Amid the ferment of dissent and the protests of heretics, the church developed most significantly. This guide introduces that history by looking at those periods.
A variety of questions have preoccupied Christian communities throughout history. Christians have attempted to determine who Jesus is and whether his life and teaching have global significance. They've battled over the nature of salvation and the sources of authority for Christian belief and practice. They've argued about the nature and purpose of the Christian church and how is it to be organized. They've drawn swords over the relationship between church and state. And they've taken votes on who should be sainted and who should be expelled.
Focusing on sources of unity and division within the church throughout its history, and some of the most and least savory characters in the history, this guide provides an overview of Christian responses to those and other formative questions, all with the trademark Homebrewed Christianity wit and wisdom.
Bill Leonard, who was one of my professors in seminary and is a friend, has produced a book that will help individuals and small groups in the church think about where the church has been and what the might be in the future. Rather than focusing just on dates, Bill invites reflection on various themes that have always been issues in the church. This book is well worth the read.
A guide to church history in only 220 pages seems like an absurd task but Bill Leonard pulls it off with his typical panache and humor. This little book would make a splendid text for an abbreviated "intro" course but it's also a lot of fun for those who've read a lot of church history. Dr. Leonard always manages to unearth nuggets of interesting info to go with his breezy style.
Indicated for that layperson possessed of a good heart but who cannot explain the foundational truths of the Christian faith, even to Him/herself. Most congruent with Protestant, American, evangelical sensibilities.