2011 Reprint of 1901 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Adolf von Harnack (1851-1930), was a German theologian and prominent church historian. He produced many religious publications from 1873-1912. This work is a history of early Christian literature down to Eusebius of Caesarea, Harnack traced the influence of Hellenistic philosophy on early Christian writing and called on Christians to question the authenticity of doctrines that arose in the early Christian church. He rejected the historicity of the gospel of John in favor of the synoptic gospels, criticized the Apostles' Creed, and promoted the Social Gospel.