Bryan M. LitfinBesprekingen

This book is so worth reading. It is not a religious book by any means but it is certainly one that I could not put down. I recommend this book to all.

My main critique of this book is similar to the first: There's too much Christian activity for the level of Christian knowledge they have, and there's too little Christian knowledge for the updated setting. In the first it was somewhat believable that this was the first copy of the Old Testament (NT had water damage) and we were rediscovering from scratch. I got the sense the people lived in new developments and ancient ruins were rare, or avoided, or otherwise not relevant normally. Here though, the worldbuilding has been changed. Other countries still have ruins, and many people live in them. Including Rome, where some kind of church has survived. But somehow they can't manage a single copy of the New Testament. (They have additional OTs, which I'd really like to know how they managed. I've never seen an OT for sale. You want me to believe they all had water-damaged NTs attached?) Somehow that's enough for a mature community of Christians. I'm skeptical that the Old Testament is compelling enough all by itself to bring you remarkably close to adequate doctrine and faith. (And I'm pretty sure there was somewhere in the book where it was heavily suggested that it was enough for characters to receive salvation, despite knowing nothing of Jesus.)

Part of this is supposedly explained by demon-controlled bad guys trying to purge Christianity. (There was a New Testament around a generation ago.) It just strains credulity. I hear stories in the real world of POWs becoming Christians because they started to read the Bible pages being used as toilet paper, for goodness sake. I think the author either needed to go much further and destroy almost all traces of the ancient world, or just give up and admit that a decent number of copies of the most-published-book-of-all-time (both testaments!) have made it through.

I generally enjoyed the story, but the worldbuilding context just isn't quite cutting it for me.½

Book Description: "If you’ve ever wondered what happened to the biblical characters after Acts—from the well-known Matthew to the lesser-known Bartholomew—then this book is for you. Join Dr. Bryan Litfin as he guides you through Scripture and other ancient literature to sift fact from fiction, real-life from legend. "

Whew! I wanted to finish one last book for June and I've finished this one with 40 minutes to spare!

I was immediately intrigued by the timeline at the beginning of this book, and once I began to read it, I realized this will make a great study book for the teens during our Bible time.

I had mixed reactions to the different stories in this book. The stories of the four gospel writers didn't really contain a whole lot of new-to-me information. Others, like those of Mary, Thomas, and Paul, were really informative and interesting. The report card at the end of each chapter seemed odd and out of place. Why is the author grading the individuals based on the veracity of rumors about them? It was just a weird addition.

Even with the interesting information offered on several of the figures, I didn't feel there were enough answers given on any of the characters to fit the promise on the back of the book, "Learn what really happened to your favorite characters." Something else that drove me mad is the author's use of weird terms like "Johannine", "Marian", and "Petrine." Nobody talks like that in a book written for the average Joe. Because the rest of the book is written for the average Joe, these "scholarly" adjectives were way out of place.

Overall the information was interesting---but don't get too excited. Aside from a couple assumed exceptions, the book doesn't really give any concrete answers at all.

I like "what-if" style fiction, and the idea of a future world needing to rediscover Christianity appealed to me. (The romance elements, not so much, but they were fine and didn't get in my way. Kind of sweet actually.) And it did successfully create a world needing to rediscover Christianity, complete with some rather disturbing fake gods, and underpinned by a combo of actual demonic activity and religion-as-political-power. A world just waiting for Christ to reappear.

On that level, this was great. My main critique is that the characters fall for God ("Deu") a little too hard, a little too fast, and a little too perfectly. They're translating one chapter at a time, from the Old Testament only. But they quickly decide God is very forgiving, and interested in your little prayers, and fall into a house church model. I frequently found myself thinking "Yes, you got that right, but you're behaving too Christian" or "How did you get that from just Genesis 1-3 and a couple Psalms (which is all that has been translated so far)?". The author needed to slow down the character development and/or speed up the translation to make it more believable.

What really happened after Acts?

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to the biblical characters after Acts—from the well-known Matthew to the lesser-known Bartholomew—then this book is for you. Join Dr. Bryan Litfin as he guides you through Scripture and other ancient literature to sift fact from fiction, real-life from legend.

Skillfully researched and clearly written, After Acts is as accurate as it is engaging. Gain a window into the religious milieu of the ancient and medieval church. Unearth artifacts and burial sites. Learn what really happened to your favorite characters and what you should truly remember them for.

