A Pocket Guide to Christian History

by Kevin O'Donnell Jr.

An accessible, down-to-earth introduction to the central aspects of Christian history, this Pocket Guide includes the stories of its key events and characters, bringing a wide range of chronological, geographical and doctrinal history vividly to life. From the early church to the twenty-first century, this concise and fascinating book is a lively survey of the world's most widespread religion. Covering topics as diverse as the Apostles and Constantine, the Celtic Church and the division between East and West, the Reformation and the Enlightenment to the modern age, this is an indispensable resource for understanding a truly global Christianity.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Leslie S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Pocket Guide to Christian History" was published in 2009, and includes a little bit of everything, from the word 'Church' comes from Greek 'Ecclesia', meaning assembly or community, to contemporary debates on the role of women or LGBTI rights. I learned a lot, and I think Kevin O'Donnell did a great job summarizing over 2,000 years of history. However, this book is very West-centered. I would have liked to learn more about what was going on with the Christian religion in other parts of the world.

Having said that, it was very interesting to see that people have always killed each other in the name of faith (for example, Crusaders sacked Constantinople in 1204 and butchered many fellow Eastern Christians), and I realized Christianity is ever-changing, as it both influences and is influenced by art, politics, culture, philosophy and science.