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A Short World History of Christianity, Revised Edition
Church historians have long known and appreciated Christianity's global history. Until recently, however, introductory textbooks on the history of Christianity focused almost exclusively on Europe and North America. Robert Bruce Mullins's A Short World History of Christianity, by contrast, offers a panoramic picture of the history of Christianity in its Western and non-Western expressions. It tells the story of the early church in the Greek East as well as the Latin West; of Christianity's spread into Asia as well as Europe during the Middle Ages; and its explosion around the world during the modern period. Mullins's highly readable narrative explores why global perspectives have emerged so strongly in our understanding of the story of Christianity and how they have impacted Christianity's perspective on its place in the world. This newly revised edition adds information on such global phenomena as early Syriac-speaking Christianity; the growth of Pentecostalism around the world, especially in the southern hemisphere; and recent trends in Christianity, including the elevation of the first pope born in the Americas. A time line of key dates, call-out boxes, and other helpful study materials are also provided. Beginning students will appreciate this memorable introduction to the most important events in the history and development of Christianity.
349 pages, Paperback
First published November 12, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 18, 2022
This was one of my textbooks at Wycliffe College which I read half in class, and then finished up on my own time. I've read several church history overviews so I have a lot to compare this one too. The author does a great job re-counting the history and growth of the church and provides good historical background. Having said that, it does have a major weakness.
This issue is that the author writes from a liberal perspective that is skeptical of normative Christian beliefs. I'm sure he is trying to be dispassionate and neutral but his skepticism bleeds threw. Thus it would be a confusing read to a newer Christian.
As some examples, he sees Paul and James as providing different versions of Christianity, the gospel of Thomas is to be considered as a valid differing source of the historical faith as the gospels, and the book of Acts shouldn't be taken as an accurate historical treatment. Most of the problems come at the start of the book as the author starts with the Biblical record, but once he moves to the post-Acts period he generally does a great job. So if one can distinguish between the authors skepticism over matters of faith, there's much benefit in the post-biblical history.
I truly enjoyed the read but I wouldn't put this into the hands of a layman (good read for pastors, theologians, and seminarians though). I'd recommend reading Justo L. González's "The Story of Christianity" instead.
This issue is that the author writes from a liberal perspective that is skeptical of normative Christian beliefs. I'm sure he is trying to be dispassionate and neutral but his skepticism bleeds threw. Thus it would be a confusing read to a newer Christian.
As some examples, he sees Paul and James as providing different versions of Christianity, the gospel of Thomas is to be considered as a valid differing source of the historical faith as the gospels, and the book of Acts shouldn't be taken as an accurate historical treatment. Most of the problems come at the start of the book as the author starts with the Biblical record, but once he moves to the post-Acts period he generally does a great job. So if one can distinguish between the authors skepticism over matters of faith, there's much benefit in the post-biblical history.
I truly enjoyed the read but I wouldn't put this into the hands of a layman (good read for pastors, theologians, and seminarians though). I'd recommend reading Justo L. González's "The Story of Christianity" instead.
December 27, 2014
The task of offering a narrative history of Christianity from its Jewish roots through the story of its founder and founding generations and on to the present, taking us to Barack Obama and Pope Francis is not easy. Historian Robert Bruce Mullin has takin up the task and has provided us with a readable narrative. This new volume is a revision of an earlier published history (2008) that seeks to do for current readers what Martin Marty did for an earlier generation of readers.
Three hundred pages might not seem overly short, but when you compare it to Kenneth Scott Latourette's two volume history covering over 1500 pages of small print, this is indeed short. Mullin takes us on a journey through the early the early developments, noting points at which different groups went in different directions, but he doesn't follow every tangent. His eye is placed on the central narrative, one that leads to present realities. He gives about fifty pages to the first three hundred years, taking us to the tipping point for Christianity that is the conversion of Constantine. Bruce reminds us that in its earliest incarnation, Christianity's stronghold was the eastern Mediterranean, from Alexandria to Constantinople -- a region that today is largely Muslim. While councils at Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon were supposed to resolve nagging theological issues to bring unity, in reality they left the Eastern/Greek heartland divided among three opposing positions on the nature of Christ -- yes, the issue of the Trinity was largely resolved -- Arianism ended up discredited. But these divisions left the heartland weakened, so that Islam was able to move through the region with some dispatch.
While originally a small and insignificant presence, even if Rome claimed a certain prestige, it was really only after the decline of the church in the East that the Latin West began to ascend to dominance, especially after the conversion of the Franks and then Charlemgagne's own Constantinian moment. Yes, for Western Christians Charlemagne may be more important than Constantine in terms of Christendom.
While giving significant attention to medieval developments, the focus is not on theology. Aquinas gets his mention, but Scholasticism gets only a few paragraphs. Institutional developments and intrigue gets greater attention, perhaps necessarily so.
By the time of the Reformation Constantinople had fallen, and the thriving churches on the outside of the Empire had begun to fade. Ironically, there was the possibility of a Mongol adoption of Christianity, but history took them in a different direction. One of the major challenges to Christianity in the East came with Tamerlane, whose actions decimated the Christian communities of the east.
The Reformation gets its attention, noting the interplay once again of politics in the growing nationalism of the region. Even as the Reformation was playing out, Christianity began to move outward again. Catholic missions moved into the Americas, along the coasts of Africa and into Asia. India, China, and Japan all received attention, even as the Russian Church took the Orthodox Faith eastward into Asia. Protestantism lagged in this work, but a church that had by the time of Reformation had shrunk to a state near that which it found itself at the time of Constantine was now on the rise once again, pushing back the borders that Islam had begun to set up.
