This is a reference guide and a read-straight-through book. The 100 Most Important Events in Church History begins with the fire of Rome in AD 64 and ends with the growth of the church in Communist China, with everything from the invention of the printing press to the origins of the Baptist denomination in between.
Each event is covered in a brief entry (2-3 pages) that's interesting, matter-of-fact, and not pretentious. Information is straightforward and unbiased, and while no one will agree that everything covered was necessarily good for the Church, few will argue that these aren't in fact the most significant moments in the Church's long and colorful history.
Readers expecting wild entertainment will be disappointed, but those looking to enrich their knowledge of Church history will benefit from the clear, intensely detailed presentation. The origins and backgrounds of people and events are covered thoroughly, offering not just a trivia fact-sheet, but genuine understanding and a sense of narrative arc.
Best of all, The 100 Most Important Events in Christian History is Christian. Many of these events are covered extensively in secular publications, but because the authors of this volume understand Church doctrine, they can write about things like Kierkegaard's attacks on "christendom" from a more informed perspective. Whether you use it for school or just to pass the time, we highly recommend this book.
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