An Introduction to Christianity

Introduction to Religion

by Linda Woodhead

Focusing on the ways in which Christianity has understood, embodied and related to power, Linda Woodhead examines the key figures, events and ideas spanning over two thousand years of Christian history. Woodhead considers the religion in its material as well as its spiritual dimensions and explores its interactions with society through money, politics, force, gender and the family, as well as non-Christian cultures and societies.

Genres: Religion, Theology, Reference

456 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2004

About the author

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linda Woodhead MBE MA DD is Professor in the sociology of religion in the Department of Politics, Philosophy & Religion at Lancaster University. She is best known for her work on religious change since the 1980s, and for initiating public debates about faith. She has been described by Matthew Taylor, head of the Royal Society of Arts as ‘one of the world’s leading experts on religion.’

Reviews

[Stephanie Curran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Woodhead's overarching framework of the relationship between power from on high and power from below within Christianity. The book at times got bogged down in detail and is going to be a challenging one for students because of that. I also felt that too little attention was given to the origins of Pentecostalism and charismatic Christianity given its prominence in Christianity today. Overall, though, it was a great overview and analysis of church history.