Regardless of whether you follow Christianity or not, there is no denying the impact the religion has had on how society has developed and grown. Christianity has effected everything from calendars to eating habits. Millions of people wake up early each Sunday morning and attend church. With this in mind, knowing the history and background of Christianity is, despite what the public schools say, a very good idea.
With this book, authors A. Kenneth Curtis, J. Stephen Lang, and Randy Petersen have, through a number of surveys and personal study, came up with 100 events in Christian history that they are labeling "most important". Now, before you go complaining about the wording, they state in the preface that indeed, they do not have an authoritive final say. But that this book is designed to just be an educator for these major events and that God's list would probably widely differ.
The book is set up chronologically, and rather than having chapters, has short articles (kind of like an encyclopedia) for each event. The articles are easy to read and interesting. The subject matter varries from tragic events, like the fires of Rome in 64AD (or CE if you prefer common era to AD) to the arts, like Bach, Handel, and Michelangelo.
One notable even that is missing from the book is the life of Jesus. Granted, the authors mention that they were only tackling events after the Biblical times, but without the life of Jesus there is no Christianity. It's like having a history of wine without including the grape.
All in all this is an easy introduction to the events that have inspired and helped Christianity. There isn't any evangelical thrust to the writing, it is purely historical facts and events. If history is your thing, give this a try.
peace.
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