Kirchengeschichte

2,000 years of church history in 300 pages—from a Protestant perspective, but in an ecumenical spirit. This book provides an overview and concentrates on the essentials. It is based on the most recent state of research and builds bridges from history to the present. The history of Christianity is treated consistently and critically; the dark sides of church history are not avoided. Unlike other overview works, the book does not break off in 1945 or 1989, but reaches into the present. Moreover, for the first time a comprehensive presentation of church history takes into account not only Christian-Jewish but also Christian-Muslim history. For every topic, a bridge to the present is built, showing that church history is relevant for today. The textbook is didactically prepared and offers explanations of terms and exercises as well as guidance on church-history exams and term papers. Consistent attention is paid to readability and comprehensibility, and nothing more is presupposed than the general knowledge that ordinary students bring with them today. The book shows that church history is not dusty and boring, but exciting, highly relevant, and current.