Did Paul ever make it to Spain? Was he beheaded in Rome?
Is it true that Peter was crucified upside down?
Was the Virgin Mary really bodily assumed into heaven?

The book of Acts ends at chapter 28. But its characters lived on.

From the Back Cover
What really happened after Acts?

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to the biblical characters after Acts—from the well-known Matthew to the lesser-known Bartholomew—then this book is for you. Join Dr. Bryan Litfin as he guides you through Scripture and other ancient literature to sift fact from fiction, real life from legend.

Skillfully researched and clearly written, After Acts is as accurate as it is engaging. Gain a window into the religious milieu of the ancient and medieval church. Unearth artifacts and burial sites. Learn what really happened to your favorite characters and what you should truly remember them for.

Did Paul ever make it to Spain? Was he beheaded in Rome?
Is it true that Peter was crucified upside down?
Was the Virgin Mary really bodily assumed into heaven?
The book of Acts ends at chapter 28. But its characters lived on.

Contents
Table of Contents:

Introduction
1. Matthew: biblical and post-biblical evidence
2. Mark: biblical and post-biblical evidence
3. Luke: biblical and post-biblical evidence
4. John: biblical and post-biblical evidence
5. Mary: biblical and post-biblical evidence
6. Thomas: biblical and post-biblical evidence
7. James : biblical and post-biblical evidence
8. Other Apostles: a miscellany of other figures, including Timothy, Titus, and Andrew
9. Peter: biblical, post-biblical, and archaeological evidence
10. Paul: biblical, post-biblical, and archaeological evidence
What Do We Actually Know?

Praise for After Acts
"Writing

As always, in non-fiction, including religious non-fiction, I look for an author who has done his research and cited his sources. In this case, I have absolutely no complaints. Every assumption made in the book is thoroughly sourced and readers are pointed towards these sources explicitly, including a short description of how to locate more difficult to find ancient sources. I love a good footnote, too, and this one does not disappoint. The information itself is fascinating, and the writing is superb.

Entertainment Value

Obviously, this is a case where an interest in the subject matter is going to be necessary in order to enjoy the book. Personally, I found the book to be engrossing. Because of my years (and years and years) of Christian education, sometimes I get a bit smug with my knowledge of the Bible. I was pleased to find that there was so much more to be learned from other ancient sources about what happened in the lives of the Apostles after the Bible ends. I also thoroughly enjoyed the background and historical information on the writers of the gospels and how they actually experienced Christ and came to write His story.

Overall

This is a crucial read for anyone with a knowledge of the Bible, but without a firm grasp on church history. It provides information on a level accessible to the general reader, but backed with sources and citations for further study that would benefit a more academically inclined reader as well. I learned so much, which is the highest praise I can give any book, and is especially meaningful when it involves my faith.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review!"

Reviewed by Julie Golden, March 18, 2015

"After Acts: Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles by Bryan Liftin is a very enjoyable work. Though scholarly it is written in a tremendously accessible way so that the student as well as the casual reader can both get something from this.

The author chooses those attributed as Gospel and Epistle authors as well as other biblical characters and tries to mind fact and legend, though sometimes not solving and still leaving questions, but offering a satisfying exploration.

One item I liked was the report card at the conclusion of each chapter where a grade from A-F was posted to help determine what is likely a hard fact, and what is mere legend."

Reviewed by Peter Ackerman, Jan 9, 2015

"We all love a good mystery, don’t we? What happened? How did it happen? Why did it happen?

All of those questions and more are addressed in After Acts, Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles by Dr. Bryan M. Litfin.

Over the years, I have heard many versions of the lives of these giants of the early church, but many stories were contradictory and some just didn’t make sense. It’s all very confusing to a layperson, but Dr. Litfin does a masterful job by researching and interpreting all the various writings through the centuries to come to some pretty solid conclusions.
I especially appreciated the “Report Card” at the end of each chapter, listing each tradition or story and then grading each one on its merits. For example, in the chapter on Mark, the author gives an A to the tradition that Mark used Peter’s memories for the gospel that bears his name. But the information that Mark was the first bishop of Alexandria earns a D for lack of solid evidence.

I enjoyed this journey through ancient manuscripts and each explanation of the stories and traditions they represent. This book would be enjoyed by anyone wanting reliable evidence of what happened after Acts.

