Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years

Let me say at the outset that I try to be a rationalist and am an atheist. I came to this book looking to understand Christianity, which like any other religion inspires in me a quiet unease, given its reliance on faith in the supernatural rather than seeking a rational understanding of our world. I have found that although called a religion 'of the Book', Christianity cannot be understood by reading the Bible alone (as I have), because that tells you nothing about its evolution or how it is actually practiced in the world today... or about the concerns and issues that face its adherents. To say I'm happy I read it is an understatement. It is a slog, being of a size normally reserved for the door-blocks belted out by authors of high fantasy. It took me (a reasonably fast reader) over three months to read properly. I took plenty of breaks for long trawls on Wikipedia, when persons or subjects explored in the book caught my fancy though. The style of the book is lucid yet academical. While it reads more like a story than a textbook of history, there are copious footnotes that make up nearly half the volume of the Kindle edition I read. There is also a well curated selection of photographs/ plates that add to the reading experience. I mean it as a compliment when I say that while reading it I wasn't sure if the author was himself a believer or not because he's found the right mix of passionate story-telling, dispassionate description, and at a times, tongue in cheek jibing. As the sub-title suggests, this covers about 3000 years of history from the pre-Christian era to the final chapter that looks at the period from the 1960s to the George W Bush presidency in the US. That is a vast span, which the book nimbly covers. It starts in the pre-Christian era, and describes the Greek (and Roman) influences alongside the Jewish heritage that went into the melting pot of ideas that was the early Christian Church. Without dwelling too much on the historicity of the life of Jesus, it covers what few facts of his life are known, and moves on swiftly to matters of doctrine and creed and dogma. It lays before you an array of beliefs - sects, prophets, heresies, ideas come and go and Christianity swiftly evolves into several branches - the 'Catholic', the Orthodox, and eventually the smorgasbord of Protestant faiths. To my delight as a etymology fan, along the way it shows the origin of such words as "Presbyterian" (from the Greek presbytoros or elder) "Episcopal" (from the Greek episkopos or overseer). It also delighted me as a trivia fan by revealing quirky things like the "Jesus Messiah Sutra", authored in the local sutra style by some of the first missionaries in China. There were a lot of surprises for me as I read through the book, the sutra being just an oddity. The presentation of Rome, Istanbul, and Moscow as the three centers of Christianity one after the other was a surprise, as was the overall history of the Orthodox Churches of the East, and of such other lesser known (to me) churches such as the Bulgarian. Each variant (from the earliest schisms at the Council of Chalcedon to the modern phenomenon that is Mormonism) finds mention and some explication in this book; no mean feat in itself. My only complaint was that this book did not spend more time discussing the 20th and 21st century. Although it mentions or name-drops every 'hot topic' I had expected to find mentioned - be it the abuse of children by priests, or the Evangelical interest in the Israel/ Palestine issue - I found myself wanting more discussion and elaboration on some of the points. That said, I do understand that in a work that covers 3000 years of history, such a focus might be puzzling, even off-putting to some. I think this is a must read for anyone interested in history or religion. It is one of those books that informs and changes your world-view. I have more respect for some aspects of Christianity after reading it, but reading the long and blood-soaked history, when so much of the blood was shed on what seem to me inane questions, was depressing. My exhilaration at learning so much was therefore tempered. So what if the author closes on a hopeful note?

I bought McCullogh's extensive work after watching the BBC series ' History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years ', presented by McCullogh. The book was written while the program was recorded. Just like the series, the book covers the history of Christianity worldwide and from its very beginnings, including an educated guess about the future of this faith (as the subtitle suggests). The book has several sections with beautiful illustrations and even a cover that continues to look great in my living room. The book is both comprehensive and comprehendible, although it helps to have a little background in Christian history. With a lot of subtle humour and a great deal of knowledge and insight, McCullogh unravels many, many interesting aspects of this world faith. Parts of the book tend to be enumerations of complicated theological debates, but generally, McCullogh puts these dry bits in their historical context to put things in perspective. The author's excellent writing skills will also help readers to grasp most of the book in one reading. The book contains many details, so it is a very useful reference work with an extensive index. On the other hand, because of its readability, it is also very inviting to be read entirely. The book also contains useful suggestions for further reading. The author is a historian and calls himself 'a candid friend of Christianity'. This background influences the way in which he renders Church and Biblical history. After a careful introduction of his views, McCullogh critically evaluates the historical credibility of the Bible as we know it by using scientific standards. He respectfully acknowledges that it is not possible to make any scientific claims about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which therefore remains a matter of faith.

