A History of Christianity is a 1976 study of the history of Christianity by the British historian Paul Johnson. It has since been reissued and updated. The author aims to present a comprehensive factual history of the Christian religion.
Contents
In the Prologue, Johnson writes: "During these two millennia Christianity has, perhaps, proved more influential in shaping human destiny than any other institutional philosophy, but there are now signs that its period of predominance is drawing to a close, thereby inviting a retrospect and a balance sheet.... Christianity is essentially a historical religion. It bases its claims on the historical facts it asserts. If these are demolished it is nothing.... A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts."
The narrative begins with Paul of Tarsus making his way from Antioch to Jerusalem, probably in 49 AD, to meet with the remaining followers of Jesus.
Chapters include: Part 1. The Rise and Rescue of the Jesus Sect (50 BC to 250 AD)]. Discusses Roman Judeo cultural world, Council of Jerusalem, Essenes, John the Baptist, textual evidence of Jesus, the ministry and teachings of Jesus, his crucifixion and post-resurrection appearances, the rise of the Church, Paul, the Zealots, the Fall of Jerusalem, Valentinius, Marcion, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, coming predominance of Roman Church and the bishop of Rome. Part 2. From Martyrs to Inquisitors (250 AD to 450 AD) – Diocletian's persecution, Constantine's conversion, first official Church, Arianism, Pelagianism, Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine. Part 3. Mitred Lords and Crowned Ikons (450 AD to 1054 AD) – Fall of the Western Roman Empire, Dark Age Christianity, monasticism, Christian relics, rise of Papacy, Carolingian age, Eastern Orthodox Church. Part 4. The Total Society and its Enemies (1054 AD to 1500 AD) – Height of Papacy, Middle Age theology, total Christian society, paying for Penance, corruption of Church, Crusades, millenarian revolts, Innocent III, Francis of Assisi. Part 5. The Third Force (1500 AD to 1648 AD) – Reformation and Counter reformation, with an emphasis on Erasmus. Part 6. Faith, Reason and Unreason (1648 AD to 1870 AD) – Christianity's conflict with the Enlightenment, beginning of retreat of total Christian Society, Pascal, Voltaire, Protestantism, French Revolution, rerise of the Papacy. Part 7. Almost Chosen Peoples (1500 AD to 1910 AD) – Christian missionaries, conversion of Latin America, East Asian Christianity, Francis Xavier, Alessandro Valignano, persecution of Japanese Christianity, American Christianity, 19th century missionary work, African Christianity. Part 8. The Nadir of Triumphalism (1870 AD to 1975 AD) – Modern Papacy, Modernity, Christianity and World War II, Nazism, decline of the Church in the West, Second Vatican Council, Humanae vitae.
Part 8 closes by discussing the possible ending of the millennial-long East-West Schism. How far the ending of schisms within Christianity will go is to be seen. "[T]he argument about the control of the Christian Church is almost as old as Christianity itself; and it may be that it will continue so long as there are men and women who assert that Christ was God, and who await the parousia. Perhaps it is part of the providential plan that the organization of Christianity should be a perpetual source of discord. Who can say? We should remember the words of Saint Paul, towards the end of his letter to the Romans, the key document of the faith: 'O depth of wealth, wisdom, and knowledge in God. How unsearchable his judgments, how untraceable his ways. Who knows the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counsellor?'"(p. 514)