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Sketches from Church History

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An Illustrated account of 20 centuries of Christ's power

256 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1980

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190 people want to read

About the author

S.M. Houghton

11 books3 followers

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5 stars
46 (36%)
4 stars
55 (43%)
3 stars
20 (15%)
2 stars
3 (2%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Lynette Karg.
320 reviews5 followers
April 25, 2018
I enjoyed this much more than expected. It is a great beginner church history with lots of pictures, which is a plus. It did not follow a particular denomination, but instead tried to follow the thread of redemption through the centuries. I found the contrasts between Roman Catholicism and Reformation theology to be especially helpful and a great reminder of why the Reformation was and still is so needed.
1 review
March 30, 2011
If you are looking for a concise history of the Christian church then this is the book to read. The author provides enough information to grasp the culture of each age but he does not get so technical that you quickly use interest. For anyone who has a passion to study church history I would recommend to start with this book as a good and dive deeper into a particular era that grabs your attention.
26 reviews
June 14, 2025
I'm glad to have spent time reading about the saints and martyrs of old. However, the writing was inconsistent in its focus; sometimes, there would be a setup about a figure like "This man truly embodied the call to love not his life unto death" and then would spend 1 to 2 relatively unremarkable sentences on it. In contrast, Charles Spurgeon had a page or two to talking about his unparalleled gifts. This is possibly due to the grand scope of the book and the special priority or background of the writer, so I look forward to reading other more focused church histories.
Profile Image for Caleb Meyers.
290 reviews3 followers
August 7, 2021
A really excellent summary of church history. Should be read by everyone. I love how he combines general biography with the historical movements that shaped the church. I was greatly disappointed when I found they only spent 6 pages--one chapter--on the Missions Movement. Compare that to the Reformation which had 14 chapter and almost 100 pages. That's my only critique. Weighting books and ideas correctly is one of the most difficult actions in the universe.
Profile Image for Derek van Vliet.
44 reviews
May 8, 2025
If you would like to delve into Church History - and what a wonderfully wise choice that would be - and would like a good place to start. Look no further than 'Sketches from Church History'.

One of my favourite books to read. Its chronological, critical and brief style of writing on historical events relating to Christ's Church is nothing less than brilliant.

A must read for any Christian in my opinion.
Profile Image for Dan Griswold.
83 reviews2 followers
September 16, 2020
This was an amazing recounting of the Christian church through the centuries. I learned about a number of faithful believers who advanced the kingdom of God on earth, many of them at a very high personal cost.
Profile Image for Greg Judy.
127 reviews12 followers
May 17, 2019
This is an excellent, concise overview of church history. My only qualms are that the author does not devote enough time to Jonathan Edwards and he does not include anything from the 20th century.
12 reviews
May 10, 2025
This book is great. Read a chapter a week with my family.
Profile Image for Philip.
32 reviews3 followers
August 5, 2012
A really brilliant book! Everyone should read this. It will make you realise how truly amazing the the history of Christ's church is, will give you a good and broad understanding of church history in an engaging fashion, and will fill you with hope and encouragement.
Profile Image for Dayo Adewoye.
155 reviews16 followers
August 23, 2012
An interesting survey of the history of the christian church. It gives a very lively account of the church's development through the years.
Profile Image for Joshua.
68 reviews7 followers
April 20, 2013
A great introduction. To church history! Great for undergrads and church laymen looking to get a brief survey of church history. Come with lots of pictures too.
1 review
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January 28, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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