MacCulloch's very detailed Christianity starts a thousand years before Christ with the Greek and Jewish foundations that formed the world's biggest religion. MacCulloch describes himself as a "a candid friend of Christianity" (p. 10), and perhaps some will find his viewpoint more objective than that of a devoted believer. I am less enthusiastic. But I am glad I read the book. To the extent that I am qualified to comment, I find his views in line with mainstream Christian scholarship. Since I have difficulty with what I will uncharitably call the biblical revisionism that forms the foundation for much of the modern understanding of ancient Judaism, Christianity, and the Bible, at least in mainstream liberal critical circles, I found his exposition of Jewish and Christian history, through the second century, disappointing but unsurprising. I look forward to the day when scholars come to terms with the fact that, if they reject the more speculative aspects of nineteenth and early twentieth century biblical revisionism, they must also reject the more recent extrapolations of the earlier conclusions. My viewpoints are much more inline with those of Bruce, Carson, Kitchen, Longman, and Robinson.* After introducing himself, MacCulloch starts his book with a discussion of ancient Greek history and philosophy, and its influence on Christian belief and theology. I found this very helpful. MacCulloch explained how Greek culture influenced Jewish culture throughout the Roman empire. He discussed how Greek notions of the perfection of God clashed with the more personal, passionate, and earthy Jewish God of the Bible. He pointed out how that for Greeks, the God of the Old Testament was the almost the antithesis of their ideas of God. Included in the discussion was Diogenes, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Pythagoras. MacCulloch later shows how these philosophers influenced both mainstream and heretical Christian belief throughout Christian history. MacCulloch is really quite ambitious to try to teach all of Christian history, in all the world, from before Christ to now. This is not just a broad brush summary of Christian history: there is depth and detail, in my opinion, too much detail. In any given century, there seem to be about a half a dozen major heresies, at least two or three mainstream accepted theologies, a number of important Christian leaders, several major wars, one or more genocides, a new expectation of the end of the world, a few major missionary efforts, one or several large political shifts, a new understanding of what it means to be Christian, and the relentless expansion of the Christian church. There is a lot of information here, and I would like to assimilate it better, but for me, I am overwhelmed. I like MacCulloch's story telling style. It is enjoyable and informative and very readable. But I had trouble absorbing key points. As MacCulloch points out, many Christian leaders and theologies continue to impact the faith for centuries after their inception. When a student first encounters these leaders and theologies, it is not obvious which ones will become important. As I am reading about them, I don't know what to focus on. Without knowing history, I don't know how to read history! A little help from the teacher in this instance would be appreciated. As an example, MacCulloch describes Martin Luther's theology in the context of his life, including his upbringing, rivalries, influences, politics, and travel. We then learn the stories of Luther's followers. Eventually great changes are triggered by Luther's writing, several large protestant denominations develop, even the course of nations is changed, and each development has a history of its own. MacCulloch expounds seemingly on each development of theology, ritual, art, politics, and culture, decade by decade, throughout Europe, and then beyond. In the midst of all this information, I become lost. What was it that Luther was trying to say? The problem with history is there is just too much of it! In spite of my complaints, I am glad I read the book. It has made me aware of the size and diversity of Christianity. I have learned a little about tolerance, and especially intolerance. I have learned about the quest for power, influence, and control in human institutions, churches, and nations, and especially the horror that can result. And I have learned a little about belief, faith, hope, and spirit; I think I have especially learned that humility is key to love and understanding, for each other and our creator. Overall, I liked the book, not a lot, but I liked it. I may read it again, and if I do, I will take better notes. I hesitantly recommend it. -------------------- * That is I more closely embrace the viewpoints expressed in the following books: - Bruce, F. F. The New Testament documents : are they reliable. Grand Rapids, Mich. Downers Grove, Ill: Eerdmans InterVarsity Press, 2003. - Carson, D. A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2009. - Kitchen, K. A. On the reliability of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans, 2006. - Longman, Tremper, and Raymond B. Dillard. An introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2006. - Robinson, John A. Redating the New Testament. London: S.C.M. Press, 1976. Note: Rated three out of five stars on Goodreads, as Goodreads defines three stars as "I like it" and two stars as "It's okay".

