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The Faith: A History of Christianity
Beginning with the birth of Jesus and tracing the religion established by his followers up to the present day, The Faith is a comprehensive exploration of the history of Christianity. Judiciously covering all the signal moments without bogging down in minutia, author Brian Moynahan's superbly written and generously illustrated book is of central importance to Christians, historians, and anyone interested in a faith that shaped the modern world.
Moynahan's research uses little-known sources to tell a magnificent story encompassing everything from the early tremulous years after Jesus' death to the horrors of persecution by Nero, from the growth of monasteries to the bloody Crusades, from the building of the great cathedrals to the cataclysm of the Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation, from the flight of pilgrims from Europe in pursuit of religious freedom to the Salem Witch Trials, from the advent of a traveling pope to the rise of televangelists.
Coming just in time for Jubilee 2000, this ambitious book reveals and commemorates the significance of the Christian faith.
Moynahan's research uses little-known sources to tell a magnificent story encompassing everything from the early tremulous years after Jesus' death to the horrors of persecution by Nero, from the growth of monasteries to the bloody Crusades, from the building of the great cathedrals to the cataclysm of the Reformation and the Catholic Counter-Reformation, from the flight of pilgrims from Europe in pursuit of religious freedom to the Salem Witch Trials, from the advent of a traveling pope to the rise of televangelists.
Coming just in time for Jubilee 2000, this ambitious book reveals and commemorates the significance of the Christian faith.
816 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2002
15 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
Brian Moynahan
47 books22 followersBrian Moynahan was an English journalist, historian and biographer.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
never-finished
November 1, 2008OK, so I've been working on this in bits and pieces for about three years, but it has not left it's coveted spot on my nightstand, and I WILL finish it someday!
February 7, 2017
This is a large book – over 700 pages. It covers the gamut of Christianity. It starts, of course with Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. It moves from there into the early phase of Christianity. This starts with the biblical writers and the so called church fathers. It includes the persecution of Christians by the Roman authorities. Then, Constantine arrives on the scene, and Christianity soon after becomes the state religion, and persecution starts against pagans and heretics. The dark ages are then enter into, arriving eventually into the middle ages. During these dark times, monasticism developed. The biggie of the Middle Ages was the crusades. These concerned the crusades against Muslims in the Middle East and heretical groups, such as the Cathars in the mist of Europe. Some theology is touch on in both the earlier periods, mostly concentrating on Augustine and the schools that develop in Paris and other cities, mainly concerned with Thomas Aquinas. The bad behavior of the Popes is covered along with the Papal schisms – multiple popes at the same time. The reformation arrives. Luther and Calvin get the ball rolling. This period includes the arising of various persecuted sects from both sides of the aisle. The counter-reformation is covered and the wars of religion (some of the most costly wars in history as far as percentage of the population in the countries where they occurred). The inquisition is also covered, including the Spanish, starting out against Jewish and Muslim coverts to Christianity, and the witch hunts and the carnage that occurred. Then the long history of colonialism and slavery is presented. The American experience is described. During this era of colonialism missions got their start. The Jesuits are also discussed in these parts of the book. Then homegrown (American) Christianities are presented. These include the Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Seven Day Adventists, and Christian Scientists. More on missions comes along and Christianities clash with Darwinism and modern science. Modern totalitarianism arrives. The main characters here are Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, and Mao and there fight against religion. The book also covers liberation theology – the concern for the poor and the need for revolution. The final chapter tries to provide a short assessment of where Christianity stands today.
The first remark I care to make is that the author, Brian Moynahan, appears to present the story of Jesus and the early church as historically accurate. This is incorrect. There is enough scholarly work to show the historical unreliability of the early sources, including the New Testament and early historians, such as Eusebius. Moynahan also seems to rely mostly on other historical works, not on primary sources; although, these are not nonexistent.
When I read the following quote I thought that early monasticism was similar to being in a cult, where “those who traveled were forbidden to make any mention of what they had seen in the outside world.”
It is hard for me to discern Moynahan’s point in his final paragraph, and some previous remarks in the final chapter. He seems to think that some parts of the world (mainly Western Europe) Christianity has become a minority as if that was a bad thing. He sees the growth of Islam as a threat, which it is in some respects, but the ideal would to be to counteract Islam’s bad influence in the world today, and not strengthen Christianity, which animates so much hate that it is no different then Islam if Christians would gain control of governments, like many would like to bring about. But, the last paragraph appears to me to both commend Christianity and doubt its reality.
