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A Short History of Christianity
For two thousand years, Christianity has had a varying but immense influence on world history. Accomplished historian Geoffrey Blainey leads us through the history of this world-changing religion.
A Short History of Christianity vividly describes many of the significant players in the religion’s rise and fall through the ages, from Jesus himself to Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, Francis Xavier, John Wesley, and even the Beatles, who claimed to be “more popular than Jesus.” Blainey takes us into the world of Christian worshipers through the ages—from housewives to stonemasons—and traces the rise of the critics of Christ and his followers.
Eminently readable, and written with Blainey’s characteristic curiosity and storytelling skill, this book often places Christianity at the center of world history. Will it remain near the center? Blainey’s narrative illustrates that Christianity’s history is a much-repeated story of ups and downs.
A Short History of Christianity vividly describes many of the significant players in the religion’s rise and fall through the ages, from Jesus himself to Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, Francis Xavier, John Wesley, and even the Beatles, who claimed to be “more popular than Jesus.” Blainey takes us into the world of Christian worshipers through the ages—from housewives to stonemasons—and traces the rise of the critics of Christ and his followers.
Eminently readable, and written with Blainey’s characteristic curiosity and storytelling skill, this book often places Christianity at the center of world history. Will it remain near the center? Blainey’s narrative illustrates that Christianity’s history is a much-repeated story of ups and downs.
636 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
52 people are currently reading
412 people want to read
About the author
Geoffrey Blainey
78 books80 followersGeoffrey Blainey, one of Australia's most eminent historians, was appointed the foundation Chancellor of the University of Ballarat (UB) in 1993 after an illustrious career at the University of Melbourne. He was installed as UB Chancellor in December 1994 and continued until 1998. The Blainey Auditorium at the Mt Helen Campus of UB is named in his honour. Blainey, always a keen exponent of libraries and the acquisition of books, has donated part of his extensive book collection to the UB library. In 2002 the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters was conferred on Blainey in recognition of his contribution to the University of Ballarat and to the community in general.
Educated at Ballarat High School, Blainey won a scholarship to Wesley College, before attending Melbourne University where he studied history. He worked as a freelance historical author writing mainly business histories such as The Peaks of Lyall; Gold and Paper; a History of the National Bank of Australasia; and Mines in the Spinifex. Blainey accepted a position at the University of Melbourne in 1962 in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce. He held the positions of Professor of Economic History (1968-77); Senior Lecturer 1962; and from 1977-1988 he occupied the Ernest Scott Chair of History at Melbourne University. Professor Blainey also held the chair of Australian studies at Harvard University.
As an economic historian, Blainey challenged the conventional view, questioning accepted contemporary understandings of European settlement of Australia as a convict nation, Aboriginal land rights, and Asian immigration. He is described as a 'courageous public intellectual, a writer with rare grace and a master storyteller'. In a reassessment of the life of Blainey, 'The Fuss that Never Ended' considers his ideas, his role in Australian history, politics and public life, and the controversies that surrounded him.
He was always popular with students. According to the Melbourne University home page 'When Geoffrey Blainey spoke to final-year students in the Friends of the Baillieu Library HSC Lectures in the 1970s, the Public Lecture Theatre was packed to capacity and his audience carried copies of his books to be signed, a tribute to what Geoffrey Bolton characterised as his "skills in interpreting technological change in admirably lucid narratives that appealed to both specialist and non-specialist audiences".
Among his most popular works are the 'The Rush that Never Ended: A History of Australian Mining'; 'The Tyranny of Distance'; 'A Shorter History of Australia'; 'A Short History of the World'; and 'The Origins of Australian Football'.
In 2000 Professor Blainey was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for service to academia, research and scholarship, and as a leader of public debate at the forefront of fundamental social and economic issues confronting the wider community. At that time the University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Kerry Cox said 'Geoffrey Blainey guided the new and inexperienced university through its first four years with a benevolent but firm hand. This time was challenging as the university strove to make a place for itself in higher education, grappled with funding cuts and the eventual merger with neighbouring TAFE institutes. For those at the university fortunate enough to work with Geoffrey Blainey during his time as Chancellor, they witnessed first hand his humility, and we are proud of his role in our history.'
In 2002 the degree of Doctor of Letters was conferred on Professor Blainey in recognition of his contribution to the University of Ballarat and the community in general. The same year Blainey donated a collection of material to the University of Ballarat. Included in this collection are historical books, papers and other material relating to the early history of mining and the central Victorian goldfields. A second generous donation of material was received in 2005. 'The Geoffrey Blainey Mining Collection' is l
Educated at Ballarat High School, Blainey won a scholarship to Wesley College, before attending Melbourne University where he studied history. He worked as a freelance historical author writing mainly business histories such as The Peaks of Lyall; Gold and Paper; a History of the National Bank of Australasia; and Mines in the Spinifex. Blainey accepted a position at the University of Melbourne in 1962 in the Faculty of Economics and Commerce. He held the positions of Professor of Economic History (1968-77); Senior Lecturer 1962; and from 1977-1988 he occupied the Ernest Scott Chair of History at Melbourne University. Professor Blainey also held the chair of Australian studies at Harvard University.
As an economic historian, Blainey challenged the conventional view, questioning accepted contemporary understandings of European settlement of Australia as a convict nation, Aboriginal land rights, and Asian immigration. He is described as a 'courageous public intellectual, a writer with rare grace and a master storyteller'. In a reassessment of the life of Blainey, 'The Fuss that Never Ended' considers his ideas, his role in Australian history, politics and public life, and the controversies that surrounded him.
He was always popular with students. According to the Melbourne University home page 'When Geoffrey Blainey spoke to final-year students in the Friends of the Baillieu Library HSC Lectures in the 1970s, the Public Lecture Theatre was packed to capacity and his audience carried copies of his books to be signed, a tribute to what Geoffrey Bolton characterised as his "skills in interpreting technological change in admirably lucid narratives that appealed to both specialist and non-specialist audiences".
Among his most popular works are the 'The Rush that Never Ended: A History of Australian Mining'; 'The Tyranny of Distance'; 'A Shorter History of Australia'; 'A Short History of the World'; and 'The Origins of Australian Football'.
In 2000 Professor Blainey was awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia for service to academia, research and scholarship, and as a leader of public debate at the forefront of fundamental social and economic issues confronting the wider community. At that time the University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Kerry Cox said 'Geoffrey Blainey guided the new and inexperienced university through its first four years with a benevolent but firm hand. This time was challenging as the university strove to make a place for itself in higher education, grappled with funding cuts and the eventual merger with neighbouring TAFE institutes. For those at the university fortunate enough to work with Geoffrey Blainey during his time as Chancellor, they witnessed first hand his humility, and we are proud of his role in our history.'
