Over the course of history, great world faiths have at times been reduced to a handful of adherents, notes religion scholar Philip Jenkins in his new book. “Christianity, too, has on several occasions been destroyed in regions where it once flourished.” And its decline in such a large swath of the world has significant implications today.
In The Lost History of Christianity, Jenkins examines the long-lost churches that had the closest link to Jesus and his followers. Among the subjects he probes and illumines are: the myth of Muslim tolerance; the decline of Christianity in the Middle East; and the outlook for Middle Eastern Christians today. Historically, the author points out, all major religions have engaged in intolerance, persecution and violence. But amid these dire situations, Christianity, Jenkins reminds us, continues to grow.
Jenkins writes in a lively, accessible style that will engage lay readers, and he provides numerous fascinating historic details. The inclusion of several maps and tables, helpful and educational tools, makes this history truly eye-opening. In an upcoming review in America, Wayne Holst calls The Lost History a “splendidly revealing overview…another jewel [by Jenkins] in what is becoming a crown of paradigm-shattering studies.”
Purchase The Lost History of Christianity
This article appears in November 24 2008.
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