The book was fairly good, despite my questioning some of the historicalness, especially in the earlier parts of the book. While Moynahan is not a historian, but a journalist, which does not automatically disqualify one from writing acceptable history, he is a good and fluid writer, which kept me in the game throughout this long book.
I would recommend this book to someone who wants to read a broad history of Christianity with the understanding that they discount some of the earlier history in the book.
The first remark I care to make is that the author, Brian Moynahan, appears to present the story of Jesus and the early church as historically accurate. This is incorrect. There is enough scholarly work to show the historical unreliability of the early sources, including the New Testament and early historians, such as Eusebius. Moynahan also seems to rely mostly on other historical works, not on primary sources; although, these are not nonexistent.
When I read the following quote I thought that early monasticism was similar to being in a cult, where “those who traveled were forbidden to make any mention of what they had seen in the outside world.”
It is hard for me to discern Moynahan’s point in his final paragraph, and some previous remarks in the final chapter. He seems to think that some parts of the world (mainly Western Europe) Christianity has become a minority as if that was a bad thing. He sees the growth of Islam as a threat, which it is in some respects, but the ideal would to be to counteract Islam’s bad influence in the world today, and not strengthen Christianity, which animates so much hate that it is no different then Islam if Christians would gain control of governments, like many would like to bring about. But, the last paragraph appears to me to both commend Christianity and doubt its reality.
The book was fairly good, despite my questioning some of the historicalness, especially in the earlier parts of the book. While Moynahan is not a historian, but a journalist, which does not automatically disqualify one from writing acceptable history, he is a good and fluid writer, which kept me in the game throughout this long book.
I would recommend this book to someone who wants to read a broad history of Christianity with the understanding that they discount some of the earlier history in the book.
January 5, 2011
It was a long read, but with 2000 years of history to cover that should be no surprise. It was fascinating, educational, and revealing. It covers almost all of the major events in the history of Christianity and does so without bias. It doesn't pull punches when discribing the less than saintly behavior of many adherents to the faith over the years, but manages to balance these with positive stories that help explain how the church kept from collapsing under the weight of its own sin. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a good easy to ready layman's history of Christianity.
November 7, 2021
This is a large volume. I initially bought in hardback but it was hard to physically handle so I did not read much more than a quarter. After a number of years, I bought it in paperback and read the entire book.
I found it to be very informative and without an axe to grind against Christianity. The author does not shy away from the bad behavior and the cruelty perpetuated against and by Christians against other sects (particularly the various Christian sects against other Christian sects).
The author's discussion as to the first 3 centuries are, in my opinion, the best because of the it is probably the least understood by a general readership but also because of the limited source material from that time period (as compared to later time periods). I would have liked more noting of the original, primary source material instead of footnoting to more recent scholarship for some of his propositions.
As the author moves into the later time periods, especially modern American Christianity, I felt that he was mostly trying to hit the highlights with a view toward wrapping up the book. To be fair, there is much material available addressing more modern aspects of Christianity. Still, it felt very rushed.
Overall, well worth reading.
I found it to be very informative and without an axe to grind against Christianity. The author does not shy away from the bad behavior and the cruelty perpetuated against and by Christians against other sects (particularly the various Christian sects against other Christian sects).
The author's discussion as to the first 3 centuries are, in my opinion, the best because of the it is probably the least understood by a general readership but also because of the limited source material from that time period (as compared to later time periods). I would have liked more noting of the original, primary source material instead of footnoting to more recent scholarship for some of his propositions.
As the author moves into the later time periods, especially modern American Christianity, I felt that he was mostly trying to hit the highlights with a view toward wrapping up the book. To be fair, there is much material available addressing more modern aspects of Christianity. Still, it felt very rushed.
Overall, well worth reading.
March 22, 2025
I've read 1/5 of the book and couldn't continue because I kept reading information that was not true or was twisted by liberal theology. Starting with Phoebe being a pastor, which is not true, to a part about Orthodox Christmas being celebrated on 7th of January, because it should align with Epiphany in the western word. The truth is that the calendar was changed, to a part about heretics which was like victims Olympics, and the author was acting like some kind of philosopher or agnostic who didn't know what was true and what wasn't.
I gave it 3 stars because there was some interesting historical information, but I can't know if it's true or just another part of the liber worldview.
I gave it 3 stars because there was some interesting historical information, but I can't know if it's true or just another part of the liber worldview.