By the end of the seventeenth century we find the rise of the Enlightenment along with its many challenges. In the section five of the book we reach the modern age, where Christendom begins to devolve, and new challenges -- historical and scientific emerge. Ironically, the Nineteenth Century would be both a century of secular challenges and missionary expansion. The final two sections, take us from the challenges of Modernity to the new challenges of Postmodernity. In these sections we see the center of the Christian world begin to shift once again. Whereas for nearly a millennium the center had been in Europe and then with it America (a region that gets a close examination, perhaps overly so), the new center moves to the global South. Africa, South America, Asia are all places where Christianity continues to expand and evolve. In the twentieth century, for instance Korea has gone from a church that included about 1% of the population to one that incorporates about 40% of the population. Korea is now a major force in missions (in just over a century). Sub-Saharan Africa has become a key center of Christianity -- one that has proven a challenge to more liberal churches in the north.
Where will the story lead, only time will tell. It is interesting that Mullin's book went to the publisher after Francis became Pope but before we began to see where his papacy might take the church. He suggests that Francis's tone differed from his predecessor, but wasn't sure of the substance. Recent events suggest changes in substance as well as style/tone.
Any history must make decisions about what to include and what to exclude. If I were to write the same history it might look different, though by and large he catches the major issues. One might differ on interpretation of events, doctrines, and actions, but in a general history like this you can't afford to go into detail, and thus nuance can be lost. Still this is would be a most helpful read, one that reminds us that the history of Christianity is always in flux!
Three hundred pages might not seem overly short, but when you compare it to Kenneth Scott Latourette's two volume history covering over 1500 pages of small print, this is indeed short. Mullin takes us on a journey through the early the early developments, noting points at which different groups went in different directions, but he doesn't follow every tangent. His eye is placed on the central narrative, one that leads to present realities. He gives about fifty pages to the first three hundred years, taking us to the tipping point for Christianity that is the conversion of Constantine. Bruce reminds us that in its earliest incarnation, Christianity's stronghold was the eastern Mediterranean, from Alexandria to Constantinople -- a region that today is largely Muslim. While councils at Nicea, Constantinople, Ephesus, and Chalcedon were supposed to resolve nagging theological issues to bring unity, in reality they left the Eastern/Greek heartland divided among three opposing positions on the nature of Christ -- yes, the issue of the Trinity was largely resolved -- Arianism ended up discredited. But these divisions left the heartland weakened, so that Islam was able to move through the region with some dispatch.
While originally a small and insignificant presence, even if Rome claimed a certain prestige, it was really only after the decline of the church in the East that the Latin West began to ascend to dominance, especially after the conversion of the Franks and then Charlemgagne's own Constantinian moment. Yes, for Western Christians Charlemagne may be more important than Constantine in terms of Christendom.
While giving significant attention to medieval developments, the focus is not on theology. Aquinas gets his mention, but Scholasticism gets only a few paragraphs. Institutional developments and intrigue gets greater attention, perhaps necessarily so.
By the time of the Reformation Constantinople had fallen, and the thriving churches on the outside of the Empire had begun to fade. Ironically, there was the possibility of a Mongol adoption of Christianity, but history took them in a different direction. One of the major challenges to Christianity in the East came with Tamerlane, whose actions decimated the Christian communities of the east.
The Reformation gets its attention, noting the interplay once again of politics in the growing nationalism of the region. Even as the Reformation was playing out, Christianity began to move outward again. Catholic missions moved into the Americas, along the coasts of Africa and into Asia. India, China, and Japan all received attention, even as the Russian Church took the Orthodox Faith eastward into Asia. Protestantism lagged in this work, but a church that had by the time of Reformation had shrunk to a state near that which it found itself at the time of Constantine was now on the rise once again, pushing back the borders that Islam had begun to set up.
By the end of the seventeenth century we find the rise of the Enlightenment along with its many challenges. In the section five of the book we reach the modern age, where Christendom begins to devolve, and new challenges -- historical and scientific emerge. Ironically, the Nineteenth Century would be both a century of secular challenges and missionary expansion. The final two sections, take us from the challenges of Modernity to the new challenges of Postmodernity. In these sections we see the center of the Christian world begin to shift once again. Whereas for nearly a millennium the center had been in Europe and then with it America (a region that gets a close examination, perhaps overly so), the new center moves to the global South. Africa, South America, Asia are all places where Christianity continues to expand and evolve. In the twentieth century, for instance Korea has gone from a church that included about 1% of the population to one that incorporates about 40% of the population. Korea is now a major force in missions (in just over a century). Sub-Saharan Africa has become a key center of Christianity -- one that has proven a challenge to more liberal churches in the north.
Where will the story lead, only time will tell. It is interesting that Mullin's book went to the publisher after Francis became Pope but before we began to see where his papacy might take the church. He suggests that Francis's tone differed from his predecessor, but wasn't sure of the substance. Recent events suggest changes in substance as well as style/tone.
Any history must make decisions about what to include and what to exclude. If I were to write the same history it might look different, though by and large he catches the major issues. One might differ on interpretation of events, doctrines, and actions, but in a general history like this you can't afford to go into detail, and thus nuance can be lost. Still this is would be a most helpful read, one that reminds us that the history of Christianity is always in flux!
September 6, 2019
A clear and compelling overview of Christianity throughout the centuries. Mullin analyzes the various streams of Christianity without condemning their heritage and concludes with a grand scope of hopeful reunification.
Read
September 29, 2021ahhh not done just don’t want it here
August 3, 2016
Would have been better if more thorough. Of course, it is titled, A SHORT World History of Christianity.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews