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Defenders of the Faith

Standing for truth when attacks come

Matthew Knell

9780857219084
160 pages
SPCK Group
Overview
This title, released in association with Essential Christian, will accompany a set of seminars for Spring Harvest 2018 under the overall theme of 'Only the Brave'. The church has been under attack from its inception, but certain struggles seemed to threaten its very existence. In this inspiring book, Dr Matthew Knell celebrates some of these key figures who have kept the church alive in the midst of great adversity, exploring three major periods of persecution from the early church to the present day. This fascinating journey begins with Irenaeus of Lyon, who battled courageously against the theological threat of Gnosticism, followed by Basil of Caesarea, who defended the church from attacks on its spirituality. The book concludes with the modern Chinese church, many members of which have been attacked and even martyred for their faith. Using the examples of these defenders and many others, Dr Knell inspires readers to stand firm in the face of adversity as the global church continues to experience persecution.
Author Bio
Dr Matthew Knell is the lecturer in historical theology and church history at the London School of Theology, writing and teaching on the historyof Christian thought from the Church Fathers to the modern day with a special focus on the medieval period. Prior to this he was a missionary for six years in Belarus and Austria, and also worked as an interculturalconsultant.