The Story of Christianity: Volume 1

From its very beginning, the Christian message was grafted onto human history.

But how did a persecuted sect from a forgotten corner of the Roman Empire become one of the most powerful forces in the world? In this masterful first volume of The Story of Christianity, acclaimed historian Justo L. González tells the epic story of the faith's first fifteen hundred years. This engaging work of Christian history makes the past come alive with insight and clarity.

Dr. González skillfully navigates the pivotal events, charismatic figures, and theological debates that shaped the early and medieval church. From the days of the apostles and the church fathers to the rise of the papacy, readers will journey through the fires of Roman persecution, witness the monumental conversion of Constantine, and understand the crucial doctrinal battles of the Council of Nicea and the Arian controversy. This narrative history brings figures like the great theologian Augustine of Hippo, the defiant bishop Ambrose of Milan, and the desert monks to life, not as distant saints, but as complex people whose struggles and triumphs defined an era.

How did a small Jewish sect grow to become the defining faith of Western civilization? This volume uncovers the people, controversies, and historical forces that shaped the first fifteen hundred years of the church:

• The Early Church and Roman Persecution: Follow the spread of the faith from Jerusalem into the vast Roman Empire, and witness the courage of early martyrs like Ignatius and Polycarp who faced down imperial power.
• Constantine and the Imperial Church: Explore the dramatic shift after the conversion of Constantine, the explosive debates of the Arian Controversy, and the pivotal decisions of the Council of Nicea.
• The Great Church Fathers: Encounter the brilliant minds and pastoral hearts of figures like Athanasius, the staunch defender of orthodoxy; Ambrose, the bishop who defied emperors; and Augustine of Hippo, whose thought would define Western theology for centuries.
• Medieval Christianity: Chart the rise of the papacy and monasticism as forces of order in a fractured Europe, and delve into the epic conflicts of the Crusades that pitted Christendom against the Islamic world.
• The Dawn of a New World: Discover the beginnings of colonial Christianity as the Spanish and Portuguese empires expand, carrying the faith to the Americas, Africa, and the East.