An Illustrated Brief History Of Christianity
Author: You Bin
Publisher: Hong Kong Chung Hwa Book Co.
Year: 2013
ISBN: 9789888200153
List price: HK$128
Overview
This book uses numerous maps and illustrations to trace the development of Christianity, broadly understood, from the apostolic age to the present day, adopting a relatively neutral theological perspective — or, perhaps more accurately, no particular theological position at all.
In the following review, I shall consider the book as an introductory work, assessing its breadth of coverage, accessibility, and selection of material. As for its academic depth, my own learning is limited, and I shall leave that assessment to those better qualified.
The book is divided into six parts, covering respectively: the period from Jesus to the apostles; the Roman Empire; the division between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy; the Middle Ages to the Reformation; the Reformation and the Roman Catholic response; and Christianity in the modern world.
Extensive Treatment of the Middle Ages
The book provides a more detailed account of the Middle Ages than many other introductory works.
Medieval history seldom receives extensive treatment, whether in general history courses or in introductory church history. The former tend to concentrate upon the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution, whilst the latter place particular emphasis upon the Reformation.
Yet the Middle Ages produced many ideas and thinkers worthy of introduction to beginners. This book gives considerable attention to medieval history: of its sixty sections, twenty-five — just under half — deal with the historical development of the Church during the Middle Ages.
This part of the book may therefore be a particularly valuable resource for general readers and ordinary church members alike.
Theologically Neutral and Accessible
Among existing introductory works, denominational publishers have produced many books introducing different schools of thought. Such works, however, inevitably reflect their authors' theological positions to some extent, and may sometimes offer unfair criticisms of other denominations, intellectual traditions, or religions.
The present book adopts a more neutral approach. Rather than concentrating upon whether particular theological positions are right or wrong, it emphasises the reciprocal relationship between history and ideas: historical events influence the thinking of theologians, whose ideas in turn influence subsequent historical developments.
For an introductory book, history is a particularly suitable approach.
Readers without formal training in theology or philosophy may find it difficult to engage with complex intellectual questions, whereas historical developments are more concrete and readily understood.
Interactions between thinkers frequently involve theological disagreements. To appreciate such debates, readers must first grasp the positions of the individual thinkers before comparing and analysing their respective theologies — a demanding task for a general audience.
This book largely avoids such difficulties.
Consequently, its discussion of the twentieth century is relatively limited, perhaps because the author assumes that readers already possess some familiarity with the period.
At the same time, its treatment of the period from the Reformation to the nineteenth century also appears comparatively limited, particularly when considered alongside other works currently available.
A Rather Brief Treatment of Modern History
The book's discussion of the Reformation concludes with the Roman Catholic response, which it places in the mid-sixteenth century. The subsequent six hundred years, extending to the present, receive only six sections.
Within this limited space, such subjects as missionaries in Qing China, the two World Wars, and the influence of information technology are not examined in depth.
Admittedly, the gradual separation of Church and state in the modern period has meant that historical events no longer exert the same degree of influence upon theological thought and doctrine as they once did.
Nevertheless, readers of an introductory work may be particularly interested in understanding how history has shaped the world in which we live.
From this perspective, the book's treatment of the periods most directly influential upon the present seems somewhat insufficient.
Readers seeking a fuller understanding of these developments may wish to consult works dealing more specifically with intellectual history.
Appendices and Maps
The suggested further reading and bibliography are relatively brief. Since this is an introductory book rather than a strictly academic study, however, I would not regard this as a serious shortcoming.
Readers whose curiosity has been aroused will nevertheless have to make some effort to identify more advanced works for themselves.
The maps contain a wealth of information. Although the material is well organised and the legends are clear, some maps are so densely packed with details that general readers may find them difficult to follow.
Perhaps, in similar works, the use of multimedia presentation, where resources permit, would make the material more accessible and enjoyable.
In conclusion, this book is one of the relatively few discussions of Christian history published by a non-religious publisher in Hong Kong. It is certainly a worthwhile introductory resource for general readers and ordinary Christians.
July 2014