Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History

Introduce your children to their heroes in the Christian faith with this excellent Canon best-seller.

Christianity is a faith in love with history. God took on human flesh and dwelt among us. The Spirit carried that divine work over the centuries, providing courage and maturity even amid our imperfections. Christians find their true family line not through tribes and ethnic blood but in the bond of faithfulness and shed blood that has united our family for millennia. We too often view Church history as the story of obscure aliens instead of the lives of brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers.

In this collection of forty-six brief biographies for children, Hannula sketches the stirring trials and triumphs of many famous and some lesser known figures in our family of faith—including Augustine, Charlemagne, Anselm, Luther, Bunyan, and C.S. Lewis. Through them we can begin to enjoy the old paths and find rest for our souls. "Thus says the LORD: Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls"(Jer. 6:16).

304 pages

View an excerpt here.

"Here are forty-six gripping stories of men and women of Christ from Polycarp to C.S. Lewis and Richard Wurmbrand! The whole family will be able to read, enjoy, and celebrate these gifts of God to His Church." -Dr. David Calhoun, Professor of Church History, Covenant Seminary

"What better way to bring a Christian child to aspire to spiritual greatness than to set before him or her the heroes of the Church's past and a picture of godliness and fortitude in flesh and blood. It is the Bible's own way to train up children in the faith. We used these sketches in our family worship. Our children enjoyed them at first reading and have remembered them since. I enthusiastically recommend Hannula's Trial and Triumph." -Dr. Robert Rayburn, Faith Presbyterian Church

"Restoring the Christian story requires giving an important place in Christian consciousness to the heroes of the whole church ... A wonderful beginning has been made by Hannula in his Trial and Triumph." -Dr. Peter Leithart, Theopolis Institute

"An excellent overview of great figures in church history in one volume." -Jeff Robinson, The Gospel Coalition