DOC The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand-Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East; Africa; and Asia--and How It Died by Philip Jenkins in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Original Middle Eastern Church: An important and brilliant historical survey of a little known aspect of Church historyBy RangerThe Middle East is a blind spot for most Americans. With the exception of the crusades and 20th century events surrounding the Arab-Israeli conflict; most Americans and Europeans know little of the region's history. Few today are aware of the Middle East's diverse; pre-Islamic culture or the religious; political and ethnic environment that birthed a Christian heresy called Islam; a heresy that became a movement with a worldview and dogma that eventually dominated the region. Yes; the Middle East had a pre-Islamic history and for a thousand years after the death and resurrection of Christ; that history was largely Christian. Jenkins has provided a real service to the church in tracking the growth; dominance and eventual decline of the Asian church; including forgotten sects and sub-groups like the Jacobites; Nestorians; Arians and Syriacs. Eastern missions to places like China and Central Asia are narrated here. And the strengths of surviving sects such as the Copts of Egypt are studied alongside neighboring churches such as the one in Tunisia that simply disappeared during the advent of Islam. Finally; Jenkins also shows how Islam was able to co-opt Christianity in it's once glorious strongholds through a mixture of cunning intimidation and outright brutality; as fit the times. The Lost History of Christianity is of interest to students of religion (Christian and Muslim); Middle Eastern and Church history; and Christian ministry. It would also help students of prophecy better grasp the issues captured by John in the Revelation -- a Bible book that was written to and for the Middle Eastern Church. This is by far the most interesting; informative and enjoyable history book I've read all year. Highly; highly recommended.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Highlights of little known Christian evangelistsBy PogophileLot of emphasis on certain little known / little documented personalities; presented as a series of anecdotal stories -- but not strict chronological order. Considering the available evidence; a pretty good job of transmitting the knowledge. Still; would have liked a broader scope written in a more linear fashion that would keep the flow of history more clearly in the foreground of the text.40 of 42 people found the following review helpful. My greatest critique would be Jenkins seeming distaste for Catholic OrthodoxyBy Aaron DuvallThe Lost History of Christianity covers an area of Christian History that is sorely lacking attention. Jenkins reminds us that the so called "dark ages" were actually a time of flourishing and progress in the Eastern church. He also lines up arguments against modern criticism that Christianity is simply a white Eurocentric religion; by recognizing the roots and influence the Eastern Church had up till 1500. I was struck by the seeming evidence that we have romanticized that the Church is built on the blood of the martyrs. While this may be true in some or even many forms of Christianity; it is also evident that there are places where Christianity was crushed; burned; and persecuted almost entirely out of existence.The overall tone is generally charitable; recognizing that while there is nothing inherent in Islam to cause it to be more brutal or persecutory; than Christianity or Judaism; there have certainly been mass exterminations in the name of Allah; perhaps the most brutal during the Armenian Genocide in the early 1900's. Jenkins; however; is an equal opportunist and shows where the Catholic Church was at times less tolerant; and more prejudice towards the Eastern Church than the Islamic movement was.My greatest critique would be Jenkins seeming distaste for Catholic Orthodoxy. He takes random potshots; and at times goes to great lengths to show how problematic Catholic rule was. He seems to revel in the idea that groups left the church early on and still flourished; and also enjoys pointing out how the Eastern Church preferred Islamic rule over Catholic subjection. (After starting this review I did some research and found out that Jenkins is a former Catholic who has converted to Anglicanism. Perhaps this is part of the issue.) Within this critique I was moderately frustrated with his treatment of general orthodoxy which he shrugs off as European and Catholic. The councils; while perhaps imperfect; must be seen with at least some sense of authoritative Spirit involvement; if not we lose a large portion of what most if not all would call orthodoxy. (He does agree that the Nestorians were not as far removed from Christianity as the gnostic heresy; which I appreciated).My second critique is the pace. At times Jenkins seems to bog down into every possible (and at times un-needed) detail; then at others times he will gloss over from so high it's difficult to see the major themes.All things considered "The Lost History" pays attention to a part of Christianity that is rarely considered. It looks charitably at the major players involved; and it pieces together a backstory that helps frame much of the turmoil we are still seeing in the Middle East.