Christianity: An Introduction

Praise for the previous edition

Meticulous and memorable, Christianity: An Introduction takes us on a breathtaking journey, and readers of all kinds will enjoy the ride.
Darren J. N. Middleton, Texas Christian University

The finest text of its kind available. It is encyclopaedic in scope, reliable and quite accessible to the non–specialist. In this second edition, an already solid resource is made even more valuable.
David L. Johns, Earlham School of Religion

Now available in a widely revised and updated new edition, this popular textbook offers a uniquely comprehensive and lively introduction to the life, ideas, and ethos of Christianity. Including a thorough and accessible summary of the history of Christianity in addition to thematic chapters on the Bible, the nature of Jesus, and core Christian beliefs, Christianity: An Introduction provides a comprehensive foundation to the subject for students at all levels. The new edition has been brought completely up to date, with chapters covering global Christianity, Christianity and world religions, Christianity as a lived reality, and current theological debates. Along with these updates, the new edition has been revised and restructured to better fit the one–semester course format.

Written by one of the world s foremost theologians, the new edition of this classic work will be essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of the world s largest religion.

Preface xii

List of Illustrations and Maps xiii

Introduction 1

1 Jesus of Nazareth and the Origins of Christianity 3

2 The Christian Bible 28

3 Christian Creeds and Beliefs 54

4 Christian History: An Overview 121

5 Denominations: Contemporary Forms of Christianity 199

6 The Life of Faith: Christianity as a Living Reality 220

7 Christianity and the Shaping of Culture 251

Conclusion: Where Next? 278

Further Reading 280

Sources of Quotations 284

Index 291

Alister E. McGrath is Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. One of the world s leading theologians, he has written numerous critically acclaimed books, including Why God Won t Go Away: Engaging the New Atheism (2011), Darwinism and the Divine: Evolutionary Thought and Natural Theology (Wiley, 2011), and The Intellectual World of C. S. Lewis (Wiley, 2013). He is also the author of some of the most widely used theology textbooks, including the bestselling Christian Theology: An Introduction now in its fifth edition (Wiley, 2010), Historical Theology: An Introduction 2 nd edition (Wiley, 2012), and Theology: The Basics 3 rd edition (Wiley, 2011).