o Interpretation enters into every step of the process: The point of
view shapes perception, perception shapes writing, assessment
as to value determines preservation, and so on.o Original sources get lost or destroyed and must be reconstructed
from later publications; some of history’s most memorable
persons and events have slender evidentiary support, and some
of history’s trivia is massively supported.Limitations in Analyzing Christianity
• It’s important to note that all scholars of Christianity have
definite perspectives and limitations. For example, many
are not disinterested observers but active participants in this
religious tradition.
• Throughout our study, we will presuppose that religion is
something real, not just a scholarly construct. People in the real
world organize their lives around experiences and convictions
concerning ultimate power. We will further presuppose that there is
a real religious tradition called Christianity that can be described in
all its permutations. Finally, we will accept that social determinants
and forces, along with ideas, are real and must be taken into
consideration in our study.• The sources for the study of Christian history in its first 1,500 years
are unevenly distributed in terms of period and language.
o For the earliest period, there is little or no material evidence,
and the literary evidence is sparse.o In contrast, for the middle and later periods, there is a great deal
of material evidence, including cathedrals, shrines, artwork,
and literature. The limitation here is that little of this evidence
pertains to the lives of ordinary people. Much of the history
of Christianity that we will discuss comes to us from literate
people with some position in society.