In 2002 the degree of Doctor of Letters was conferred on Professor Blainey in recognition of his contribution to the University of Ballarat and the community in general. The same year Blainey donated a collection of material to the University of Ballarat. Included in this collection are historical books, papers and other material relating to the early history of mining and the central Victorian goldfields. A second generous donation of material was received in 2005. 'The Geoffrey Blainey Mining Collection' is l
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 27, 2015
Readable
If you have never had the chance to study church history, I thoroughly recommend Blainey's book. Though the book is about 550 pages, the print is a reasonable size, there is adequate space between the lines, the chapters have sub-headings and most importantly you will want to turn the pages. I found dipping into the breadth of Christianity through the ages in all its major forms such as Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy as well as many of the more minor forms to be refreshing and informative. From the early church through the 20th century, including the negative periods such as the crusades, Blainey is mostly even-handed and realistic in his attitudes and opinions. In his conclusion, Blainey wonders at the influence of Christ and despite the rise of atheism and Islam, predicts Christianity will continue and that, as in the past, will come out much more on the positive side than the negative.
If you have never had the chance to study church history, I thoroughly recommend Blainey's book. Though the book is about 550 pages, the print is a reasonable size, there is adequate space between the lines, the chapters have sub-headings and most importantly you will want to turn the pages. I found dipping into the breadth of Christianity through the ages in all its major forms such as Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy as well as many of the more minor forms to be refreshing and informative. From the early church through the 20th century, including the negative periods such as the crusades, Blainey is mostly even-handed and realistic in his attitudes and opinions. In his conclusion, Blainey wonders at the influence of Christ and despite the rise of atheism and Islam, predicts Christianity will continue and that, as in the past, will come out much more on the positive side than the negative.
April 5, 2015
Who's Harry Potter's precursor?
Where did John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet?
Who invented basketball and volleyball?
What did Rembrandt express in his paintings?
What do these questions have to do with Christianity? Well, keep on reading me to find it out.
As I always have a different way to write my reviews, I decided to outline the most important points in this book. You won't see much of my bla bla bla! Let's go straight to the point... Or 2 points:
- "Hebrew" means "the people who traverse or pass over".
- Most of the hymns they sang was written during the exile in Babylon and their return to Jerusalem.
- At that time, if a very shining star appeared it meant that something extremely important would happen.
- Jesus learnt how to write and read, which was not common in the city He lived.
- Jesus considered everyone as our "neighbour".
- Most of the people who followed Jesus belonged to low classes.
- Antioch was the first place to use the term "Christian".
- The Vulgate (The Bible with the Old and New Teatament) was only put together in the 6th century.
- Jesus didn't give emphasis to the practice of fasting, despite the fact that He fasted while prayed and meditated in the desert.
- Other religions rarely offered any type of help during the times with epidemic! Yet, Christians would take care of sick people and attract lots of friends when they performed miracles and healed the ones with diseases.
- Constantine, in the year 321, decreed that Sunday should be a special day and everyone had to rest.
- Constantine abolished in 324 the death on a cross and all Roman soldiers should have the cross on their shields.
- Constantinople (Istanbul nowadays) was the first city to have temple in mountains.
- Around the year 305, Christian leaders (Spanish in its majority), got together in Elvira, South of Spain, and decided that priests shouldn't get married. Others believed that they shouldn't get married because their children could inherit the wealth of Church.
- In the year 595, Augustine crossed the English Channel, arrived in Canterburry and founded a Benedictine abbey, which became the most famous Church in England.
- In Constantinople, around the year 730, the emperor Leo III condemned the worship of images. This movement was known as "iconoclasm".
- The term "purgatory" only appeared in Europe in 1170 and 1180 (remember that the Bible doesn't mention it).
- Universities were the result, in its majority, of the work of Church. They were formed by bishops, teachers and scholars.
- Muhammad was born in 570 and grew up among Jewish and Christian people. So, he absorbed their precepts and decided to found his own Islamic theory.
- The most important cities in the East were: Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch and Constantinople. They are all under Islamic control.
- John Calvin believed that there were many angels and each person has one to protect himself.
- In 1513, Spanish baptised Florida in honour of the Easter Sunday.
- Francisco Xavier was the Jesuit sent to Japan. Many people became Christian through his teaching. However, Japan banned Christianity because of the Japanese traditionalism and the fear of losing people's loyalty to the emperor (a kind of god to them).
- The painter Rembrandt was a Mennonite (Christians who live simply and wear plain clothes). He expressed his beliefs in many of his paintings.
- The leader found in the book "The Pilgrim's Progress (by Christian author John Bunyan) was a precursor of Harry Potter.
- The Young Men's Christian Association was founded in 1844. They had youngsters full of energy and in 1891, in Springfield, Massachusetts, the basketball was created. 4 years later, the volleyball was invented in a near association.
- William Booth founded the Salvation Army in Whitechapel, London.
- The Beatles were formed by 4 guys who had a Christian family history. John Lennon and Paul McCartney met each other in a Christian Festival promoted by a Church in 1957.
- Many of the things that are admirable today were totally or partially resulted from Christianity.
So, those are the main (many) points of this book. The latest was taken from the last chapter, but do you know what? I agree with it although I'm suspicious to say.
Yet, if you're not Christian, I'd like you to take a look at your calendar and tell me how it is divided! The band AC/DC can help you with the answer.
Larissa Fauber
Where did John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet?
Who invented basketball and volleyball?
What did Rembrandt express in his paintings?
What do these questions have to do with Christianity? Well, keep on reading me to find it out.
As I always have a different way to write my reviews, I decided to outline the most important points in this book. You won't see much of my bla bla bla! Let's go straight to the point... Or 2 points:
- "Hebrew" means "the people who traverse or pass over".
- Most of the hymns they sang was written during the exile in Babylon and their return to Jerusalem.
- At that time, if a very shining star appeared it meant that something extremely important would happen.
- Jesus learnt how to write and read, which was not common in the city He lived.
- Jesus considered everyone as our "neighbour".
- Most of the people who followed Jesus belonged to low classes.
- Antioch was the first place to use the term "Christian".
- The Vulgate (The Bible with the Old and New Teatament) was only put together in the 6th century.
- Jesus didn't give emphasis to the practice of fasting, despite the fact that He fasted while prayed and meditated in the desert.
