Sin: The Early History of an Idea

Read: Sin: The Early History of an Idea

By Paula Fredriksen (Princeton, 2012) 

While it sounds a daunting task to explore the shifting Christian idea of sin as it progressed through the first four centuries of Christian history, Sin: The Early History of an Idea is surprisingly brief, narrowing in on the philosophies and writings of seven Christian writers rather than studying the movement of ideas as a whole. This streamlined approach allows readers to acquaint themselves with these seminal Christian personalities, rather than slog through an intellectual narrative. What emerges is not merely a "history of an idea," but a dynamic and personal portrait of thought. Read more.