This is a valuable, extraordinary book, representing an exceptional effort. As other reviewers have offered, it's not a source for theology. MacCulloch has done an acceptable job though of capturing the basics of theological perspectives, framing well the issues so very often in dispute. His explanation for example of the ongoing and watershed dispute over the dual nature of Jesus is clear, but he does not and need not, go into the Scripture, thought and arguments behind the differing positions. There are a small number of instances where the author comments about something, such as Jesus' words about divorce or the story of Noah and his sons following the flood, that don't reflect recent scholarship so again, not the best source for theology. It is what it is, a "survey" and the author represents it as such. At times he paints with a 4" brush, but he also pulls out the 3", 2" 1" and even occasionally a pencil for the drill down. MacCulloch's also done a terrific job of linking the religious history to the history of the state and world related to it. Religion and government are historically connected, so much so that it is disingenuous to try to study one without at least a broad brush understanding of the other in context. It's worth the read for this understanding alone. Not exactly an "easy" read, it is mostly an entertaining and often intriguing one. For example, the original Greek epiousios, translated "daily" as in "our daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer does not mean "daily." "Yet epiousios does not mean `daily', but something like `of extras substance', or at a stretch `for the morrow'." (p 89) This is the first text I've found that explains why different denominations have differing Ten Commandments. Lutherans and Roman Catholics number them differently than the rest of the Christian world. And there are fascinating and sometimes incredulous anecdotes. "...Kondrati Slivanov, founded a sect devoted to eliminating sexual lust from the human race. He based his teachings on a creative misunderstanding of particular proof texts in his Russian Bible, reading Oskopitel' (castrator) for Iskupitel' (Redeemer)..." (p545) Jesus the castrator? That sect survived over 100 years. With all the press about the December, 2011 end of the world, this book offers a long litany of end of the world expectations, sometimes of course by fringe groups but also a surprising number of mainstream religious as well as secular governments. The content is often disturbing. The propensity of people to settle their religious differences, even trivial differences within the same religious community, with a sword is indefensible, incomprehensible and routine. The Crusades, as ugly as they were, aren't unique as an approach. MacCulloch argues briefly that the Reformation did not occur, and was not necessary in the Orthodox church of the East because their theology derived from Greek rather than Latin. Many readers will question their own epistemology. MacCulloch has some personal biases and they're obvious. My only disappointment with the book is that the author occasionally comes across as clearly and unnecessarily demeaning to particular beliefs. He's not fond of creationists for example. Yet in the general case of disputes, he is more understanding to the differing sides as he shows in the quote that follows. "Yet quite apart from the propensity of human beings to become irrationally tribal about the most obscure matters, we neeed to remember that ordinary Christians experienced their God through the Church's liturgy and in a devotional intensity which seized them in holy places. Once they had experienced the divine in such particular settings, having absorbed one set of explanations about what the divine was, anything from outside which disrupted those explanations threatened their access to diving power. That would provide ample reason for the stirring of rage and fear." (p222) There are extensive end notes, an index and a comprehensive list of suggested additional readings by chapter/topic.

There are few 1000 plus page books which hold their readers' interest all the way through, but Diarmaid MacCulloch has produced an excellent example with this magnificent history of Christianity. Beginning with the foundations of Greek philosophy and Hebrew prophets, MacCulloch traces the story of Christianity's development from the teachings of Jesus and his earliest followers all the way to the early twenty-first century. MacCulloch excells in providing clear, succinct descriptions and summaries. This is invaluable because often theological works seem mind-numbingly complex. But here we have sharp,well detailed thumbnail portraits of Church Fathers, Emperors, Popes, and Kings. The differences between Cistercians, Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians become crystal clear, as do the countless "heresies" like Arianism, Miaphysitism, and Catharism. MacCulloch continues this clarity as he comes closer to our own time: ably detailing Lutheranism, Calvinism, and Anabaptism in the Reformation era and Fundamentalism, Pentecostalism, and Liberation Theology in the late twentieth century. There is a long and intriguing section on Islam, tracing its connections to Judaism and Christianity, as well. Throughout this history MacCulloch emphasizes the connections between Christianity and the governments of the countries in which it developed and spread. More often than not those connections were mutually beneficial and supportive. MacCulloch is also clearly writing history, not preaching a sermon. Not all practicing Christians will appreciate some of his observations, whether on the life of Jesus Himself or on the various ways in which Christianity has adapted itself as it spread from continent to continent. But the book is both thorough and thought provoking, and should become and remain an important resource for years to come.

This is an amazing work of the history of Christianity--truly mind-blowing for me! I have been studying the historical Jesus for a couple of years with a study group at my Unitarian Universalist fellowship, which has peaked my curiosity about the whole history of Christianity. When I came across this tome, I knew I wanted to read it. I am about one-third of the way through (it is not a quick read for me) and I have done a lot of re-reading and looking things up to try to understand it all in context. Wow! What an eye-opener! There's so, so much in the early parts of this book about early Christianity in the East that we never even learn about in the Western versions of the story. Yes, it feels almost an overwhelming read sometimes, but totally worth the effort if you want to get a better general understanding of the evolution of Christianity. I guarantee you will be amazed, amused, shocked, etc. And the author is truly a scholars' scholar, but with a gift for writing for the ordinary, interested person. And I mean really interested because it is not a casual read! I wish I could thank Professor MacCulloch personally because this is a book I really needed to read before I expire, and I'm no spring chicken! 😊