- Other religions rarely offered any type of help during the times with epidemic! Yet, Christians would take care of sick people and attract lots of friends when they performed miracles and healed the ones with diseases.
- Constantine, in the year 321, decreed that Sunday should be a special day and everyone had to rest.
- Constantine abolished in 324 the death on a cross and all Roman soldiers should have the cross on their shields.
- Constantinople (Istanbul nowadays) was the first city to have temple in mountains.
- Around the year 305, Christian leaders (Spanish in its majority), got together in Elvira, South of Spain, and decided that priests shouldn't get married. Others believed that they shouldn't get married because their children could inherit the wealth of Church.
- In the year 595, Augustine crossed the English Channel, arrived in Canterburry and founded a Benedictine abbey, which became the most famous Church in England.
- In Constantinople, around the year 730, the emperor Leo III condemned the worship of images. This movement was known as "iconoclasm".
- The term "purgatory" only appeared in Europe in 1170 and 1180 (remember that the Bible doesn't mention it).
- Universities were the result, in its majority, of the work of Church. They were formed by bishops, teachers and scholars.
- Muhammad was born in 570 and grew up among Jewish and Christian people. So, he absorbed their precepts and decided to found his own Islamic theory.
- The most important cities in the East were: Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch and Constantinople. They are all under Islamic control.
- John Calvin believed that there were many angels and each person has one to protect himself.
- In 1513, Spanish baptised Florida in honour of the Easter Sunday.
- Francisco Xavier was the Jesuit sent to Japan. Many people became Christian through his teaching. However, Japan banned Christianity because of the Japanese traditionalism and the fear of losing people's loyalty to the emperor (a kind of god to them).
- The painter Rembrandt was a Mennonite (Christians who live simply and wear plain clothes). He expressed his beliefs in many of his paintings.
- The leader found in the book "The Pilgrim's Progress (by Christian author John Bunyan) was a precursor of Harry Potter.
- The Young Men's Christian Association was founded in 1844. They had youngsters full of energy and in 1891, in Springfield, Massachusetts, the basketball was created. 4 years later, the volleyball was invented in a near association.
- William Booth founded the Salvation Army in Whitechapel, London.
- The Beatles were formed by 4 guys who had a Christian family history. John Lennon and Paul McCartney met each other in a Christian Festival promoted by a Church in 1957.
- Many of the things that are admirable today were totally or partially resulted from Christianity.
So, those are the main (many) points of this book. The latest was taken from the last chapter, but do you know what? I agree with it although I'm suspicious to say.
Yet, if you're not Christian, I'd like you to take a look at your calendar and tell me how it is divided! The band AC/DC can help you with the answer.
Larissa Fauber
September 26, 2012
Blainey says "of all known people, Jesus was the most influential" .While it's a good read, I would have loved Blainey, like Jesus did at the temple, to punch through the flat veneer ( Blainey's word) of religiosity that has for 17 centuries so often stood in front of the radical but consistently good speaking and teaching about God that Jesus continued. As a 'good aussie',Geoffrey's talking football; we're focused on the externals, and its about WHO won , or whose winning. Unfortunately,for an age that really needs to know WHY passionate religious people are not all dangerous, Blainey fails to digest the game plan and show how this safe and predictable boring old clear dialogue works ; how and why love and truth triumphs over all sorts of careless justifications for what people feel like doing at the time; How that book controls the final look. The prospect of a really good read about hard fought play, pushed through to game plan law and culture concepts is lost in a fast , ball by ball trip through 20 centuries of incredible upset wins for those small numbers who dared to believe and make those concepts law. Blainey, like most, wants to believe that faith is a fiction; that there is nothing deeper happening below what you can see on the surface. "If God is there, its not obvious" perhaps?- except maybe? ..That Jesus bloke??
I enjoyed hearing the story from an studious outsider, because its how much of the West now sees most of our stories; " irrelevant". The preoccupation with "trying to prove things " in our generation makes history appear irrelevant because history proves nothing- on the surface anyway. While not widely recognised this position makes our culture at odds with the best science Many of us know history's substance to be highly relevant and punchy, but there seems to be no easy way to get many moderns involved in the detail to do that. On the surface, the church is just the same as any old institution, if not more stuck in dusty old doctrine than any. As he points out well too, when its not the state church telling us how to live, its a church group insisting we should do this or that.
Even though our age seems to want solid values more than ever ,in a complete blinder, most seem "happy" to change them to suit the market. Our train is a fast moving and veneer rich one, but are we not overloaded and bloated by the volume of stuff we carry around with us? drugged on a drip feed with " what's new" . It seems impossible for an age that's now convinced itself that it has to keep buying ,that all the best things in life are indeed free; Christ's claims seem just too incredible and just too simple.
Our point, as history lovers, is this: a comfortable Prime Minister Chamberlain,or a woosy West,and their belief in progress, and automatic glass half full ( when things appear to be going well?) is no match for Christianity's more realistic tension of optimism and pessimism when disaster by another passionate group is clearly about to strike; a point Blainey makes. Christ's followers can see disaster coming because they understand that the greatest evil is done in the name of the best intention. The first Christians claim against the Greeks still stands - "They are too busy playing games with words to get on with life and.... commitment".
How do you capture the substance " of countless armed and unarmed disputes" he says succinctly about his task. The book is worth reading because the author has studied enough theology to see its significance and speculate on it ; Like the reformation leaders role in asserting democracy and resisting anarchy at the same time .
These quick views from outside the house, though, are never going to capture the sense of why the man who divides history , culture and families over the impossible idea that God is with us, should work. The task is too big for any one book. The logic so extra ordinary; the swearing so rude and contrary to conventional religion. The potential confusion lasts for 17 centuries when it was easy to get confused about what Christianity really stood for- convention or radical culture.
What this book does do, though, is give reason to the above claims of being something special . Its unemotional conclusions provide a good reason for all this cultures children to rethink their claim that "its all old , irrelevant and negative". Blainey doesn't do this with argument, as the church might, but by providing a convincing and concise view of a great variety of interesting individuals; what they said ; much of what they meant and some of how it changed history. Blainey's own speculations are often original, making it an interesting read for people who think they know the people better.His ability to place arguments in the context too is interesting if not always convincing. His welcome focus is individuals fighting institutions, ensuring he doesn't get lost, or confuse the reader, with the pedantry and the politics.
Clearly there is not enough room to do justice to some key battles. The failure of popular politics to resist the ongoing impact of Jesus teaching throughout the centuries; the failure of positivism in our own; the impact of Christian teaching on society and the size and role of government; the effect of Christian teaching in undermining "big government" ambitions and support for freedom of speech and action.