Moody Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Reviewed by Carol Weeks, Jan 24, 2015

Not the book for me.

Author Bryan Lufkin shares a sweeping tale of the early church and the Roman Empire during the 4th century. There are multiple characters, unending action, and a romance between a Christian nun and a Roman who was demoted from his service as a royal bodyguard. Every Knee Shall Bow is a well-written historical fiction novel that's flavored with Christian beliefs and historical details, but I was never able to become fully invested in this story. I am giving it 3.5 stars.

I won a copy through LibraryThing Early Reviewers. There was no obligation for a positive review.

I received this ARC (Advanded Reading Copy) from the author and LibraryThing. The comments are my own.
The date is AD 316 and druing the reign of Constantine the Great, a Roman emperor and the first to accept Christianity.
The main charcaters of the book are Flavia, a Christian maiden, and Rex, a pagan warrior.
The book has a map of ancient places, historical notes, the dynasty of Constantine, ancient historical names, a glossary and progogue. The characters in the book are ficion and non-fiction. many non-fiction.
This is the second book of the series and I plan to read the first book.
Not a fast read with so many historical events and names but a great read espcially for readers interested in ancient Roman history and Christian history.
The author, Brian Litfin is a former professor of theology at the Moody Bible Institute. He has written nonfiction and fiction books.
I have bookmarked (with slips of paper) and I plan to re-read.
A 5 star rating.

A very enjoyable conclusion to Litfin's Ancient Rome historical fiction series. Beliefs and friendships were tested to the limit as heresy threatened to divide the Christian Empire. All the various storylines were interwoven for a nice conclusion. It was exciting to see an imagined Council of Nicea and how faith came to play an important part for the main characters.

I received this book through Revell in the Librarything.com Early Member Giveaway. I am given a honest opinion about this book. The book was different from anything else that I have ever read. This book is not for everybody because of some of the content. Some of the content that was in this book I felt that it shouldn't been in the book. It is better for older readers. I did like the characters though.

I learned about Emperor Constantine in a required class in college and retained none of that information. It was very much something I had to check off my list, but THIS is interesting!
I knew that the Romans had a system of aqueducts, but I didn’t realize that was enough to have faucets. I finally understand the Imperial College, not to mention why Constantine was such an important part of the spread of Christianity.
This story takes place all over the Mediterranean and follows the journey of Rex and Flavia as they navigate being Christians in a pagan world. There is a visit to the Pope, travels with Emperor Constantine, descriptions of a day in the life of a person living in ancient times.
It has battles, politics, theology, and relatable characters. Rex and Flavia were interesting and enjoyed spending time with them. I was sad that they didn’t have much to do with the middle of the story, but I suppose that’s the trade-off for historical accuracy.
Each sub-chapter includes a month and year, but I wish they included a city or location, because the story does check-in with so many characters all over over the region. But the book does include maps and a glossary, for which I was thankful.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Not only did it make history come alive, but I was so encouraged (and a little convicted) reading the steadfast faith of some early Christian martyrs standing strong in the face of persecution.
I have already recommended this book to friends. I received free copy of this book in exchange for a review, but now I plan to purchase the first two in the series so I can read those too.

Great start to a new series. The characters are all relatable and the setting is very immersive. I really was rooting for the protagonists, and liked the way Christianity vs. Roman paganism were presented.

Final volume in the story of Flavia and Rex. Excitement abounds as these two live through the tumultuous years of Constantine's reign and participate in them. History and developments in codification of Christianity are given, i.e., the Nicaean Council, defining Christology. A very good simple explanation for laypeople was laid out for the various Christian heresies. The message of God's love and forgiveness is stressed, especially when the couple is faced with temptation.

Highly recommended.

'Caesar's Lord' does an excellent job of bringing to light past challenges in the catholic faith. Giving a glimpse into what it might have been like to live at the beginning of emperor Constantines conversion to Christianity.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent history of Early Christianity and Emperor Constantine. This is the third in a series and was so good I have ordered the first two, as they give a lot of background to this volume. If you want to learn about schisms in the early church, this is a MUST READ. The characters are well portrayed and the novel is quite engaging. Learned the backgrounds of some historical figures in the early church, prompting me to go and read more about them and their interpretations of Christianity

Once again packed with detailed history that speaks volumes of the author’s ability to research well, this novel provides a rich setting for a complex and intriguing plot. I read the first book in this series and was disappointed with the detailed descriptions of the pagan lifestyles, but I tentatively picked up this third novel (I skipped the second one) because the back description spoke of a conversion to Christianity for the characters. I liked that this novel had a thread of hope with this Christian element coming through stronger than earlier in the series. There are still a lot of descriptions of pagan cultures and persecution that make this book better suited for mature audiences. The plot has enough interesting twists and turns to keep my attention and the story is well written. I think this book is good for the right audiences, but its content may not be suitable for all readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This was the first book I read in this series. I am definitely going to read the books before this one. This book is definitely a re-read that I will keep in my collection. Loved every part of it. Great writing and was captivating.

