Hamilton-Wenham Public Library

A brief history of Sunday, from the New Testament to the new creation, Justo L. González

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

index present

non fiction

A brief history of Sunday

bibliography

960091153

Justo L. González

from the New Testament to the new creation

In this accessible historical overview of Sunday, noted scholar Justo González tells the story of how and why Christians have worshiped on Sunday from the earliest days of the church to the present. After discussing the views and practices relating to Sunday in the ancient church, González turns to Constantine and how his policies affected Sunday observances. He then recounts the long process, beginning in the Middle Ages and culminating with Puritanism, whereby Christians came to think of and strictly observe Sunday as the Sabbath. Finally, González looks at the current state of things, exploring especially how the explosive growth of the church in the Majority World has affected the observance of Sunday worldwide. Readers of this book will rediscover the joy and excitement of Sunday as early Christians celebrated it and will find fresh, inspiring perspectives on Sunday amid our current culture of indifference and even hostility to Christianity. -- From the publisher

The background : pre-Christian calendars -- Part 1 : Before Constantine -- Naming the days -- When to meet -- The significance of the first day of the week -- Christian practices on the first day of the week -- Part 2 : From Constantine to the end of antiquity -- Constantine and the new imperial policy -- Changes in Christian worship -- Laws regarding the Lord's day -- Christian views on the Sabbath -- Part 3 : The Middle Ages -- A new Sunday piety : from feast to funeral -- A day to pray and to play -- Aquinas on Sunday and Sabbath -- Part 4 : The Reformation and beyond -- The Reformation -- British puritanism and the Sabbath -- Seventh-day Sabbatarianism -- The continuation of Puritan Sabbatarianism -- Secularization and renewal