“This is a wonderful introduction to the history of Christianity. It pays the most attention to the rise and spread of the Christian faith in the ancient near ea

“This is a wonderful introduction to the history of Christianity. It pays the most attention
to the rise and spread of the Christian faith in the ancient near east and the medieval and
modern west. But it also tells the story of this faith’s rapid shift to the global south and far
east during the past 100 years − and does so with the kind of clear and compelling English
prose that will be recognized as vintage McGrath by experts in the field. I strongly recom-
mend it, and look forward to using it frequently with students and other readers.”

—Douglas A. Sweeney, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“As Christianity expands around the globe, this intelligent introduction introduces key
figures, ideas, and developments in Christian history, balancing illuminating generaliza-
tions with engaging detailed examples. The mutual interactions of churches and cultures
are highlighted, and theological developments are clearly articulated. McGrath succeeds in
whetting the reader’s appetite for further study.”

—Anne T. Thayer, Lancaster Theological Seminary

“It is difficult to write a comprehensive text on Christian history in this day and age. There
are deeply rutted roads in scholarship that lead the conventional historian to focus on the
twilight of Christianity in the west and the inevitability of secularization. These develop-
ments, while all too true, distort both the present vitality of Christian faith and its future.
McGrath avoids these pitfalls. While firmly rooted in the essentials of the Christian story,
he also has a clear sense of the new paths Christian faith is taking in global evangelical
outreach.”

—Walter Sundberg, Luther Seminary

Also by Alister E. McGrath from Wiley-Blackwell

Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought, Second Edition (2012)
Reformation Thought: An Introduction, Fourth Edition (2012)
Theology: The Basic Readings, Second Edition (edited, 2012)
Theology: The Basics, Third Edition (2012)
Luther’s Theology of the Cross: Martin Luther’s Theological Breakthrough, Second Edition (2011)
Darwinism and the Divine: Evolutionary Thought and Natural Theology (2011)
The Christian Theology Reader, Fourth Edition (edited, 2011)
Christian Theology: An Introduction, Fifth Edition (2011)
Science and Religion: A New Introduction, Second Edition (2009)
The Open Secret: A New Vision for Natural Theology (2008)
The Order of Things: Explorations in Scientific Theology (2006)
Christianity: An Introduction, Second Edition (2006)
Dawkins’ God: Genes, Memes, and the Meaning of Life (2004)
The Intellectual Origins of the European Reformation, Second Edition (2003)
Christian Literature: An Anthology (edited, 2003)*
A Brief History of Heaven (2003)
The Blackwell Companion to Protestantism (edited with Darren C. Marks, 2003)
The Future of Christianity (2002)
Reforma