This book could be an example of the new stage of studying the Early Christianity in the U.S.S.R., started after the Decree of the C.P.S.U. Central Committee 1954 ‘on some shortcomings in the research-atheistic work’. The result of those administrative decisions was comparatively broader freedom of factual studies of religious phenomena of the past and the presence. The book by L. covers two first centuries C.E. It is opened with a broad introduction on the sources and historiography; then, there is an essay on the history of the Early Christian Chucrh of the second century, divided into two part (and two more or less equal periods): up to the time of Justinus, and up to the border of the second and third centuries. The author shows his knowledge of literature which had not been used by Soviet scholars earlier.
In general, beside its historiographic significance, the book still is of importance, taking into account a necessity to pass through the typical Soviet phraseology. We should stress that the author’s notes are still actual, even after a great data accumulated after the moment, when the book was written.