Caesar’s Lord by Bryan Litfin

If you have read and enjoyed the first two books of the Constantine’s Empire trilogy, you will not be disappointed with the finale. Filled with Christian history, action, adventure and theological debates, you’ll travel with Rex and Flavia from Alexandria to Thessalonica, from Nicomedia to Nicaea, from Ravenna to Rome, and from Caesarea to Hierusalem, with so many other stops along the way. Church history comes alive in this series as we see the Roman Empire moving from paganism to Christianity. This epic novel covers from 323 to 328 AD and while it is long, it is fast paced and tightly woven so that you really won’t want to put it down. A satisfying conclusion that left me smiling and wanting more. Bryan Litfin knows his Christian history and it shines through in this novel.
I received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book.

I received "The Conqueror" through a Librarything.com giveaway. I tried to read it, but just could not get into it. I usually enjoy historical fiction, but this one did not hold my interest.

I grew up reading the Bible and having Bible classes, so I had heard a lot of history involving this time period. Bryan Litfin took the history and made it very interesting to read. I enjoyed the story that he wrote. It had a lot of action and was entertaining. I also enjoyed the very beginning of the book because it included some historical notes so you knew what was real and what wasn't. It also had a list of names which made it easier to follow the characters. Also there was a list of definitions that made the story easier to follow. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys ancient history especially religious history.

The author has obviously researched his time period and major historical figures. He has a glossary and historical notes for those who are interested - and I did find the notes interesting. The mistake the author makes is applying today's morals, thoughts, and emotions to ancient times. I doubt the early Christians reacted the same way we do today.

Caesar's Lord is a book weighty with early Christian church history, philosophy, Roman politics and the wrangling of rival rulers, with plenty of adventure on top. If you've followed the adventures of Flavia and Rex in the two previous installments, this picks up a few years after Every Knee Shall Bow. Their circumstances have changed somewhat, but Rex, once a Germanic soldier of fortune, is called back to his old trade to fend off Licinius, an enemy of the emperor Constantine. it's not a quick read--there are far too many facts to absorb, but it's a good read. Being familiar with the first two books in the trilogy is recommended as well--I think someone reading it as a stand-alone might flounder a little without some backstory.

I enjoyed it. nice overall premise. Plot and details were kinda stereotypical, though.
















SPOILERS






Disappointed in the author's method for dispensing with mustard gas. I see the symbolism of the wind, but it still somehow felt like cheating. I didn't mind that he used the gas to kill the High Priestess. I saw that one coming a mile away. but the fact that the gas just got caught in an upward spiral and didn't harm a soul except Lewth felt like lazy storytelling. :/

I am a Christian, so I am biased.

good premise, but poor execution. Many of the supporting details that fleshed out the storyline were predictable and clichéd. The characters were stereotyped.

There were some aspects that were frustratingly unrealistic, such as the girl's incredibly mature faith from only reading the first 3 chapters of Genesis and a few psalms, after a lifetime immersed in another religion. This can be excused, because I understand that the author is attempting to show God's nature to potential unsaved readers. still, it detracted from the enjoyment for me.

the author did an admirable job of attempting to show character development and the progression from atheist to believer for one of the characters.
the Lord works in mysterious ways, and I think it is inherently dangerous when we try to invent stories of His work out of our own imaginations. We could very easily draw a false picture of Him to any unsaved people who are actually curious. I realize that it's just a novel, but I still would not feel comfortable recommending this book to a nonbeliever, in hopes that it will pique interest about God. I would rather give him/her a true history of something God has actually done, rather than a fiction.

I enjoyed it. somewhat straightforward and stereotyped. The Christian theology is sound, so far as I can tell.

A good book, if you are looking for some simple, christian, light reading.