An Inquiry Into the Constitution, Discipline, Unity, and Worship of the Primitive Church: That Flourished Within the First Three Hundred Years After Christ

An Inquiry Into The Constitution, Discipline, Unity, And Worship Of The Primitive Church: That Flourished Within The First Three Hundred Years After Christ by Peter King is a historical-theological study of the early Christian church. The author examines the structure, governance, and discipline of the primitive church, including the roles and relations of bishops, presbyters, deacons, and the laity. It discusses church unity, schism, and the function of synods, and surveys public worship, including prayers, sacraments (baptism and the Lord's Supper), confirmation, and the rites accompanying baptism. The work also covers the fasts and feasts, the Lord's Day, and the social practices of early Christians. Emphasizing moderation, unity, and the avoidance of schism, it argues that early Christians cultivated a spirit of peace despite variety in practice. This edition includes a life of the author and an introduction by the American editor.