This book is aimed at beginners, and I strongly recommend it. If I may begin at the end with the bibliography and suggestions for further reading, this section is probably worth the price of book alone, and would easily serve for undergraduate level study. That said, I also recommend it for its unusual humourous approach to church history and theology. The general technique is to present each topic as a group tutorial discussion (ie, hot debate), with the general characters each taking some very modern but stereotyped positions. The chapters cover: the Didache, pagan opposition to Christianity (Minucius Felix, Epiphanius, Lucian, Celsus), Roman reactions (Nero to Constantine), martyrdom (Blandina, Polycarp, Stephen), faith and Greek philosophy, Gnosticism (aka gobbledegook), the role of women, Constantine's official adoption of Christianity, Jesus (doctrines of), heresies (a weak chapter - six pages only), Chrysostom, monasticism, and St. Augustine. Phew.
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The review of this Book prepared by Michael JR Jose
