Church History 101: A Concise Overview

by Christopher M. Bellitto

One may read about the "early church" or the "Renaissance popes" without a clear idea of the who-where-when-what-why-and-how of those eras. This easy-to-read volume answers the basic question "what did the Church look like in this particular period?" for the four traditionally recognized eras of Church early, medieval, Reformation, and modern. Each chapter includes a map and timeline to locate the reader in time and place. The timeline identifies what else was going on. Then they address these 1) The Big Picture : a broad overview of the era; 2) The Church's Hierarchy : a look at the popes, cardinals and bishops with their concerns; 3) The Church in the Pews : what was Christianity like for the average person; and 4) What made this period unique --taking a comparative approach. All chapters conclude with discussion questions and a list for further reading. Paperback

Genres: Catholic, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2008

Reviews

[Lari · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is book is well written and is definitely for the reader who wants an overview of the history of Catholicism. As a Protestant who knows very little about the Catholic Church it was informative, however the title is misleading.

To title the book "Church history" is not an accurate description. "The Church" is usually a term used for the body of Christians and not just Catholics. I was hoping for something that would discuss Catholicism up to the Reformation and the delve into the Protestant branches and their impact on history.

[Kerstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!
True to the description, one gets the gist of the Church's history through the ages.

[George]

Maybe a little too brief