June 20, 2018
Accurate but sad
November 7, 2016
An excellent review of the entirety of the history of the Christian Religion from Jesus Christ's crucifixion to the modern era. Since this is the first such book I've read on the subject, my review is going to be biased. I felt that I lost faith in humanity as a result of reading this book after reading about so much messed up persecution and cruelty perpetuated by both Christians and non-Christians alike. However a recurring theme throughout the book focused on Christianity's hardiness and the observation that persecution usually only made Christianity stronger (e.g. Dicoletion, Communist/Fascists purges and persection, etc.)
Some things covered:
- Early Christianity and the early apostles (i.e. Paul et. al.)
- Diocletian era
- Constantine era
- Early schisms and Christology leading up to the Muslim Era
- Muslim conquests and their affects on Christendom
- Crusades
- Spanish Inquisition
- Reformation: Calvinists, Lutherans, etc.
- Witch hunts in Europe and America
- Colonialism and the evangelism (really just slaughter rather than conversion) of American natives
- Christianity and the views/affects on slavery
- Fascist and communist persecution of Christians
- Civil rights
- Decline of Christianity in Europe
- Televangelists in the US
Some things covered:
- Early Christianity and the early apostles (i.e. Paul et. al.)
- Diocletian era
- Constantine era
- Early schisms and Christology leading up to the Muslim Era
- Muslim conquests and their affects on Christendom
- Crusades
- Spanish Inquisition
- Reformation: Calvinists, Lutherans, etc.
- Witch hunts in Europe and America
- Colonialism and the evangelism (really just slaughter rather than conversion) of American natives
- Christianity and the views/affects on slavery
- Fascist and communist persecution of Christians
- Civil rights
- Decline of Christianity in Europe
- Televangelists in the US
April 2, 2010
This is an excellent book for the layperson. Most of the books like this are a little limited because they are not written for the scholar but for the layperson to read and enjoy. This is such a book.
The information in the book is limited but what is there is good and a solid scholarship is shown.
One could read other histories of Christianity but this one involves the many wings and splits among the Christians that provide some interesting insights into Christianity.
A Good, solid read.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
The information in the book is limited but what is there is good and a solid scholarship is shown.
One could read other histories of Christianity but this one involves the many wings and splits among the Christians that provide some interesting insights into Christianity.
A Good, solid read.
J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"
October 10, 2007
This is a marvelously written and fascinating history of Christianity.
Interesting quote from the book: "...Now we are proposing that you should fight wars which contain the glorious reward of martyrdom, in which you can gain present and eternal glory..."
Mohammed?
A fundamentalist imam?
Wrong! Pope Urban II. Which demonstrates that no religion has primacy in the "let's kill for God" department.
Interesting quote from the book: "...Now we are proposing that you should fight wars which contain the glorious reward of martyrdom, in which you can gain present and eternal glory..."
Mohammed?
A fundamentalist imam?
Wrong! Pope Urban II. Which demonstrates that no religion has primacy in the "let's kill for God" department.
December 23, 2009
The single most exhaustively researched tome I have ever gotten my hands on, and it's a masterpiece. I don't know how Moynahan did it in a single lifetime. It's an incredible research book to have on your shelf, while still an enjoyable read- the common theme is the story of Christianity, warts and all. It's magnificent.
April 27, 2010
A quite comprehensive and magisterial work on "the Faith" - Christianity - from its earliest beginnings though the dawn of the 21st century. I suspect that the author thinks of himself as unbiased among the many sects of Christianity, though some biases do come across in the writing. Still, it is perhaps the best comprehensive history of Christianity that I've ever read.
July 17, 2014
A lengthy, detailed and well written history of the Christian faith. It deals with a weighty and some times controversial subject even-handedly and deftly. It might take you a while to read the entire book with 800 pages but it is well worth it if you are looking for a good history of Christianity.
June 9, 2015
History of Christianity from a "secular"--that is, not specifically Christian--viewpoint. A sad litany of the absolute sinful disaster man has made of the Gospel!
What shines through is the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of individual men and women to call them to repentence and salvation and further the work of the Lord.
What shines through is the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of individual men and women to call them to repentence and salvation and further the work of the Lord.
April 22, 2013
This book should be required reading for all Christians. As a member of the Mormon faith, I found this book to be very insightful and a brilliant re-telling of the Great Apostacy, even if that was not Moynahan's purpose for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a great deal.
January 18, 2008
Clar concise history complete with the warts.
June 3, 2008
I believe I got this book off a National Geographic recommendation. I thought it was good and believe it was pretty accurate/fair. It is long, but quite comprehensive.
never-finished
November 4, 2012I don't think I fully trust this author.
June 14, 2014
Have only read the first 3rd of this but find it very informative and worth the reading.
October 24, 2009
Very well written and informative though a little too dependent on secondary sources?
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews