Sources

The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine

Citation Formats

General Reference

Divinity Atlas. "The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-christian-tradition-a-history-of-the-development-of-doctrine.

APA Style

Divinity Atlas. (n.d.). The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-christian-tradition-a-history-of-the-development-of-doctrine

BibTeX

@misc{divinityatlas-the-christian-tradition-a-history-of-the,
  author = {Divinity Atlas},
  title = {The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://www.divinityatlas.com/sources/the-christian-tradition-a-history-of-the-development-of-doctrine},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

Jaroslav Pelikan's multi-volume history traces the actual development of Christian doctrine across the whole tradition, documenting the ecumenical councils and later disputes, such as memorialist and receptionist readings of the Eucharist, as they actually unfolded across named historical debates rather than presenting doctrine as fixed from the outset. That developmental, dispute-by-dispute method is the work's real evidentiary basis and the reason it remains the standard reference across all major Christian branches. This record has not independently traced further scholarly disagreement with Pelikan's specific periodization. Use it for how a specific Christian doctrine developed historically; a claim about one church's current confessional position needs that church's own current statement.

Facts

Assessment

Reliability Tier

Jaroslav Pelikan's monumental standard scholarly history of the development of Christian doctrine, covering the ecumenical councils and later doctrinal disputes; a critical academic history spanning all major branches, not a confessional statement of any one church's own current position.

Notes

Jaroslav Pelikan's monumental standard scholarly history of the development of Christian doctrine across the whole tradition, covering the ecumenical councils and later doctrinal disputes such as memorialism and receptionism regarding the Eucharist. Use for established historical facts about how Christian doctrine developed over time; a critical academic history spanning all major branches, not a confessional statement of any one church's own current position.

Citation

Author

Jaroslav Pelikan

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

Publication Year

1971

URL

https://archive.org/details/christiantraditi00peli_0

Source Type

academic monograph

Claims Backed By This Source (218 claims)

This source backs 218 claims across the atlas. As facts: 144 well-attested, 12 scholarly debate. As cited relationships: 4 holds, 6 connected, 2 critiqued Here. Plus 50 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.

Disposition By Topic

Doctrines, 124 claims: 93 well-attested, 3 scholarly debate, 1 holds, 27 general references.
Articles, 47 claims: 33 well-attested, 6 connected, 8 general references.
Councils and Synods, 13 claims: 5 well-attested, 2 scholarly debate, 2 holds, 1 critiqued Here, 3 general references.
Religious Events, 10 claims: 2 well-attested, 4 scholarly debate, 4 general references.
Beliefs & Restrictions, 8 claims: 3 scholarly debate, 1 holds, 4 general references.
Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
Creeds & Confessions, 3 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 critiqued Here, 1 general references.
Practices, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
Sacred Sites, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
Mantras, 1 claims: 1 general references.