It is not simply for rhetorical flourish that politicians so regularly invoke God's blessings on the country. It is because the relatively new form of power we call the nation-state arose out of a Western political imagination steeped in Christianity. In this brief guide to the history of Christianity and politics; Pecknold shows how early Christianity reshaped the Western political imagination with its new theological claims about eschatological time; participation; and communion with God and neighbor. The ancient view of the Church as the "mystical body of Christ" is singled out in particular as the author traces shifts in its use and meaning throughout the early; medieval; and modern periods-shifts in how we understand the nature of the person; community and the moral conscience that would give birth to a new relationship between Christianity and politics. While we have many accounts of this narrative from either political or ecclesiastical history; we have few that avoid the artificial separation of the two. This book fills that gap and presents a readable; concise; and thought-provoking introduction to what is at stake in the contentious relationship between Christianity and politics.
#49961 in Books 2016-12-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .38 x 6.00l; #File Name: 1541110382168 pages
Review
55 of 57 people found the following review helpful. Easy to readBy Jamie AdairI purchased this as a sort of supplemental reading for a survey class I'm taking. I was hoping this all-in-one history book would be easier for me to study from than my huge textbook. It doesn't include everything; of course; but it does do a great job of highlighting all the big events in various points in history and even includes some details that other history books don't. I was surprised how much I learned from this. I really like how everything is laid out; it makes it very easy to follow. I especially like the section on Native Americans. Very concise. Overall I'd highly recommend this book by Adam Brown to anyone who wants to dip there toes in the history of the world.20 of 20 people found the following review helpful. Adam Brown’s World History; a concise summary of ancient historyBy DanielAs the title implies; the author covers ancient to the post-Vietnam and cold war era in this volume.Chapters 1 through 3 were particularly interesting. The first chapter focuses on classical history; i.e. Greece and Rome. I found this chapter very helpful as it laid out Greek and Roman history in a linear fashion with a general overview in mind.The second covers Asia; and dissects Chinese history without being overwhelming. Again; with a similar fashion to the first chapter in both presenting the information and purpose.The third quickly goes over European and Russian history. This I was more familiar with; but still found helpful in sequencing historical events.The rest of the work was rushed and sparse on the details. That being said; this little book provided me with something that I lacked: a general knowledge of early history which now allows me to enjoy and learn from more literature without confusion.19 of 20 people found the following review helpful. Concise History of Civilization to Present DayBy O. BarnackThis book of history is concise (107 pages); to the point; and astonishingly broad in scope; covering the significant players and events in Western and Eastern civilization from early history to present day. It’s a good survey; and highly recommended if you are unfamiliar with the material or want to give it to your kids to make them knowledgeable about the world. Basically; it covers the who; what; where; and when of the most significant historical events that happened. It consists of an introduction and six concise chapters covering ancient history (Greece; Egypt; Roman Empire; Constantine and Christianity); Asian history (India and its evolution; Korea; and China (multiple dynasties); European and Russian history from the Middle Ages through Napoleonic Europe; American history (Native Americans and regional history); Australian history (British colonization; influx from other sources; Australian politics); and major wars (WWI; WWII; and Vietnam).