I would have really liked to see him apply his curiosity to tackle the great paradox of why these people who put faith before reason were often so effective in the long term; How religion and politics can mix and harness passions without them harming people. He prefers, for example,to discuss "swearing" when the whole impact of the golden age revival in arts and literature was springing from the reformation: why particular incidents turned out so unexpectedly; why believers bits of radical anti-establishment thinking and speaking made Jesus and his followers so influential ...and for good; This is, after all, the authors claim and ours. It seems that when people admit they are religious ,they own their own passion, fear it less ,and can use and understand it better. The history too goes back much further .
Would have liked less action and more quotes to remind the reader that powerful words made history and the history of Christianity,including its literature, art and political democracy ideas in particular.How much this violent prone world needs its reassurance that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword and reconciliation is really possible.
Pursuing truth beyond prejudice and political correctness , the no go territory of our age, was the radical Christians cutting edge and is still critically important our ages need for the final comfort( cf "moving on") of the full story - getting it right ; It is too easy for our sub scientific age to put its own first /last secondary causes and mere reactions first ; "the end of story" or "the primary causes"; Thus the complex becomes too simple, the meaning and motive forces completely lost.
The book shows how a modern mindset sees history ( as mainly action ) , but that means its very light on for keys to the key questions about why Christianity, or any idealism, or faith, actually motivates people.
With long centuries of institutional churchiness, its not hard to imagine the radical element disappearing from view: One only has to think of all the throng of hangers on after Jesus became conventional; The subject, like its founder ,deserves a more radical focus.
The book is easy to read and enables the reader to quickly explore the vast territory,but only as one would on some sort of 5 day Orient express holiday through Europe. If this is how Australia's best get to tell history, its no wonder no one is studying or taking history seriously in Australia.
I don't know who would really enjoy this book because the real history of Christianity is about fighting and fearless men; a ripe old yarn that is still being written - not the passe porridge with cynical sugar that Blainey has,in too large a measure, dished up here.
There is however enough good Blainey portraits and speculation in the bits that got left in to make the thinking reader wonder what was left out; Like whats going to replace "positivism" and faith in progress in our own century? What can we do when the words that drive change are no longer Christ's clear words ?
"Short" gives no sense too, to the idea that the frame and history of this faith is big, really big" Love,hope and glory . The pastures green -a green and pleasant land". A worldview that has some cred ; some history ; some runs on the board.
I don't know who decided on the pictures, but they should have got the sack; Its incumbent on any historian of a popular culture ( especially over 17 centuries )to get beyond the veneer ; the dumb " motherhood and political statements' by so many hide the substance of the radical powerful family building tradition that has clearly been writing itself in there all that time. The few old frames in the middle of the book are enough to make anyone put the book down again. There are no pictures of great debates or headlines, no Chamberlain ,no heretics, no King or Bonhoeffer. I put it down half way through to find something that didn't send me to sleep.
I enjoyed hearing the story from an studious outsider, because its how much of the West now sees most of our stories; " irrelevant". The preoccupation with "trying to prove things " in our generation makes history appear irrelevant because history proves nothing- on the surface anyway. While not widely recognised this position makes our culture at odds with the best science Many of us know history's substance to be highly relevant and punchy, but there seems to be no easy way to get many moderns involved in the detail to do that. On the surface, the church is just the same as any old institution, if not more stuck in dusty old doctrine than any. As he points out well too, when its not the state church telling us how to live, its a church group insisting we should do this or that.
Even though our age seems to want solid values more than ever ,in a complete blinder, most seem "happy" to change them to suit the market. Our train is a fast moving and veneer rich one, but are we not overloaded and bloated by the volume of stuff we carry around with us? drugged on a drip feed with " what's new" . It seems impossible for an age that's now convinced itself that it has to keep buying ,that all the best things in life are indeed free; Christ's claims seem just too incredible and just too simple.
Our point, as history lovers, is this: a comfortable Prime Minister Chamberlain,or a woosy West,and their belief in progress, and automatic glass half full ( when things appear to be going well?) is no match for Christianity's more realistic tension of optimism and pessimism when disaster by another passionate group is clearly about to strike; a point Blainey makes. Christ's followers can see disaster coming because they understand that the greatest evil is done in the name of the best intention. The first Christians claim against the Greeks still stands - "They are too busy playing games with words to get on with life and.... commitment".
How do you capture the substance " of countless armed and unarmed disputes" he says succinctly about his task. The book is worth reading because the author has studied enough theology to see its significance and speculate on it ; Like the reformation leaders role in asserting democracy and resisting anarchy at the same time .
These quick views from outside the house, though, are never going to capture the sense of why the man who divides history , culture and families over the impossible idea that God is with us, should work. The task is too big for any one book. The logic so extra ordinary; the swearing so rude and contrary to conventional religion. The potential confusion lasts for 17 centuries when it was easy to get confused about what Christianity really stood for- convention or radical culture.
What this book does do, though, is give reason to the above claims of being something special . Its unemotional conclusions provide a good reason for all this cultures children to rethink their claim that "its all old , irrelevant and negative". Blainey doesn't do this with argument, as the church might, but by providing a convincing and concise view of a great variety of interesting individuals; what they said ; much of what they meant and some of how it changed history. Blainey's own speculations are often original, making it an interesting read for people who think they know the people better.His ability to place arguments in the context too is interesting if not always convincing. His welcome focus is individuals fighting institutions, ensuring he doesn't get lost, or confuse the reader, with the pedantry and the politics.
Clearly there is not enough room to do justice to some key battles. The failure of popular politics to resist the ongoing impact of Jesus teaching throughout the centuries; the failure of positivism in our own; the impact of Christian teaching on society and the size and role of government; the effect of Christian teaching in undermining "big government" ambitions and support for freedom of speech and action.
I would have really liked to see him apply his curiosity to tackle the great paradox of why these people who put faith before reason were often so effective in the long term; How religion and politics can mix and harness passions without them harming people. He prefers, for example,to discuss "swearing" when the whole impact of the golden age revival in arts and literature was springing from the reformation: why particular incidents turned out so unexpectedly; why believers bits of radical anti-establishment thinking and speaking made Jesus and his followers so influential ...and for good; This is, after all, the authors claim and ours. It seems that when people admit they are religious ,they own their own passion, fear it less ,and can use and understand it better. The history too goes back much further .
Would have liked less action and more quotes to remind the reader that powerful words made history and the history of Christianity,including its literature, art and political democracy ideas in particular.How much this violent prone world needs its reassurance that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword and reconciliation is really possible.
