An Introduction to Christianity examines the key figures,
events and ideas of two thousand years of Christian history and
places them in context. It considers the religion in its material
as well as its spiritual dimensions and explores its interactions
with wider society such as money, politics, force, gender and the
family, and non-Christian cultures and societies. This Introduction
places particular focus on the ways in which Christianity has
understood, embodied and related to power. It shows how the
Church''s longstanding love affair with ''higher power'', both human
and divine, has been repeatedly challenged by alternative ideas of
of ''power from below'', both sacred and secular. Finally, by
bringing the history of Christianity right up-to-date, this book
explores the ways in which churches of both North and South react
to the rise of modern democracy. Comprehensive and accessible, this
book will appeal to the student and general reader.
目錄:
Introduction
Part I. The Christian Revolution: Ascent to Power:
1. How Christianity came to power
2. Churches of east and west in the early middle ages
3. Christendom: the western church in power
Part II. The Modern Revolution: Compromises with Power: 4. The
Reformation in context
5. Protestant pathways into the modern world
6. Catholic and orthodox negotiations with modernity
7. Twentieth-century fortunes
Conclusion.