The Story of Christianity: A Celebration of 2000 Years of Faith

Coauthored by an Irish Catholic priest and an American evangelical publisher, this sumptuously illustrated volume offers a whirlwind tour of the Christian Church. The narrative kicks off with Abraham, the Old Testament patriarch, followed by a nutshell outline of ancient Israelite history. The authors then move on to discuss the life of Jesus, the growth of the early Church, the conversion of Europe, the Great Schism, the Crusades, the Renaissance, Western revivalism and the Church's global mission. Sidebars along the way introduce such expansive topics as Mithraism, Orthodox iconography and Gothic architecture as well as such diverse figures as Cyrus the Great, Josephus, Martin Luther, Karl Marx, Oscar Romero and Desmond Tutu. Such astounding breadth necessitates the sacrifice of depth, and readers with no prior exposure to Church history will be dizzied by the book's breakneck pace, but the well-chosen illustrations that adorn this volume have something to offer even the crustiest scholar. With full-color photographs ranging from ancient Gnostic amulets to an aerial view of a Promise Keepers rally, the art direction of this striking book seems nothing less than divinely inspired. (Sept.)