A Global Church History: The Great Tradition through Cultures, Continents and Centuries

(Paperback)

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Description

How did the Christian Church originate, what journeys has it taken over two millennia, and how did it come to exist in its present, myriad forms The answers to these questions form a tapestry of history that reaches from first century Palestine to the ends of the earth. This volume tells this rich story from an ecumenical perspective, drawing on both Eastern and Western historic sources in exploring the rise of Eastern Orthodoxy; the church across Asia, Africa, and the Americas; and the reformations of the Western Church; including the diversity of contemporary voices. The work benefits from many pedagogical features: - boxed text sections identifying central figures and points of debate - study questions for each chapter - chapter summaries - maps --charts --index Supplemented by over 400 illustrations, this book embraces the universality of historic and current Christianity, creating a single and comprehensive volume for students of Church history and systematic theology.

Reviews

The authors have succeeded admirably in the daunting task of telling the global history of Christianity in one manageable volume. Images, intelligent discussion questions, and especially well-selected documents to accompany the narrative make the book terrific for students, but also invaluable for older readers as well. The book excels with its range of voices, its attention to east and west, north and south, and its compact narrative from the time of Christ to the 21st century. * Mark A. Noll, University of Notre Dame, USA; author of Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity *
This book provides a succinct and clear survey of the history of Christianity, from its beginnings in first century Jerusalem through its progressive spread around the world, extending into the early twenty-first century. Readers are introduced to the major figures in the history, and provided with numerous maps, pictures and an extensive collection of excerpts from critical writings. This work is both an excellent textbook for a course in global Christianity, and an interesting resource for anyone curious about the international growth of the Christian faith. * Ronald Heine, Professor Emeritus at Northwest Christian University, USA *
A Global Church History represents a massive achievement. Despite the large number of church histories, few offer a global perspective, and almost none provide an extensive set of primary sources. This book does both, and educators, students, and lovers of church history will benefit. Cone and Rea have done a wonderful service for those looking for a single volume that covers the history of Christianity responsibly. * Grant Kaplan, Professor of Theological Studies, Saint Louis University, USA *
The history of the Christian Church, from its beginnings until the present day, represents a challenging topic for students at every educational level. This book offers a new approach to the subject due to its coverage not only of Western Christian theology and practice, but also of the Eastern, Oriental and other global traditions. The second half of the work provides primary texts and illustrations that add considerably to its teaching potential. In short, this book portrays Christian Church history in all its diversity, with attention to the many thinkers, mystics, and artists who have contributed to its development. * Mary B. Cunningham, Honorary Associate Professor of Historical Theology, University of Nottingham, UK *

Author Bio

Robert F. Rea teaches Church History/Historical Theology at Lincoln Christian University, USA. Steven D. Cone teaches Systematic Theology at Lincoln Christian University, USA.