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bennought's review
5.0
Easily one of the best books I have ever read. MacCulloch tackles the monumental task of tracing a history of all of Christianity with clear prose, wit, and incredible intelligence. He begins 1000 years before the birth of Jesus, in order to create the context of the world into which he was born and how that context created Jesus as a person, his disciples, the general movement, and the reactions of the authorities. More importantly, he traces the history of the three major 'Churches': Latin (Western), (Eastern) Orthodox, and the Church of the East. The first two will be familiar to most, but the third covers a set of denominations that were predominant in the ancient Middle East, spread at an early stage all the way to China, and could very likely have ended up being the leading force in Christianity.
While MacCulloch does a very good job of explaining the differences (often minuscule) between different denominations and sects, I still often found myself a bit confused on technicalities in doctrine and theology--especially when ideas or concepts resurfaced 500 pages later. That said, he almost always provides the page numbers when an idea or group was discussed, so it is possible to easily flip back and forth to refresh one's memory. Of course, the sections on the Latin Reformation period and the wars of religion is one of the clearest and best researched ([b:The Reformation: A History|53946|The Reformation A History|Diarmaid MacCulloch|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170434975s/53946.jpg|52597]). But, he does a great job of showing trends and differences in the history of Christianity across the Globe and through time. I was especially pleased with the time he spent on the Ethiopian Church. I would, though, have preferred if he could have spent more time on Latin America and Asia. Maybe, to make up for that, he could have spent a little less time on some of the 18th and 19th century movements in Europe and America.
In the end, though, this is a monumental piece of scholarship that will easily be *the* general survey for years to come. MacCulloch has outdone himself here, and I for one look forward immensely to reading more of his work, and can't wait to see what he will be working on next.
While MacCulloch does a very good job of explaining the differences (often minuscule) between different denominations and sects, I still often found myself a bit confused on technicalities in doctrine and theology--especially when ideas or concepts resurfaced 500 pages later. That said, he almost always provides the page numbers when an idea or group was discussed, so it is possible to easily flip back and forth to refresh one's memory. Of course, the sections on the Latin Reformation period and the wars of religion is one of the clearest and best researched ([b:The Reformation: A History|53946|The Reformation A History|Diarmaid MacCulloch|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170434975s/53946.jpg|52597]). But, he does a great job of showing trends and differences in the history of Christianity across the Globe and through time. I was especially pleased with the time he spent on the Ethiopian Church. I would, though, have preferred if he could have spent more time on Latin America and Asia. Maybe, to make up for that, he could have spent a little less time on some of the 18th and 19th century movements in Europe and America.
In the end, though, this is a monumental piece of scholarship that will easily be *the* general survey for years to come. MacCulloch has outdone himself here, and I for one look forward immensely to reading more of his work, and can't wait to see what he will be working on next.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
4.0
Sweeping and surprisingly readable history of this global religion. Inevitably gets bogged down a little in the doctrinal details of various sects, but overall quite interesting and engaging.
adamrshields's review
4.0
Short comments: This is a long book that attempts to take the whole of Christian history and its religious pre-history and document it all. I think it was a great attempt to use the tools of a historian to look at a religious history. I think most people will learn a lot and be much better for it. There will be a few that are put off by the author's secular (but respectful) take on the Christianity. The parts when people will likely be most offended are the first chapters and the last couple modern chapters. On the whole this is an impressive book.
Final take on my blog post http://bookwi.se/christianity-macculloch/
The rest of the posts I did earlier.
My first blog post is at http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch/ This takes me basically up to the end of the apostles and the beginning of the generation of Christians after Christ. So far this is a fascinating book.
Part two takes me through the early centuries of the Christian church up until soon after the time of Constantine. You can get this post at http://wp.me/pE5zo-Mf
Part three is about the early Eastern church from Ethiopia to China. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-3/
Part four is about Augustine the the rise of Western thought. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-4/
Part five is about the influence of the monasteries in the West and the crusades. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-5-crusades-and-monasteries/
Part six is about the differences in how the Eastern and Western churches approached theology and how one can talk about God. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-6-theology-and-understanding-of-god/
Part seven is about the rise of the Orthodox church until 1800 http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-7-eastern-orthodox-to-1800/
Final take on my blog post http://bookwi.se/christianity-macculloch/
The rest of the posts I did earlier.
My first blog post is at http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch/ This takes me basically up to the end of the apostles and the beginning of the generation of Christians after Christ. So far this is a fascinating book.
