A distinguished theologian presents a beautifully illustrated history of 2,000 years of the Christian faithPresented in 50 short chapters, each focusing on a critical facet of Christian history or theology, and each amplified by timelines, quotations, and color images, this magisterial account does full justice to the range of Christian tradition, belief, and practice—Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Evangelical, Coptic, Chaldean, Ethiopian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Malankaran, to name but a few of the many possibilities. From the persecutions of the early church to the papal–imperial conflicts of the Middle Ages, from the religious wars of 16th- and 17th- century Europe to the challenges of science and secularism in the modern era, and from the ancient Christian communities of Africa and Asia to the "house churches" of contemporary China, this sequence of essays focusing on critical "moments" in the religion triumphantly captures the heterogeneous richness of Christian history. - from Amzon