ABOUT THE GENERAL EDITOR Hans J. Hillerbrand (Introduction and “The Story of the Church”) is Professor and Chair, Department of Religion, Duke University, North Carolina. He specializes in the Reformation and the history of modern Christianity. Among his many books is the standard work The Protestant Reformation (1968). He was also editor-in-chief of the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation (1996), which won the Roland H. Bainton Prize for reference works.
Hans Schwarz (“God and Humankind”) is Professor of Theology at the University of Regensburg, Germany. Karen B. Westerfield Tucker (“Christian Practices”) is Professor of Worship at the School of Theology, Boston University. Samuel Wells (“Christian Ethics”) is Dean of Duke University Chapel and Research Professor of Christian Ethics at Duke Divinity School. Professor Graham Ward (“Christian Community”) teaches in the Department of Religion and Theology at the University of Manchester.
“Christianity: the illustrated history” is a powerful
Christianity is the most widely practiced of the world’s major religions, with followers
combination of intelligent, accessible scholarship and magnificent color illustrationS, revealing how a faith founded on the teachings of a man who lived and died some 2,000 years ago has decisively shaped the modern world—from philosophical ideas, laws, and institutions to the pursuit of rational inquiry, education, and traditions of charity and caring.
Martin E. Marty (“Protestantism” and “Faith in Action”) is Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago. Bradley Nassif (“Eastern Orthodoxy”) is Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at North Park University, Chicago. G.R. Evans (“Unity and Diversity”) is a professor in the Faculty of History at the University of Cambridge, where she researches in and teaches medieval intellectual history, medieval theology, and ecumenical theology.
An essential history of the most popular global religion, its origins and development, and its key doctrines and concepts
Brings Christianity alive through the human story of Christ and his followers —as well as millennia of mystics, saints, artists, philosophers, and writers
Caroline Bruzelius (art and architecture features) is Anne M. Cogan Professor in the department of Art History at Duke University, specializing in medieval architecture and sculpture.
Near East, it has been embraced by hundreds of millions of people in the Americas, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. Christianity has been the backbone of Western civilization for almost two millennia, and it is difficult to understand the modern world and how it came into existence without appreciating the crucial part played in the process by the enduring and influential teachings, culture, and institutions of the Christian churches. With illuminating and accessible scholarship from a team of eminent authorities, Christianity: The Illustrated History gives a concise, clear, and superbly illustrated account of this world-changing religion. Part One traces the development of Christianity, from the life story, teachings, and death of Jesus through its beginnings
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Chester Gillis (“Catholicism”) is the Amaturo Chair in Catholic Studies in the Department of Theology and a Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, World Affairs, and Peace at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
in every corner of the globe. Far beyond its historic heartlands in Europe and the
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Anne T. Thayer (“The Story of the Church”) is Associate Professor of Church History at Lancaster Theological Seminary, Pennsylvania.
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ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Keith Elliott (“The Life of Jesus,” “The Word of God” and “The Christian Canon”) is Professor of New Testament Textual Criticism at the University of Leeds, England.
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as a small local sect to its rise as a global power. Part Two gives an overview of Christian beliefs, rituals, and festivals as well as introductions to the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions, each with its distinctive identity. Part Three surveys the rich body of sacred texts—including scrolls, testaments, and apocrypha —and their influence on literature and culture. Part Four examines the issues faced by Christianity’s diverse faith communities as they strive to meet the challenges of a new millennium. Beautifully illustrated throughout, the scholarly yet accessible text is enlivened by dozens of boxes and sidebars that emphasize the wide-reaching legacy of Christianity, from music to architecture. In addition to creating some of the finest art treasures
Religion/Christianity
Jacket photography: (Front) The Oigrues Altar Cross, wood with sides cased in silver, Franco-Flemish, 13th century (photo: Victoria and Albert Museum/V&A Images). (Back, clockwise from top left) Portrait of Henry VIII (detail) by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1536 (photo: Erich Lessing/ Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection/akg-images); St Catherine’s monastery in the Sinai desert, Egypt (photo: José Fuste Raga/ Zefa/Corbis); The Last Judgement, altar panel, wood, late 13th century, by the Master of Soriguela, from Vall de Ribes, Spain (photo: Gianni Dagli Orti/Episcopal Museum, Vic, Spain/Art Archive); The Incredulity of St Thomas, Romanesque relief by the Master of Silos (detail) 11th century (photo: Alfredo Dagli Orti/Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, Spain/Art Archive).
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known to humankind, practicing Christians have been responsible for many less
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the uplifting majesty of Byzantine churches to the colorful splendor of illuminated manuscripts
Contains more than 100 sidebars and boxes that shed light on cultural contexts and compelling details, from the horror of crucifixion to attitudes toward money and morals in business
Hans J. Hillerbrand
Includes illustrated special features on aspects of art and architecture, from the stained-glass glories of the Gothic style and
celebrated yet equally important developments, from intellectual movements and educational institutions to selfless traditions of charity and caring. Anyone who wishes to understand how the Christian faith has shaped not only the West, but the whole world we know, will find this book endlessly fascinating and enriching.
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G e n e r a l E d i to r : H a n s J . H i l l e r b r a n d C H U RC H A N D S O C I E T Y ✝ C U LT U R E A N D C I V I L I ZAT ION ✝ S A C R E D A RT A N D A RC H I T E CT U R E