Church History in Plain Language (old)

Dr. Bruce Shelley makes church history come alive in this classic book that has become not only the first choice of many laypeople and church leaders but the standard text in many college classrooms over the nation. What separates Dr. Shelley's book from others is its clarity, both of language and organization. Church History in Plain Language treats history as the story of people—their motivations, the issues they grapple with, the decisions they make—and the result is that history reads like a story, almost as dramatic and moving as a novel. Yet there is no fiction here. Dr. Shelley is a respected scholar whose work is painstakingly researched and carefully crafted for historical accuracy.

Church History in Plain Language makes history easy to follow and easy to retain by dividing the Church story into eight parts, each part one of the great ages of the church:

• The Age of Jesus Christ and the Apostles
  
• The Age of Catholic Christianity
  
• The Age of the Christian Roman Empire
  
• The Christian Middle Ages
  
• The Age of the Reformation
  
• The Age of Reason and Revival
  
• The Age of Progress
  
• The Age of Ideologies

In this new edition of the classic text, Shelley explores contemporary phenomena such as the Religious Right, mega churches, and user-friendly worship services as well as some of the leading personalities behind some of these movements. On the cultural and political fronts, he points out the effects of the mass media on the communication of the gospel worldwide, and the openness of societies formerly closed to evangelical witness.

Now in its twentieth printing, the continuing popularity of this book attests to its success in achieving its purpose—to make church history clear, memorable, and accessible to every reader.