Shapers of Christianity

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1. 

   John Dearing – 2 June 2025

   This short book of around 24,000 words (reviewer’s estimate) provides the reader with pithy ‘brief sketches of twelve outstanding Christians from across the ages.’ The author is the pastor of the Reformed Baptist Church in Inverness and a lecturer in Church History at the Highland Theological College in Dingwall, Scotland. Some of the sketches have been distilled from a much longer work by Nick Needham, the five-volume 2000 Years of Christ’s Power, published by Christian Focus between 1998 and 2023.
   As he himself acknowledges in his Introduction, Dr Needham’s choices are sometimes surprising. I confess to never having heard before of Tikhon of Zadonsk, an 18th Century Eastern Orthodox monk, while the 17th century French Protestant Francis Turretin was perhaps little more than a name. Others such as John Wycliffe, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards and Gresham Machen might be said to have ‘chosen themselves’—even if in the case of John Wesley some readers might judge his influence in negative terms. However, as the author aptly concludes his account of the founder of Methodism: ‘A truly sovereign God need not limit himself to working through those with a fully correct understanding of his sovereignty.’
   The early church fathers are represented by Irenaeus of Lyons and Gregory of Nazianzus whose part in combatting the Gnostic and Arian heresies respectively is acknowledged. Gregory’s Trinitarian teaching is said to have influenced Calvin. Likewise when we come to the Middle Ages, Anselm of Canterbury is included as ‘one of the few mediaeval theologians who escaped the most scathing criticisms of the Protestant Reformers.’ Having recently read his masterly treatise on the substitutionary atonement, Cur Deus Homo, his appearance here gave me particular pleasure. Wycliffe’s part as a precursor of the Reformation is also of course given due recognition. However, to represent the Reformation proper, where the reader might expect to find such better-known names as Martin Luther or John Calvin, Dr Needham has chosen the Italian, Peter Martyr Vermigli, particularly for his setting out a distinctively reformed view of the Lord’s Supper.
   The other representative Christians chosen by Dr Needham are Theophylact of Ochrid, a contemporary of Anselm, and Benjamin Breckenridge Warfield, representing, along with Machen, the great line of Reformed Theological teaching at Princeton, USA. In every case, the author packs enough information in eight to ten ages to provide the reader with an understanding of how the subject shaped our understanding of the Christian Faith and, one hopes, whet his appetite to discover more.

2. 

   Marc Daniel Rivera (KristiyaKnow) – 17 July 2025

   I first came across Nick Needham through his excellent multi-volume series 2000 Years of Christ’s Power. That series quickly became my favorite treatment of church history—clear, thoughtful, and spiritually rich. So when I found out he had written a smaller volume, Shapers of Christianity, I was immediately curious. What I discovered was a concise yet powerful collection of biographical sketches that continues the same spirit of reverent, informed storytelling. This little book may be slimmer in size, but it is wide in scope and deep in insight.

   In Shapers of Christianity, Needham offers twelve portraits of influential Christian figures from across the centuries—men whose theological contributions have shaped how we understand the faith today. These are not simply academic profiles. Each chapter reads like a well-crafted story, anchored in sound history but driven by a desire to edify the reader. And true to Needham’s style, the writing remains clear, accessible, and deeply respectful of the people it presents.

   The twelve figures are a blend of the familiar and the overlooked. You’ll find names you might expect—like Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, and Anselm of Canterbury—but also lesser-known yet equally significant voices like Theophylact of Ochrid, Tikhon of Zadonsk, and Peter Martyr Vermigli. It’s a refreshing mix. By including these less familiar names, Needham widens our view of church history and reminds us that God has raised up faithful thinkers from all corners of the Christian world, not just the most famous or Western ones.

   Each chapter presents a tight, readable overview of the figure’s life and thought. For example, in his chapter on Irenaeus of Lyons, Needham traces the chain of Christian witness from the apostle John to Polycarp to Irenaeus—a connection that instantly makes early church history feel personal. Irenaeus is remembered for his bold defense of the faith against heresy and for articulating the grand narrative of redemption rooted in Scripture. Reading about him, you don’t just get a list of facts—you catch a glimpse of a man who saw Christ as the center of all history and theology.

   Then there’s Anselm, the 11th-century Archbishop of Canterbury, whose famous phrase “faith seeking understanding” shaped the course of Christian thought for centuries. Needham highlights Anselm’s experiential grasp of God, not just his intellectual prowess. He shows how Anselm’s theology, especially on the atonement, was deeply pastoral and devotional—not just abstract theory.

   The chapter on Peter Martyr Vermigli is another standout. A major figure in the Reformation who is often overshadowed by names like Calvin or Luther, Vermigli was instrumental in shaping Reformed theology, particularly around the sacraments and church-state relations. Needham’s treatment helps recover his legacy in a way that is both informative and inspiring.

   What really makes this book shine is its underlying purpose: not just to inform the mind, but to stir the heart. Needham sees church history not as a museum of dusty artifacts, but as a living testimony to God’s faithfulness through the ages. He writes with the conviction that studying these men can help us see truths we’ve forgotten, deepen our love for Scripture, and awaken a sense of connection to the church universal. He even acknowledges the temptation toward “chronological snobbery”—thinking that modern insights trump all else—and gently but firmly pushes back, urging us to humbly learn from those who came before us.

   Shapers of Christianity also serves as a great entry point for anyone new to church history. Unlike the larger 2000 Years of Christ’s Power series, which covers vast historical terrain, this book is focused and manageable. You could read one chapter a day and finish it in under two weeks, and each sketch would leave you with something rich to ponder. For those who already know and love church history, it functions like a set of portraits hanging in a familiar gallery—offering fresh angles on people you may already admire, and introducing a few you’ll be glad to meet.

   Needham’s tone throughout is warm, humble, and quietly worshipful. He never overstates his case or idolizes his subjects. He simply introduces them, with their strengths and weaknesses, and invites us to consider how God used them to shape the church.

3. 

   Brandon G. Bramlett – 26 July 2025

   Christians need to study church history. Present-day believers can find soul-encouragement from the perseverance of yesteryear’s saints. Nothing will fuel your faithfulness today like reading about towering Christians who faced ridicule, persecution, and even death for the “crime” of following Jesus. Modern disciples can also learn to be more wary of false doctrine from studying the array of heresies which have arisen over the years, and how theologians in past centuries combatted such lies as beacons of biblical truth. There are a dozen more reasons to savor good books on church history, and today’s believers are blessed to have such a book from Nick Needham, Shapers of Christianity.

   Excellent content + skillful writing = a book you cannot put down. I cannot recommend this short volume enough. Nick Needham is a modern-day expert on church history and the gold-nugget details that leave you saying, “Wow. I never knew that.” I burned through this book in four days. Needham paints brief sketches of the church fathers, reformers, and American theologians like B. B. Warfield and J. Gresham Machen.