Christianity (An American Heritage Book) [Paperback]

Roland H. Bainton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 24, 2000 | Series: An American Heritage Book

In this single absorbing volume, the noted historian and religious scholar Roland Bainton offers a comprehensive, critical portrait of Christianity from its beginnings two thousand years ago to the modern day. From Christ's lowly birth in a stable to the rise of cathedrals and kings, from Roman soliders to Fanciscan monks to Puritans fleeing persecution to a new world across the sea, Bainton paints a rich history of a vast and varied people united by a singular belief. Illustrated with fifty black-and-white photographs, CHRISTIANITY is a perfect introduction for lay readers and a classic in its field.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A most impressive history."

The New York Times

"Church history study, made dull too often, here becomes a rewarding experience." --CHRISTIAN CENTURY

About the Author

Roland Herbert Bainton (1894-1984) was an English church historian.

He was born in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England and came to the United States in 1902. He received an A.B. degree from Whitman College, and B.D. and Ph.D.. degrees from Yale University. He also received a number of honorary degrees including a D.D. from Meadville Theological Seminary and from Oberlin College, Dr. Theologiae from the University of Marburg, Germany, and Litt.D. from Gettysburg College. A specialist in Reformation history, Bainton was for forty-two years Titus Street Professor of ecclesiastical history at Yale, and he continued his writing well into his twenty years of retirement.

Bainton's father was a pacifist, and he himself married a Quaker. Graduating from seminary just as World War I began, he affiliated with the Society of Friends' unit of the American Red Cross. Although he was ordained as a Congregationist minister, he never served as the pastor of a congregation.

Bainton wore his scholarship lightly and had a lively, readable style. His most popular books were Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther (1950)--which sold more than a million copies--and The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century (1952), both of which were widely used as textbooks. In all he was the author of more than thirty books on Christianity. Many of Bainton's books are illustrated with examples taken from his collection of medieval and Renaissance drawings, woodcuts, and engravings

Jaroslav Pelikan is a contributor for Houghton Mifflin Company titles including: 'Christianity','The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century'

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (July 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618056874
• ISBN-13: 978-0618056873
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,183,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent survey of a 2000 year history, May 24, 2005

By 

John M. Lemon (Spokane, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christianity (An American Heritage Book) (Paperback)

Bainton has a lot of ground to cover in only 400 pages, but he does it well. While the entire book is interesting, the first quarter, which briefly describes the history of the Jews and focuses the early Christian era, is fascinating. The book proceeds to cover pretty much everything you'd expect: the Christianization of Rome, Byzantium, the Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire, Augustine and his philosophy, monasticism, the crusades, the Inquisition, Luther, Erasmus, the Reformation, Calvin and other Protestant movements, the endless power struggles between church and state, the religious wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Enlightenment, and the role of Christianity in the modern era. I found the narrative to be very informative, balanced, and non-judgmental.

One of the book's strong points is that it briefly summarizes the philosophy of Christianity's leaders and key historical movements, and explains how they were a source of growth or conflict. The philosophical discussions can be a bit dry at times, but they are necessary. The history of Christianity is all about the history of ideas in conflict, and the power of various factions to promote or protect their ideas and to stifle those of their opponents.

Don't believe the reviewer who complains of Bainton's anti-Catholic bias. I believe it is perhaps the reviewer's own bias that is speaking here. Bainton is very fair and even-handed. He is equally critical of Protestant and Catholic atrocities, abuses and hypocrisy. But he is equally fair in his praise of Christian charity and its efforts toward social progress.

For me, reading this book underscored the wisdom of our nation's wall between church and state. Wherever church and state are combined, oppression and persecution are sure to follow. For centuries, Christian churches have tried to influence the state, and states and principalities have tried to enforce religious creeds, all at an unbelievable cost in human life. The great irony is that separating church and state has been beneficial for stabilizing both institutions. It is no accident that religion has flourished in this country, and that peace began to settle in Europe as emerging states began to enforce religious tolerance. Those who yearn for a strong religious influence in politics would be wise to read this book. History shows that there are precedents, and that the reality is not so appealing as the dream.

One minor complaint: It would have been nice for Bainton to include a bibliography or a "for further reading" list. The subject is so vast and his knowledge is so encyclopedic that I'm sure he could have made some excellent recommendations for armchair historians.

27 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Factual, burtally objective, a must for Christians.., July 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Christianity (American Heritage Library) (Paperback)

If you want to find out where modern Christianity comes from, this is your source book. Well, documented, fiercly objective, and no overly unnnecessary words. Dr. Bainton has managed to make a subject that could bore readers to death, totaly fascinating reading. Every person who considers him/her self a Christian should read this. It should be on the shelf right next to their Bible.

1 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Biased, February 23, 2004

By 

FoolforChrist (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christianity (An American Heritage Book) (Paperback)

Though the book shows some promise in the first half, it becomes increasingly biased as it moves towards the Reformation. The auhtor is a congregational minister - no surprise.

A better read would be Karl Keating's "Catholicism and Fundamentalism", Thomas Aquinas' "Summa", and The Catechism of the Catholic Church"