Overview

From the pen of a great historian, here is the most accessible and affordable one-volume history of Christianity you can buy. As well providing a masterly panoramic survey of the religion itself, Professor Blainey keeps you informed about the social and economic forces that influenced it, making fascinating connections with politics, literature, popular culture, other religions and wider historical events along the way. The result is a vivid account of the world’s largest religion, packed with illuminating insights into the ideas and achievements of some of the most powerful people and movements that have shaped our world right up to the present day.

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9780281076192

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Reviews

‘Few authors would be up to the task of writing a comprehensive history of one of the world’s most widespread and diverse religions, but with this book, Australian historian Blainey manages to create a narrative that is both scholarly and all-encompassing without being rambling or tedious. . . With a conversational tone and an astonishing wealth of information compacted into more than 600 pages, this title is ideal for any pursuit, whether personal or scholarly.’ * Library Journal * ‘All the major events, movements, and people in 2,000 years of Christian history are included. . . The maps and index are excellent, and the chapter notes provide ample opportunities for further research. ‘Blainey defines the target audience as 'a variety of general readers and also historians who work in other fields and have faint knowledge of Christian history.' Given its brevity and readability, this book would be an ideal introduction for those unfamiliar with Christianity, and for undergraduate students in history and religion courses.’ * CHOICE * ‘Blainey has provided with his latest book a clear and dependable history of Christianity. This is not a scholar’s reference work but a very accessible, engagingly readable story. It combines organizational detail and theological controversies with the sense of what it was like to be a Christian in different contexts over two thousand years. His history has a richly human quality without sentimentality or, for that matter, ‘side-taking’ in the debates and conflicts reported. . . . ‘The need for a book like this is enormous. . . Those who are not Christian would benefit from this balanced and unvarnished account of a monumentally influential religion. Christians would benefit from what only a study of history can bring: a counter to the ignorance which predisposes us to repeat past errors.’ -- Gary D. Bouma, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Monash University * Insights *

'Few authors would be up to the task of writing a comprehensive history of one of the world's most widespread and diverse religions, but with this book, Australian historian Blainey manages to create a narrative that is both scholarly and all-encompassing without being rambling or tedious. . . With a conversational tone and an astonishing wealth of information compacted into more than 600 pages, this title is ideal for any pursuit, whether personal or scholarly.' * Library Journal * 'All the major events, movements, and people in 2,000 years of Christian history are included. . . The maps and index are excellent, and the chapter notes provide ample opportunities for further research. 'Blainey defines the target audience as 'a variety of general readers and also historians who work in other fields and have faint knowledge of Christian history.' Given its brevity and readability, this book would be an ideal introduction for those unfamiliar with Christianity, and for undergraduate students in history and religion courses.' * CHOICE * 'Blainey has provided with his latest book a clear and dependable history of Christianity. This is not a scholar's reference work but a very accessible, engagingly readable story. It combines organizational detail and theological controversies with the sense of what it was like to be a Christian in different contexts over two thousand years. His history has a richly human quality without sentimentality or, for that matter, 'side-taking' in the debates and conflicts reported. . . . 'The need for a book like this is enormous. . . Those who are not Christian would benefit from this balanced and unvarnished account of a monumentally influential religion. Christians would benefit from what only a study of history can bring: a counter to the ignorance which predisposes us to repeat past errors.' -- Gary D. Bouma, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, Monash University * Insights *

'Few authors would be up to the task of writing a comprehensive history of one of the world's most widespread and diverse religions, but with this book, Australian historian Blainey manages to create a narrative that is both scholarly and all-encompassing without being rambling or tedious... With a conversational tone and an astonishing wealth of information compacted into more than 600 pages, this title is ideal for any pursuit, whether personal or scholarly.' - Library Journal; 'Blainey has provided with his latest book a clear and dependable history of Christianity. This is not a scholar's reference work but a very accessible, engagingly readable story. It combines organizational detail and theological controversies with the sense of what it was like to be a Christian in different contexts over two thousand years. His history has a richly human quality without sentimentality or, for that matter, 'side-taking' in the debates and conflicts reported... 'The need for a book like this is enormous... Those who are not Christian would benefit from this balanced and unvarnished account of a monumentally influential religion. Christians would benefit from what only a study of history can bring: a counter to the ignorance which predisposes us to repeat past errors.';- Insights

Author Information

Geoffrey Blainey is one of Australia's most eminent historians. He held a chair at Harvard University and taught for many years at the University of Melbourne. The Oxford Companion to Australian History calls him 'the most prolific, wide-ranging, inventive' of all living Australian historians.

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