A major new introduction to the global history of Christianity, written by one of the world's leading theologians and author of numerous bestselling textbooks. * Provides a truly global review by exploring the development of Christianity and related issues in Asia, Latin America and Africa, and not just focusing on Western concerns * Spanning more than two millennia and combining elements of theology, history, and culture, it traces the development of all three branches of Christianity -- Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox -- providing context to Christianity's origins and its links to Judaism * Looks beyond denominational history at Christianity's impact on individuals, society, politics, and intellectual thought, as well as on art, architecture, and the natural sciences * Combines McGrath's acute historical sensibility with formidable organizational skill, breaking the material down into accessible, self-contained historical periods * Offers an accessible and student-oriented text, assuming little or no advance theological or historical knowledge on the part of the reader