Pursuing truth beyond prejudice and political correctness , the no go territory of our age, was the radical Christians cutting edge and is still critically important our ages need for the final comfort( cf "moving on") of the full story - getting it right ; It is too easy for our sub scientific age to put its own first /last secondary causes and mere reactions first ; "the end of story" or "the primary causes"; Thus the complex becomes too simple, the meaning and motive forces completely lost.
The book shows how a modern mindset sees history ( as mainly action ) , but that means its very light on for keys to the key questions about why Christianity, or any idealism, or faith, actually motivates people.
With long centuries of institutional churchiness, its not hard to imagine the radical element disappearing from view: One only has to think of all the throng of hangers on after Jesus became conventional; The subject, like its founder ,deserves a more radical focus.
The book is easy to read and enables the reader to quickly explore the vast territory,but only as one would on some sort of 5 day Orient express holiday through Europe. If this is how Australia's best get to tell history, its no wonder no one is studying or taking history seriously in Australia.
I don't know who would really enjoy this book because the real history of Christianity is about fighting and fearless men; a ripe old yarn that is still being written - not the passe porridge with cynical sugar that Blainey has,in too large a measure, dished up here.
There is however enough good Blainey portraits and speculation in the bits that got left in to make the thinking reader wonder what was left out; Like whats going to replace "positivism" and faith in progress in our own century? What can we do when the words that drive change are no longer Christ's clear words ?
"Short" gives no sense too, to the idea that the frame and history of this faith is big, really big" Love,hope and glory . The pastures green -a green and pleasant land". A worldview that has some cred ; some history ; some runs on the board.
I don't know who decided on the pictures, but they should have got the sack; Its incumbent on any historian of a popular culture ( especially over 17 centuries )to get beyond the veneer ; the dumb " motherhood and political statements' by so many hide the substance of the radical powerful family building tradition that has clearly been writing itself in there all that time. The few old frames in the middle of the book are enough to make anyone put the book down again. There are no pictures of great debates or headlines, no Chamberlain ,no heretics, no King or Bonhoeffer. I put it down half way through to find something that didn't send me to sleep.
March 25, 2021
Um registro histórico e imparcial. Fácil leitura e compreensão.
October 18, 2017
Geoffrey Blainey needs no introduction to any half-serious student of Australian History. From his first book about mining in Tasmania (The peaks of Lyell) through to the classic The tyranny of distance, and to his more recent worldwide bestseller A short history of the World, Blainey has over the last 50 years produced a body of work that is as imposing as it is diverse.
Following his success with A short history of the World, it seems the mavens at Penguin have decided to milk a success for all it's worth, for since then Blainey has produced the work under review and A short history of the Twentieth Century.....when you're onto a good thing.....
Blainey was born in 1930, the son of a Methodist Minister, and this fact reveals something about the structure of A short history of Christianity. In some ways, Blainey has set himself an impossible task; to compress a 2,000 year old world-wide phenomenon into 550 pages.
Written in a gentle but probing style, the first part of the book covers the life of Jesus. Blainey points out that, by the standards of the day, there is much documentary evidence to show that Jesus did in fact exist and have a following. He moves quickly on to talk of St. Paul and his work in beginning the process of creating a Church, while noting that doctrinal problems coursed through early Christianity, with Arius and Pelagius getting some space in the text. Then the rise of the Benedictines and other monks leads into part two, which covers the Crusaders, the Cathars, the further development of liturgy, and Pope vs. Anti-Pope. Part three takes us through the Reformation and Renaissance, and the last part of the book looks at religion in the new and modern world.
So, fairly comprehensive, and yet, there are sizable gaps in coverage. The Orthodox Church, in its many and varied shapes, hardly gets a look-in; this book is very much centred on a Western European view of Christianity. The split between Rome and the East is covered, but from then on in the book the Eastern Rites are mentioned only briefly, and more to emphasize their role in nationalism than perhaps in religion.
The other surprising lack is much discussion of the Roman Catholic Church, once Blainey comes to the Reformation era. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and (briefly) Hus enter the story, and the Roman Catholics tend to disappear. Much space is set aside for many of the Protestant groups and sects that flourished during the Reformation, but, it seemed to this reader, not enough space is given to describe how the Roman Church reacted to this incursion into their "space" - if we took this book on face value, it would seem that nothing much happened in the Roman Catholic world between about 1520 and World War I.
The other thing to state about this book is that is more a history of the activities of those who called themselves Christian, and the political implications of changes and rifts than any deep insight into the spirituality of any of the doctrine discussed. While the son of a Minister, Blainey has described himself as partly religious, more culturally than with any great belief, and this shows in the book - he certainly doesn't deny the validity of any Christian beliefs, but neither does he support them.
One of the strengths of this work, as in much of Blainey's writings, is that he is always at pains to avoid projecting the views of today into the past - very useful in a book such as this, to try to help the reader understand why something that seems crazy in this day-and-age was seen as perfectly sensible 400 years ago.
Overall Blainey's view of Christianity is positive; on balance he thinks more good than harm has come from the activities of people who feel Christ's calling. This book is easy to read, and while I can't recommend it as the only book you need to read to understand the history of Christianity, it's perhaps not a bad place to start.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
Following his success with A short history of the World, it seems the mavens at Penguin have decided to milk a success for all it's worth, for since then Blainey has produced the work under review and A short history of the Twentieth Century.....when you're onto a good thing.....
Blainey was born in 1930, the son of a Methodist Minister, and this fact reveals something about the structure of A short history of Christianity. In some ways, Blainey has set himself an impossible task; to compress a 2,000 year old world-wide phenomenon into 550 pages.
Written in a gentle but probing style, the first part of the book covers the life of Jesus. Blainey points out that, by the standards of the day, there is much documentary evidence to show that Jesus did in fact exist and have a following. He moves quickly on to talk of St. Paul and his work in beginning the process of creating a Church, while noting that doctrinal problems coursed through early Christianity, with Arius and Pelagius getting some space in the text. Then the rise of the Benedictines and other monks leads into part two, which covers the Crusaders, the Cathars, the further development of liturgy, and Pope vs. Anti-Pope. Part three takes us through the Reformation and Renaissance, and the last part of the book looks at religion in the new and modern world.
So, fairly comprehensive, and yet, there are sizable gaps in coverage. The Orthodox Church, in its many and varied shapes, hardly gets a look-in; this book is very much centred on a Western European view of Christianity. The split between Rome and the East is covered, but from then on in the book the Eastern Rites are mentioned only briefly, and more to emphasize their role in nationalism than perhaps in religion.
