The Medieval Church: A Brief History

by Joseph H. Lynch

The Church was the central institution of the European Middle Ages, and the foundation of medieval life. Professor Lynch's admirable survey (concentrating on the western church, and emphasising ideas and trends over personalities) meets a long-felt need for a single-volume comprehensive history, designed for students and non-specialists.

Genres: History, Religion, Nonfiction, Medieval, Church, Christianity, Medieval History

400 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2013

Reviews

[Zombaby Cera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, sometimes I read my boyfriend's college text books. This was informative and detailed just enough to keep it from being too tedious.

[Laíse Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book that teaches the foundations required to understand the medieval church. I am deeply grateful for Lynch's work (may his soul rest) and Adamo's dedication in revising the manuscript. His additions were on point, and the detail given towards women in medieval church was a nice touch.

Overall, some might say it is boring; I did not find it as such. On my opinion, Augustine’s writings are the maximum of boredom someone will acquire in life, even when they try to like them as I did.

This is a great book if you want a solid foundation for the topic. It explains clearly topics that other books will take for granted that you already know it. My only concern is how expensive this book is. As someone pursuing education on medieval history outside of a university course, it can be very difficult to grasp the reading list. But if you find second hand (it wasn’t my case), definitely give it a try and read it.

[Ryan Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful broad survey that explains some important concepts about medieval Christianity that don't always come out in more detailed treatments. I particularly appreciate the chapter on the New Testament revival of the High Middle Ages.

[Abby Omlor · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 out of 5 Stars

This was pretty dull, but I did read it. Wouldn't recommend unless you're really interested in the medieval church or have to for class.

[JJ Waggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much going on in this little book, and no wonder--Lynch is trying to pack a thousand years of information into a 345 page overview. His references are great, if a bit dated, and the background that he gives the reader is very accessible and solid. The narrative voice is funny, a bit snarky, and very easy to read. It doesn't get five stars because sometimes his opinions get the better of him, and cynicism about the church is just uncomfortable in a book about the Church. Also, because he is going over so much information, sometime Lynch is almost telling a secular overview of things and abandoning the focus of the Church in the interest of background--helpful, but not necessarily within his purview. And the amount of information can kind of make your head explode if you try to read a lot of it in one sitting.
Overall, a great introduction and go-to starter, but take his advice and go deeper if you are interested in the topics.

[Brandon Pearce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very concise and readable. Lynch has packed an enormous amount of information into minimal space with this book. It is a great starter book for anyone interested in Church History or Medieval History. I wish it had some information on the development of the Liturgy, which is why I gave it four stars instead of five.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

not bad. but he was a pretty mediocre prof.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor wrote the book

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for people who are just starting to read about this subject. Lynch managed to write a handy overview about the Medieval Church.

[wyclif · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for a one-volume overview. It's not easy to pack the history of the medieval Church into one medium-sized volume. The limitations of such a book are obvious.

[Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by a great professor.