First of all, in terms of how I relate to the God of Christianity, I don't - nor any other Deity created in Human image, or in the image of Human fears or desires. That being said, this book is a wonderful compilation of the HISTORY of Christianity! I was born of a mother who had staunch Catholic parents - she rejected that aspect of Christianity over an argument about unbaptized babies going to Hell. My father was born of parents of the Protestant persuasion (Presbyterian or Methodist). They made me go to church when I was young, although they didn't attend unless it was Easter. I loved Jesus Christ when I was young, learning of compassion and caring about others including sparrows. I loved (and still do) Christmas where a wonderful person who preached love and compassion was born in a stable, surrounded by a loving mother, her husband, other creatures of this earth and three wise men came to visit. Undoubtedly a myth, yet a nice one. I left Christianity after an argument I had about the age 13, about a theoretical child that was destined to Hell because he had not accepted Jesus Christ (although he had no opportunity to learn of him). Became, after that, agnostic, deist, atheist. Don't know where I am now. I bought this book when it first came out and am reading it for the second time after pursuing some of the readings mentioned in the notes ( I was happy to see I had read some already). It's wonderful, thorough, and challenging. I also bought the BBC video which is fantastic. This is REALLY a good book! Perhaps one statement of the author in the introduction, where he said he is a "a candid friend of Christianity", made a significant impression. Perhaps I am too, although a skeptic. I would not be insulted or felt left out if a manger scene was was put up in in a public square in my little town at Christmas - as long as EVERYBODY who wanted to could participate - regardless of their religion, sexual preference or political affiliation.

If you are in the market for a comprehensive 1000 page overview of the history of Christianity this is the one. Diarmaid MacCulloch has written a masterful synthesis. He covers all that one might reasonably expect in such a volume -- moving from ancient Greece, Rome, and Israel up to the contemporary culture wars, including the Orthodox East as well as the Latin West. He transitions seamlessly from topic to topic and is almost never merely superficial. He successfully balances the need to relate relevant details with the virtue of concision. His interpretations are often stimulating and characteristically judicious. The book either can be read profitably straight-through (for those with strong attention spans) or used as a reference source as the occasion arises. It helpfully contains extensive source endnotes, suggestions for further reading, and an index, plus page references for inter-related topics are noted parenthetically throughout the text. That the development of Christianity might be treated historically at all may seem heretical to some. History seldom consistently comforts belief. MacCulloch points out, for example, that right off the bat "one of the greatest turning points in the Christian story" may have been that the last days, as apparently expected by many early followers of the movement, had not arrived by the end of the first century CE. He emphasizes that certain major historical outcomes were contingent, not inevitable. For example, the victories of Christian over Islamic forces in 678 at Constantinople and in 732-33 near Poitiers helped shield the West from Islam and "preserved a Europe in which Christianity remained dominant, and as a result the centre of energy and unfettered development shifted west from its old Eastern centres." Later, he believes, the Church's response to Luther was unnecessarily heavy-handed, further dramatically re-shaping the West (not surprisingly, he is especially strong on the Reformation, the subject of his earlier well-received major work). MacCulloch does not shy away from lofty theology, often a turn-off to some readers of religious histories. Indeed, he seeks to demonstrate how seemingly rarified theological controversies have sometimes stirred the masses. He provides ample discussion of the doctrine of the Trinity, the Chalcedonian controversy, disputes regarding the Eucharist, and the like, but never to the point of tedium. He traces how theological emphases shifted over time, including the emergence of elements of Christian belief that had little or no Biblical foundation. For instance, he calls the concept of Purgatory, which had taken root by the 1170s, "one of the most successful and long-lasting theological ideas in the Western church. It bred an intricate industry of prayer: a whole range of institutions and endowments," financing priests to devote their time to saving souls. MacCulloch attends to Christianity's engagements with worldly power and with political and societal issues. He provides plentiful material for readers to construct their own balance sheets of where Christians have stood through history regarding, for example, the roles of women, slavery and race, war and violence, concerns for the poor and the oppressed, religious tolerance, and (more recently) Fascism and Nazism. MacCulloch points out that "doubt is fundamental to religion. One human sees holiness in someone, something, somewhere: where is the proof to others?" He notes, for instance, that while the nineteenth century is typically seen as a period of skepticism, it was a period "crowded with visionaries both Catholic and Protestant" when Christianity ambitiously spread its global reach. Christianity has never been uniform. Its ability to mutate is one of its great strengths, particularly its ability to accommodate syncretist variations in non-European cultures. MacCulloch concludes with the observation that, "It would be very surprising if this religion, so youthful, yet so varied in its historical experience, had now revealed all its secrets."