The other surprising lack is much discussion of the Roman Catholic Church, once Blainey comes to the Reformation era. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and (briefly) Hus enter the story, and the Roman Catholics tend to disappear. Much space is set aside for many of the Protestant groups and sects that flourished during the Reformation, but, it seemed to this reader, not enough space is given to describe how the Roman Church reacted to this incursion into their "space" - if we took this book on face value, it would seem that nothing much happened in the Roman Catholic world between about 1520 and World War I.
The other thing to state about this book is that is more a history of the activities of those who called themselves Christian, and the political implications of changes and rifts than any deep insight into the spirituality of any of the doctrine discussed. While the son of a Minister, Blainey has described himself as partly religious, more culturally than with any great belief, and this shows in the book - he certainly doesn't deny the validity of any Christian beliefs, but neither does he support them.
One of the strengths of this work, as in much of Blainey's writings, is that he is always at pains to avoid projecting the views of today into the past - very useful in a book such as this, to try to help the reader understand why something that seems crazy in this day-and-age was seen as perfectly sensible 400 years ago.
Overall Blainey's view of Christianity is positive; on balance he thinks more good than harm has come from the activities of people who feel Christ's calling. This book is easy to read, and while I can't recommend it as the only book you need to read to understand the history of Christianity, it's perhaps not a bad place to start.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
September 8, 2019
2.5 stars - rounding down due to some seriously offensive and troubling rhetoric.
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend regarding connections to Christian identity. I told this friend that my feel a stronger connection to my Mormon roots than I do my wider Christian roots. So this friend (who has done graduate work in medieval history) handed me several books on early Christian history that were way beyond my knowledge. I ended up picking up A Short History of Christianity as a sort of primer - to help prepare me to read these other books.
Honestly, this worked fairly well as a basic primer on Christian history. It is fairly short and zooms through many topics (which is sometimes jarring and makes it difficult to keep track of what's going on, but not a problem for the most part). Overall, this book provided me with lots of information that made me feel better prepared to read up on early Christian history. It served its purpose.
But this book also offered an interesting cultural perspective on Christianity. I have no idea what the author's religious background is, but his discussions of various topics revealed a lot about his political perspectives - political perspectives that I often associate with the "religious right". Throughout the book, the author made comparisons between historical and more modern events and sometimes offered brief commentary on historical events. Some of these comparisons worked and made me look at things in a new way. However, other comparisons and commentaries were offensive and bizarre - and completely detracted from the narrative of Christian history.
There were some quirky bits:
The four English 'rock' musicians called 'The Beatles' helped to lead the latest revolution [of the 1960's].
What's with the quotation marks? Is rock not a legitimate genre? Are the Beatles not a legitimate band? Or does the author hold strong views about the evils of popular music? As an elderly white man (who is 89 years old at the time I write this review - at least according to Wikipedia), is the author part of an older generation who viewed the 1960's and rock music as corrupting influences on the youth of the world? Does the author still hold this viewpoint, even with rock music now being a mainstream genre?
But far more egregious and offensive was the way the author handled interactions between Christianity and Islam. The author seemed to portray the crusades as "Oh, the Christians were just these nice pilgrims and those Muslims kept trying to start battles with them!" -which is incredibly problematic and (from consulting with people who have studied this era in-depth) inaccurate. The worst part of the entire book was from the recounting of the Ottomans taking Constantinople:
The news of the Christians' collapse and retreat, when eventually it reached Rome, was devastating. It can almost be likened to the astonishment when the world heard that Muslim pilots had deliberately flown their aircraft into the twin towers in New York on 11 September 2001.
WT actual F. It's a bizarre non-sequitur - and a highly offensive one. The ongoing wars between the Christians and the Muslims in the middle ages were certainly not positive historical events - but both sides participated on large scales. The author makes an explicit comparison between 1) conflicts between two world powers several hundred years ago and 2) a tragedy that occurred because a handful of individuals organized and decided to take lives due to extremist beliefs. But these events are very different and the contexts surrounding these events are (in my mind) different enough that they are difficult (and almost impossible) to easily juxtapose. And the author is definitely attempting to raise fear around Muslim people and communities by making this comparison.
So, in reading about Christian history, I was exposed to viewpoints that I sharply disagree with, but that are often espoused by the religious right in America. In seeking to find a stronger connection with my Christian roots, I was reminded of why I don't feel connected to American Christianity - there are some vocal American Christians who often spout more messages of hate and exclusion than they do of love and inclusion. And that is not a community that I want any connection with.
I'll be continuing to read about Christian history, but if this early experience is any indicator, I'm not certain my studies will have the effect my friend seemed to intend.
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend regarding connections to Christian identity. I told this friend that my feel a stronger connection to my Mormon roots than I do my wider Christian roots. So this friend (who has done graduate work in medieval history) handed me several books on early Christian history that were way beyond my knowledge. I ended up picking up A Short History of Christianity as a sort of primer - to help prepare me to read these other books.
Honestly, this worked fairly well as a basic primer on Christian history. It is fairly short and zooms through many topics (which is sometimes jarring and makes it difficult to keep track of what's going on, but not a problem for the most part). Overall, this book provided me with lots of information that made me feel better prepared to read up on early Christian history. It served its purpose.
But this book also offered an interesting cultural perspective on Christianity. I have no idea what the author's religious background is, but his discussions of various topics revealed a lot about his political perspectives - political perspectives that I often associate with the "religious right". Throughout the book, the author made comparisons between historical and more modern events and sometimes offered brief commentary on historical events. Some of these comparisons worked and made me look at things in a new way. However, other comparisons and commentaries were offensive and bizarre - and completely detracted from the narrative of Christian history.
There were some quirky bits:
The four English 'rock' musicians called 'The Beatles' helped to lead the latest revolution [of the 1960's].
What's with the quotation marks? Is rock not a legitimate genre? Are the Beatles not a legitimate band? Or does the author hold strong views about the evils of popular music? As an elderly white man (who is 89 years old at the time I write this review - at least according to Wikipedia), is the author part of an older generation who viewed the 1960's and rock music as corrupting influences on the youth of the world? Does the author still hold this viewpoint, even with rock music now being a mainstream genre?
