The Zondervan Essential Companion to Christian History text and audio lecture collection gives you what it promises: the essentials. This highly informative, broad-ranging set provides vital facts on the growth and impact of Christianity from the apostles to the present day not only in the Western world but also globally, including the development of Eastern Orthodox and Armenian Christianity, as well as considering Christianity in Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Baltic and Slavic states, and India. Organized by century, this dynamic pack of text and audio lectures goes through the major events, ideas, and personalities that have shaped Christian history around the world.
The lectures, by author and scholar Stephen Backhouse, cover:
- The main threads and issues running through each century of Christian history
- Explanations of key historical developments
- Thematic connections between centuries
- Focused looks at key persons, ideas, and events
Listen to the extended audioclip below:
Following a brief introduction that outlines the key events of the New Testament era, the book has a chapter devoted to each century of Christian history beginning with the year 100 and ending roughly at the year 2000. Each chapter flows chronologically featuring:
- A brief overview, highlighting the main threads and issues running through the relevant century
- Key historical developments explained
- Thematic connections between centuries
- Color-coded sidebars on Persons, Ideas, or Events
- Persons: key figures either within or without the Church who have impacted Christian history significantly or who otherwise deserve special mention
- Ideas: important Christian books, as well as heresies, doctrines, or political movements
- Events: world-historical occurrences such as battles, natural disasters, inventions, or elections that have affected the development of Christianity in the world
The final chapter is devoted to the present century and concludes by identifying key themes that the Christian Church is presently dealing with and suggesting future issues. A select Glossary of terms is provided at the end of the book, as well as a bibliographic list of suggested reading.
Whether you are a student or a lay person, a church-goer or unacquainted with Christianity, this audio and text set will help you grasp the global, multifaceted story of Christians.
The products in this collection are also available separately:
Zondervan Essential Companion to Christian History
Zondervan Essential Companion to Christian History: Audio Lectures
Stephen Backhouse (DPhil, Oxford) is the founder and director of Tent Theology, a venture that designs and delivers theology programmes to local churches. He is the Dean of Theology in the Local Church for Westminster Theological Centre and was formerly the Lecturer in Social and Political Theology at St Mellitus College. He is a historian of Christian thought, an expert on the work of Søren Kierkegaard and a recognised authority on the political theology of nations and nationalism. He is the author of many publications, including the award-winning popular biography Kierkegaard: A Single Life (Zondervan, 2016) and the Zondervan Essential Companion to Christian History (Zondervan, 2019). He has lived in the United States, and makes his home in Britain and Canada.
