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Church History in Plain Language, Fifth Edition cover art

Church History in Plain Language, Fifth Edition

Written by: Bruce Shelley, Marshall Shelley
Narrated by: Tom Parks
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Publisher's Summary

Over 330,000 copies sold. This is the story of the church for today's listeners.

Bruce Shelley's classic history of the church brings the story of global Christianity into the 21st century. Like a skilled screenwriter, Shelley begins each chapter with three elements: characters, setting, plot. Taking you from the early centuries of the church up through the modern era he tells a story of actual people, in a particular situation, taking action or being acted upon, provides a window into the circumstances and historical context, and from there develops the story of a major period or theme of Christian history. Covering recent events, this book also:

  • Details the rapid growth of evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity in the southern hemisphere
  • Addresses the decline in traditional mainline denominations
  • Examines the influence of technology on the spread of the gospel
  • Discusses how Christianity intersects with other religions in countries all over the world

For this fifth edition, Marshall Shelley brought together a team of historians, historical theologians, and editors to revise and update this father's classic text. The new edition adds important stories of the development of Christianity in Asia, India, and Africa, both in the early church as well as in the twentieth and 21st centuries. It also highlights the stories of women and non-Europeans who significantly influenced the development of Christianity but whose contributions are often overlooked in previous overviews of church history.

This concise book provides an approachable guide to church history with intellectual substance. The new edition of Church History in Plain Language promises to set a new standard for accessible church history.

Maps, timelines, suggested reading, and end notes are available in the audiobook companion PDF download.

©2008, 2013 Bruce L. Shelley (P)2021 Zondervan Academic

What listeners say about Church History in Plain Language, Fifth Edition

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Great for historical studies of the church

This book gives an overview of significant church events that took place in history. The way it was written and read provides an enjoyable and even story-like listen.

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Writing for a specific audience

I enjoyed listening to this book even while it has limitations as any introductory overview would. There is too much time and attention given to American concerns while completely omitting major church involved events such as the apartheid in South Africa. A pretty good read, however.

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