But far more egregious and offensive was the way the author handled interactions between Christianity and Islam. The author seemed to portray the crusades as "Oh, the Christians were just these nice pilgrims and those Muslims kept trying to start battles with them!" -which is incredibly problematic and (from consulting with people who have studied this era in-depth) inaccurate. The worst part of the entire book was from the recounting of the Ottomans taking Constantinople:
The news of the Christians' collapse and retreat, when eventually it reached Rome, was devastating. It can almost be likened to the astonishment when the world heard that Muslim pilots had deliberately flown their aircraft into the twin towers in New York on 11 September 2001.
WT actual F. It's a bizarre non-sequitur - and a highly offensive one. The ongoing wars between the Christians and the Muslims in the middle ages were certainly not positive historical events - but both sides participated on large scales. The author makes an explicit comparison between 1) conflicts between two world powers several hundred years ago and 2) a tragedy that occurred because a handful of individuals organized and decided to take lives due to extremist beliefs. But these events are very different and the contexts surrounding these events are (in my mind) different enough that they are difficult (and almost impossible) to easily juxtapose. And the author is definitely attempting to raise fear around Muslim people and communities by making this comparison.
So, in reading about Christian history, I was exposed to viewpoints that I sharply disagree with, but that are often espoused by the religious right in America. In seeking to find a stronger connection with my Christian roots, I was reminded of why I don't feel connected to American Christianity - there are some vocal American Christians who often spout more messages of hate and exclusion than they do of love and inclusion. And that is not a community that I want any connection with.
I'll be continuing to read about Christian history, but if this early experience is any indicator, I'm not certain my studies will have the effect my friend seemed to intend.
November 8, 2021
When I picked up this book, my wife asked who the author was "is he a Catholic?" I responded that Geoffrey Blainey is a well-known Australian historian, but I was conscious that that did not really address the question. A quick google revealed that he was a Methodist.
Of course, the question is not entirely trivial. The long coexistence of different groups described as Christian has not always been a happy one. And a history that seeks to span the 2000 year history of Christianity has to say a lot about Catholicism - for half that period there was only Catholics and heretics. For the next half millennia, there were Catholics, Orthodox and more heretics. Only in the last half millennium do we find them joined by Protestants (split into many groupings) and Christian sects (we are now too polite to call them heretics).
As it is, Blainey provides a sympathetic treatment of mainstream Christianity, including Catholicism. Indeed I get the impression that he quite admired many of the saints and Pope John Paul II (not yet canonised at the time of writing). Some of the various Christian sects sound weird - but that might just be unavoidable.
Some will find this treatment too sympathetic. There have been plenty of scandalous clerics and cruelty performed in the name of Christianity. Blainey identifies these but will put it in the context of the time. Not all can be redeemed, but the result is more balanced. In the end, Blainey sees Christianity as a force for good and considers that a revival of faith is entirely possible (although not quite predictable).
Of course, the question is not entirely trivial. The long coexistence of different groups described as Christian has not always been a happy one. And a history that seeks to span the 2000 year history of Christianity has to say a lot about Catholicism - for half that period there was only Catholics and heretics. For the next half millennia, there were Catholics, Orthodox and more heretics. Only in the last half millennium do we find them joined by Protestants (split into many groupings) and Christian sects (we are now too polite to call them heretics).
As it is, Blainey provides a sympathetic treatment of mainstream Christianity, including Catholicism. Indeed I get the impression that he quite admired many of the saints and Pope John Paul II (not yet canonised at the time of writing). Some of the various Christian sects sound weird - but that might just be unavoidable.
Some will find this treatment too sympathetic. There have been plenty of scandalous clerics and cruelty performed in the name of Christianity. Blainey identifies these but will put it in the context of the time. Not all can be redeemed, but the result is more balanced. In the end, Blainey sees Christianity as a force for good and considers that a revival of faith is entirely possible (although not quite predictable).
March 2, 2023
A pretty well thought-out and comprehensive look at Christianity from its inception to current day. I was particularly interested in the time period in the first half of the millennium, i.e. just after inception to just before reformation. I didn't realise just how much Europe was predominantly Christian and the pervasiveness of nuns/monks. I was also unaware of the role of the Catholic Church in those earlier years too. The Reformation was also pretty interesting to learn about too, as the network of Christians and 'denominations' increased. Overall, a pretty informative read, but I guess history's not my jam as it was a bit of an effort to get through the material.
January 26, 2024
"The 'Short History of Christianity' offers an insightful exploration of the faith, yet its narrative is unmistakably shaped by a Christian perspective and it's not neutral .
The book appears to overemphasize the contributions of small sect leaders and theological figures from the UK, leaving a notable void in the global historical account and in the same time 500 years of Orthodox Christianity (second largest group) are completely missing.
While the author's viewpoint adds depth to the narrative, a more inclusive approach, especially regarding Orthodox Christianity, would have provided a richer and more comprehensive understanding of the faith's evolution
The book appears to overemphasize the contributions of small sect leaders and theological figures from the UK, leaving a notable void in the global historical account and in the same time 500 years of Orthodox Christianity (second largest group) are completely missing.
While the author's viewpoint adds depth to the narrative, a more inclusive approach, especially regarding Orthodox Christianity, would have provided a richer and more comprehensive understanding of the faith's evolution
November 15, 2018
This was actually way more than I expected, and definitely more than I could absorb. I kept reading because you have to start somewhere.
I thought the author jumped around - time wise - a lot, which made things confusing. I had to flip back pages or paragraphs several times to see if I missed a transition - I didn't.
I'm glad I read this; it does give perspective, but it took a very long time to get through it and I'm even glad its behind me.
I thought the author jumped around - time wise - a lot, which made things confusing. I had to flip back pages or paragraphs several times to see if I missed a transition - I didn't.
I'm glad I read this; it does give perspective, but it took a very long time to get through it and I'm even glad its behind me.
December 13, 2020
Informative in some parts, completely doubtful on others. Especially on the first chapters he assumes things as facts that are debatable between scholars. He even comes to admit it at the end of the book, saying that some things he says are inferred and not proven. Also in some parts he seems to show a bias in favour of Christianity. Overall an informative read, but it comes with some compromises.
March 13, 2020
This book shows what Jesus Christ told in Matthew 10:34 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send [or bring] peace, but a sword" and if Jesus himself could say something about everything that happened until today, I think He would say "I told you".
If you don't know how Christianity spread and deployed through the history, certainly you must read this book.
If you don't know how Christianity spread and deployed through the history, certainly you must read this book.
August 26, 2017
Not a religious text. Rather, an armchair guide to the spread of Christianity across Europe and the rest of the world. In typical Blainey style, the text is easy to digest and he avoids an endless list of statistics and deep analysis. A very engaging and fascinating read.
