A History of Christianity

A History of Christianity by British journalist & author Johnson aims to be comprehensive. Roman Catholic, he takes the view that “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 & a balance sheet.” He argues for the need for unbiased factual history: “Christianity is essentially a historical religion. It bases its claims on the historical facts it asserts. If they are demolished it is nothing.” “A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts.” The book isn’t an apology & presents a hard-lined discussion of many atrocities committed in the name of Xianity. He admits such in the Epilogue, saying his book “has necessarily stressed failures & shortcomings, & its institutional distortions.” But he claims Xianity is self-correcting, with an “outstanding moral merit to invest the individual with a conscience, & bid him to follow it” & states “it is thus no accident that all the implantations of freedom throughout the world have ultimately a Christian origin.”
-Prologue
-The Rise & Rescue of the Jesus Sect (50 BC-250) Discusses Roman Judeo cultural world, Jerusalem Council, Essenes, John the Baptist, textual evidence of Jesus, rise of the Church, Paul, Valentinius, Marcion, Tertullian, Origen, coming predominance of Roman Church & the Papacy
-From Martrys to Inquisitors (250-450) Diocletian’s persecution, Constantine’s conversion, 1st official Church, Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine.
-Mitred Lords & Crowned Ikons (450-1054) Dark Ages, monasticism, relics, rise of Papacy, Carolingian age, Eastern Orthodoxy.
-The Total Society & its Enemies (1054-1500) Height of Papacy, Middle Age theology, total Xian society, paying for Penance, Church corruption, Crusades, millenarian revolts.
-The Third Force (1500-1648) Reformation & Counter reformation, w/emphasis on Erasmus.
-Faith, Reason & Unreason (1648-1870) Conflict w/the Enlightenment, retreat of total Xian Society, Pascal, Voltaire, Protestantism, French Revolution, rerise of Papacy.
-Almost Chosen Peoples (1500-1910) Missionaries, conversion of Latin America, East Asian Xianity, Francis Xavier, Alessandro Valignano, persecution of Japanese Xianity, American Xianity, 19th century missionary work, African Xianity.
-The Nadir of Triumphalism (1870-1975) Modern Papacy, Modernity, WWII, Nazism, decline of the Church in the West, rise of Pelagianism, 2nd Vatican Council.
-Epilogue
-Bibliography
-Index