The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years, Volume 1: The Veil Is Torn Edited by Ted Byfield (Christian History Project Inc, 288 pgs $49.95) Review by David Bolton The Interim
A recent book by Philip Jenkins, professor of history and religious studies at Penn State University, warned us that Christendom in the post-modern Western world is destined for, if not extinction, at least stagnation. The book, The Coming of Global Christianity, was premised on the idea that although Christendom in western Europe and North America is on the wane, the rise of Christianity in South America and Africa will supersede the faith of the Western world.
Here, I differentiate Christianity from Christendom in much the same way that Malcolm Muggeridge did in his slim volume, The End of Christendom. Although Christianity will live until the return of Christ, Christendom, being that socio-political system that arose from Christianity, is destined to fall simply because it is now almost totally divorced from the faith that created it.
At this point, you may be asking: what does this have to do with a review of the book listed at the head of this column? Well, it is because of a lack of knowledge and understanding about the roots of modern Western civilization, with Christianity being the major influence. For this reason, Ted Byfield started the Christian History Project – The Christians: Their First Two Thousand Years.
Opening The Veil Is Torn, the first volume of this projected 15-volume series, is a quote from G. K. Chesterton: “The most dangerous people are those who have been cut off from their cultural roots.” With this quote in mind, Byfield has gathered together a team of more than 20 writers and artists to produce a comprehensive history of Christianity from its beginnings to the modern day. Although the first volume (and I presume subsequent entries) is by no means a great scholarly work, it will, I believe, do what Byfield hoped it would do.
The series is thoroughly researched, with academic advisers from Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic backgrounds. Written in a lively, popular style, the series is aimed primarily at Christians, but the large, attractive format, scores of beautiful, original, commissioned illustrations, more than 300 photos and 16 original maps should give the books appeal to a secular audience as well.
The Veil Is Torn covers the beginnings of the faith from the day of Pentecost up to the early days of persecution under Nero and the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. under the Roman General Titus.
The reader is invited to delve into more detail on various subjects through sidebars that are found throughout the book. For instance, a sidebar from Dorothy L. Sayers – famous for her Lord Peter Wimsey series of books – discusses the Crucifixion under the title, “Who’s to blame? The Jews or Romans?” This brings to mind the current controversy over the soon-to-be-released Mel Gibson movie on the Passion of Jesus. The sidebars make it possible to open up the volume anywhere and find an interesting titbit without having to follow the narrative of the volume in general.
I reiterate that this is not a scholarly work, but a highly readable and detailed attempt to bring alive the people and times of Christianity’s crucial beginnings. Although each volume is rather costly – and, at a projected 15 volumes, could well add up to over $1,000 – the series will make a fine addition to school or church libraries.
For those of us who would like to own such a series, we can be content with the fact that it can be purchased in installments, with the fourth volume due to be released this month and following volumes every couple of months until 2007. More details may be found at www.christianhistoryproject.com.
Dave Bolton is the production manager of The Interim.