October 6, 2018
The author is very talented to organize two thousand year of Christianity history into a series of stories. For those of you who want to better understand Christianity and the western civilization that the Christianity helps shape, this book is definitely a must-read.
February 21, 2020
I found this book to be very interesting and I learned a lot. I wish the author had gone into more detail sometimes, but I can understand the difficulty in trying to cram 2000 years of Christianity into only 600 pages.
November 28, 2021
Good overview. Blainey is not a sympathetic historian, and it shows at times. Also tends to lump the whole of the “Christian” tradition and denominations together in ways that are unhelpful. Still, a helpful and generally fair historical overview.
March 29, 2018
Short?
Short, not really. There are some sections one would prefer to pass over. Good writing, but too lengthy for me.
Short, not really. There are some sections one would prefer to pass over. Good writing, but too lengthy for me.
June 8, 2019
Blainey is a genius. I thoroughly enjoyed every chapter.
September 11, 2019
A very interesting and informative overview of Christianity with lots of fascinating insights
September 25, 2023
interesting
Very concise history. Looking at Christianity as well as other religious beliefs along the way from early first century up until now. A good general overview.
Very concise history. Looking at Christianity as well as other religious beliefs along the way from early first century up until now. A good general overview.
September 29, 2023
*Lido um tempo atrás mas tinha esquecido de colocar aqui*
Eu simplesmente amo essa temática de livros religiosos com embasamento histórico.
Eu simplesmente amo essa temática de livros religiosos com embasamento histórico.
October 19, 2020
This is a massive book and worth the effort as Christianity is such an integral part of the history of western civilisation. I am in awe of Professor Blainey's undertaking in compiling this book. I am only pleased that this is the 'short history' as I am not sure I would have tackled the longer version, but for the history buff, worth the effort.
June 5, 2022
An excellent book! A short history of Christianity is a huge undertaking and the author does an admirable job. Easy to read and the context is provided to explain what is happening in Christianity as well as the larger culture/society.
August 29, 2012
This was good but it didn't live up to my expectations either! Whereas Blainey's The Tyranny Of Distance: How Distance Shaped Australia's Historyhad the pathos of a good science fiction, this book did not retain the same anticipation as the story unfolded. However, Blainey's clear and vivid prose, along with the balanced mix of quirky facts (including Australian ones), biographical anecdotes and big picture facts allows this to be very readable.
As a secular historian Blainey does not delve into the theological details, focussing instead on the activity of Jesus and the church which followed. I'm not sure what to think of this. Biographies of Galileo, Darwin and Einstein would probably feel shallow if the thinking behind their theories was not part and parcel of the story. Likewise, the reasons why various directions were taken by Christians over the ages are at least as important as the actions undertaken. On the other hand, remaining removed from these details allows the stories to unfold without inadvertently misrepresenting what can be complex and polarising issues. Christianity is presented without the justification of faith, but by its physical impact on the world.
There were certainly parts of the story that moved slower than others (e.g. 500-1000 in this book) whilst I was surprised by my interest in the schools of catholicism that emerged in the Medieval period through the monastic orders. The first and second century church was portrayed more vaguley than I am used to whilst the writing on the reformation captured the tension and anticipation of change taking place at that time.
For those with a Christian faith who have not read a comprehensive history I would probably recommend other books as a first stop (e.g. Church History in Plain Language)which are accessible but give more depth to the theological issues. For those who are more sceptical or have already read other histories, Blainey's book will provide interesting food for thought.
On a final note, I enjoyed the book's final note regarding wisdom. Although not explicitly discussed within the book, I felt the paragraph captures an essence which Blainey was writing about the whole way through (and can only be appreciated by reading what is in soem ways a long introduction to his final point!)
As a secular historian Blainey does not delve into the theological details, focussing instead on the activity of Jesus and the church which followed. I'm not sure what to think of this. Biographies of Galileo, Darwin and Einstein would probably feel shallow if the thinking behind their theories was not part and parcel of the story. Likewise, the reasons why various directions were taken by Christians over the ages are at least as important as the actions undertaken. On the other hand, remaining removed from these details allows the stories to unfold without inadvertently misrepresenting what can be complex and polarising issues. Christianity is presented without the justification of faith, but by its physical impact on the world.
There were certainly parts of the story that moved slower than others (e.g. 500-1000 in this book) whilst I was surprised by my interest in the schools of catholicism that emerged in the Medieval period through the monastic orders. The first and second century church was portrayed more vaguley than I am used to whilst the writing on the reformation captured the tension and anticipation of change taking place at that time.
For those with a Christian faith who have not read a comprehensive history I would probably recommend other books as a first stop (e.g. Church History in Plain Language)which are accessible but give more depth to the theological issues. For those who are more sceptical or have already read other histories, Blainey's book will provide interesting food for thought.
On a final note, I enjoyed the book's final note regarding wisdom. Although not explicitly discussed within the book, I felt the paragraph captures an essence which Blainey was writing about the whole way through (and can only be appreciated by reading what is in soem ways a long introduction to his final point!)
June 9, 2014
Not quite as hard-hitting as I'd have liked. Yes, I learned a few new things, but it all seemed a bit bland and safe. The good and bad sides of what people have done in Jesus's name are mentioned, but the "bad" seems to be quite glossed over at times, which disappointed me. For example, the killing of "witches" took up about the space of 2-3 paragraphs out of a 550-page book.
August 3, 2014
I didn't finish this book; I read chapters here and there and used it as a resource for a class on church history I was teaching. I liked the fact that he incorporated information about the Eastern Orthodox Church and not just western European churches. Sometimes I found him hard to follow, but that may have been because I was skipping around so much.
February 10, 2014
Infelizmente o autor do livro teve que tirar mais de 1.200 paginas para que pudesse ser publicado. mas mesmo assim, a obra faz ser possível entender um pouco sobre os principais acontecimentos do mundo relacionados ao cristianismo.
Realmente recomendo.
Realmente recomendo.
May 12, 2014
At 550 pages, I raised my eyebrows at "Short", but it is actually kind of sketchy. It was interesting to follow the various schisms and squabbles that have made Christianity the hodge-podge it is today, though.
October 12, 2016
Li este livro em português. talvez por esse motivo, em alguns trechos, fiquei totalmente perdido. A idéia é muito boa e talvez o original seja bom, mas a versão que li não me permite dar maus que 2 estrelas.
December 7, 2016
This was my first Blainey's, though not the first book on religious matter. I strongly recommend it to those who want a fairly thorough vision of Christianity throughout the centuries, although I may disagree with the author on some points.
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