Part two takes me through the early centuries of the Christian church up until soon after the time of Constantine. You can get this post at http://wp.me/pE5zo-Mf
Part three is about the early Eastern church from Ethiopia to China. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-3/
Part four is about Augustine the the rise of Western thought. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-4/
Part five is about the influence of the monasteries in the West and the crusades. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-5-crusades-and-monasteries/
Part six is about the differences in how the Eastern and Western churches approached theology and how one can talk about God. http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-6-theology-and-understanding-of-god/
Part seven is about the rise of the Orthodox church until 1800 http://www.mrshields.com/christianity-the-first-three-thousand-years-by-diarmaid-macculloch-part-7-eastern-orthodox-to-1800/
ryberst's review against another edition
4.0
There is a part of me that wants to rate this a good solid five, while the other part of me wants to give a mid-line three. The research is fantastic, and the scope comprehensive. Unlike many, MacCulloch's text keeps an eye on the numerous alternatives to the RCC as well as the RCC itself. He does not tend to reduce "Eastern Orthodox" to the "other" Christianity, but shows the diversity of of various forms of Eastern Christianity. Earlier this year I read Paul Johnson's History of Christianity and was greatly disappointed with his unapologetic devotion to liberal secular thought (downplaying and demonizing Augustine). MacCulloch hides his devotion to secularism much better than Johnson. But it is there. MacCulloch is primarily a historian. In the introduction, he claims to be "a friend to Christianity." He is fair, he is balanced (haha), but he is absolutely coming from a modern historical assumption. That which is miraculous or supernatural is interpreted as "historical accident." Thus, it gets a four.
erikars's review against another edition
1.0
This was a rather long and rambling history. To be fair, any history that is trying to cover so much is likely to be so, but I came away feeling that I learned very little because there was no structure to stick the information to. It was just 40 hours (audio version) of fact after fact after fact.
As a casual reader of history, I want my history woven onto some framework. Not forced into it, but given enough consistent presentation that the reader can build a mental model. Of course, the choice of any such framework is going to necessarily mean that some things are left out, but the reader will remember more.
To be more concrete, with respect to this book, MacCulloch tried to cover both Christianity in its context as a mover of European history and many of the theological debates over Christianity's history (as well as much more). If he had just stuck to one -- e.g., the European historical perspective, bringing in the theological debates only when they effect the political situation -- then the book would have been more coherent.
Overall, I've gotten much more pleasure out of the more narrow histories I have read, such as Karen Armstrong's [b:The Bible A Biography|520771|The Bible A Biography|Karen Armstrong|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328774634s/520771.jpg|1980253]. They don't cover nearly so much, but they are actually memorable.
As a casual reader of history, I want my history woven onto some framework. Not forced into it, but given enough consistent presentation that the reader can build a mental model. Of course, the choice of any such framework is going to necessarily mean that some things are left out, but the reader will remember more.
To be more concrete, with respect to this book, MacCulloch tried to cover both Christianity in its context as a mover of European history and many of the theological debates over Christianity's history (as well as much more). If he had just stuck to one -- e.g., the European historical perspective, bringing in the theological debates only when they effect the political situation -- then the book would have been more coherent.
Overall, I've gotten much more pleasure out of the more narrow histories I have read, such as Karen Armstrong's [b:The Bible A Biography|520771|The Bible A Biography|Karen Armstrong|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1328774634s/520771.jpg|1980253]. They don't cover nearly so much, but they are actually memorable.
emilyrowellbrown's review against another edition
4.0
You'll notice that I'm ramping up my religion reading in preparation for the GOEs (General Ordination Exams), which I will take in January. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is over one thousand pages and densely packed with Christian history of best the East and West. Neither is it easily skimmable. That said, if you are a history buff, or if you are interested in filling in some of the gaps in your knowledge, MacCullock's book is well done.
drbobcornwall's review against another edition
5.0
As a church historian, I'm always looking for good, well-balanced, and researched studies of Christian history. MacCulloch offers a masterful, and very readable, though massive narrative that takes us back not just to Jesus, but the origins of Christianity much earlier in Greco-Roman and Jewish thought and practice. From there, he traces the story up to the present, not neglecting the oft neglected stories of the church in the East, in Africa, and other places of the world. Of course, being British, the Brits figure prominently -- but that's to be expected. This is probably the definitive overview available today.
kayman17's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Amazing book. A masterful triumph of intellectual, cultural, philosophical, and religious history. From Ancient Israel and Classical Greece, through Roman and Medieval Christendom, World War II, the so-called "Death of God", all the way through the Ecumenical Movement and Vatican II, this book thoroughly covers everything up to just shy of our "Prosperity Gospel" and new Christian Nationalism in the 2010s and 2020s (perhaps a work for a volume 2 à la Ken Burns's "The Tenth Inning", perhaps?). Incredible work. Easily one of my all-time favorite works in history. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5.