Christians and the Roman Army

Many people today live in a polarized societies, struggling to find common ground in a time of deep division. But there is good news-the first Christians faced this challenge too. Christians & the Roman Army tells the forgotten story of the early church's relationship with the army of imperial Rome. Over six well-researched and thought-provoking chapters, Garnett explores the ways that some early Christians embraced the army and the reasons that other Christians did not want to welcome soldiers into the church. Andrew Garnett offers lessons for our outreach to military service-members today, and discussion questions at the end of each chapter help readers apply the story to contemporary contexts. Anyone interested in ministry with the military, the history of the early churches, or finding common ground on contentious issues has a valuable resource in Christians & the Roman Army.

Andrew Garnett is the pastor of Hampton Baptist Church in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, which has the largest concentration of military bases of any metropolitan area in the world. His doctoral study focused on the relationship of the early Christians to the Roman army. He has traveled extensively throughout the former Roman Empire and has led groups to Rome to explore early Christianity. He and his wife, Jessie, are the parents of two daughters.