). Church history is a lot like the tale The Emperor’s New Clothes , according to Catholic historian James L. Papandrea: No one wants to seem unenlightened, so they pretend to see what’s not there. In The Early Church (33–313): St. Peter, the Apostles, and Martyrs , Papandrea refutes fourteen fashionable “mythconceptions” about early Christian history and enables believers to make sense of the Church’s beginnings. The first Apostles spread the message of Jesus Christ and were willing to suffer and die for their faith. The next generations of believers followed their example with zeal, producing inspiring martyrs including Sts. Justin and Perpetua, and great thinkers such as Irenaeus, and Tertullian. In this book, you will learn: No money or power was attached to being a bishop or priest in the early Church. - Christian holidays were not adaptations of pagan celebrations. - Christians have never believed in an eternal life for souls without bodies. - The doctrine of the Trinity was not forced upon the Church by Constantine, but rather was a belief from the beginning of Christianity. Books in the Reclaiming Catholic History series, edited by Mike Aquilina and written by leading authors and historians, bring Church history to life, debunking the myths one era at a time “The authentic story of the early Church.” -- Steve Weidenkopf , Author of Timeless: A History of the Catholic Church “James Papandrea has done more than anyone to cast light on the obscure early centuries of Christianity. He has then taken the extra step of making his findings accessible to non-academic readers. I make it a priority to read whatever he writes.” -- Mike Aquilina, Author of A History of the Church in 100 Objects, Editor of the Reclaiming Catholic History series “Memory is the faculty that tells us who we are. Memory is what gives us our Catholic identity. Yet so much of our memory has been distorted by the falsehoods that pass for history today. This series is much needed. Every book is crystal clear, engaging, entertaining, and myth-busting. Be prepared to be surprised—and to be grateful for the wonders the Lord has done.” -- Scott Hahn , Founder of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology “This is our story. Papandrea’s tremendous gift is the immediacy of his writing. This is my story.” -- Jon M. Sweeney, Author of The Pope Who Quit “Making Church history accessible to the average reader has always been a great challenge. Author James Papandrea and editor Mike Aquilina have done a masterful job in this attempt. They have also made it engaging and entertaining. As they say, most histories are written by the winners. But much of Church history is written by the ‘ losers’ and the witnesses to the martyrs from whose blood the Church grew and eventually prospered.” -- John Michael Talbot, Catholic singer-songwriter, speaker, and bestselling author James L. Papandrea is a Catholic author, professor, speaker, and musician. He teaches Church history and historical theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern University. Papandrea is a fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and also serves as a consultant for adult faith formation. After earning his master’s degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, Papandrea spent several years focusing full time on youth and music ministries and serving as a consultant in youth ministry. He earned his doctorate in the history and theology of the early Christian church from Northwestern. He has also studied Roman history at the American Academy in Rome. Papandrea is the author of a number of books for academic and general audiences, including The Early Church (33-313) , A Week in the Life of Rome , From Star Wars to Superman , and Trinity 101 . He has appeared on EWTN TV and a number of Catholic radio shows. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature, the North American Patristics Society, and the Catholic Association of Music. Papandrea lives in the Chicago area. Mike Aquilina is a Catholic author, popular speaker, poet, and songwriter who serves as the executive vice president of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. The Early Church