Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity

This three-volume set edited by Di Berardino (patrology, Augustinian Patristic Inst., Rome; Encyclopedia of the Early Church) and a team of consulting editors offers a comprehensive alphabetical listing of people, places, and concepts important to the Christian Church's first eight centuries. Complete with bibliographic abbreviation references, extensive source material documentation, and more than 3,000 entries, it is a strong reference for those seeking succinct yet well-researched information on a variety of topics associated with the early days of Christianity in North Africa, Asia, and Europe. The list of contributors, most of them from one of several prestigious European universities, assures the reader that the content is authoritative and thoughtfully considered. Most entries are two pages or less in length but are filled with well-chosen facts that will aid the reader's understanding of context, time, and place. Some of the longer entries are divided into subparts, making them convenient for both quick reference and deeper reading.