In the original dustsheet. Black cloth binding with gilt title on the spine.

• F.B.A. provides an in-depth photographic presentation of this item to stimulate your feeling and touch. More traditional book descriptions are immediately available.

This work presents an account of 500 years of controversy within the Christian Church. At the end of the 20th century, Christianity is advancing in triumph in parts of the world, is on the defensive in others, and is riven with debate about such issues as women priests, celibacy and birth control. Looking back at the Reformation, the authors see it not as a discrete historical event, but as an upwelling of a diversity of views that had been present in the Church long before the 16th century and that continues to this day. The challenges of Calvin and Luther, which caused so much bloodshed for 200 years, were part of an ever-shifting debate that still engages Christians today. Aimed at believers and non-believers, Protestants and Catholics, and Christians of East and West, this book challenges readers to revolutionize their perceptions of each other. It draws on works of art and literature, anecdotes and ephemera and conventional historical sources, and looks at the competition for souls on the frontiers of Christendom, from 16th century Ukraine to modern New Guinea and Guatemala.

Review: I wanted to take the time to write an in-depth view that really did this book justice, but I simply don’t have the time I need to do it. Instead, I’ll summarize my thoughts about this book into four points.

1. This book is filled with religious trivia that you don’t find elsewhere in Reformation history. There’s a lot of nuanced details and comments that really bring the context of religious conflicts to life. Other bits of trivia are simply fun, and when you’re talking about a topic that can often be bone dry, those little tidbits can keep you going.

2. This book is an excellent jumping off point. If nothing else, the bibliographical data points you to additional information that helps you to continue your research.

3. I like the contrast of having two theologically distinct authors working together. It forces you to weigh the information for what it is, rather than who said it (though sometimes you can tell), for a less biased picture.

4. All of that said, it does sometimes seem like certain theologians and doctrines are dismissed unfairly or prematurely because they were a minority for a great portion of church history.

  The Author: Felipe Fernndez-Armesto has been a member of the Modern History Faculty of Oxford University since 1983. His books include The Times Atlas of World Exploration, Columbus, Edward Gibbon’s Atlas of the World, Barcelona- a Thousand Years of the City’s Past, Millennium and Truth. Translations of his work have appeared or are pending in twenty languages. He lives in Oxford.