Reviews for Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity

The average rating for Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-05-07 00:00:00 Carol Folden This is a very good basic book on the history of Christianity, which is actually used as a textbook. In fact, there is a set of detailed questions in the back which is suitable for discussion or study groups. One of the interesting things about this book is its approach to the subject. It does not try to give an impossibly condensed yet comprehensive history of the subject in one huge unwieldy volume. Nor does it take the multi-volume approach and go into minute details. Instead, it takes a series of crucial moments in the history of Christianity and explores the impact that each of these moments has had (and might still be having) on Christianity as a whole. Even though Mark Noll is a Reformed Evangelical Christian, he teaches at a Catholic institution, the University of Notre Dame. So maybe that is why he discusses Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy respectfully and without undue Protestant bias. His area of specialization is the history of Christianity in the United States and Canada. And yet, with this book, he was able to take a step back, as it were, and use a wider perspective. The turning points on which he focuses range from the Jewish beginnings of Christianity to its various contemporary manifestations in Africa, China and Latin America. As a person who dabbles in early church history (from the New Testament, up to and including the Protestant Reformation), I found it interesting to read about the developments of Christianity in later times, in a way that was neither too confusing to follow nor too dumbed down to enjoy.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-11-03 00:00:00 Eamon Hartley I love reading church history. And while this wasn't any where near my favorite book on Church History (that would be "The Story of Christianity" by Justo Gonzalez. Both volumes are FANTASTIC) - this could be a great book to give someone who wants to dive into church history and yet doesn't want to commit to a big book - as most church history books seem to be. The best part of this book is he focuses on 12 or so major events in the history of the church. So even the moderate observer will come away knowing about the biggies like Nicea, the Great Schism, Reformation Day, and the Act of Supremacy. I'd encourage the reader to skim where one is feeling bogged down. There are chapters I struggled through, and others I couldn't put down. Overall a quality resource.