It’s certainly church history with a difference. This romp through Christianity from the coming of the Spirit, to the modern day, covers the major events and characters that have shaped the journey. This largely descriptive, well researched, 446 page tome is punctuated with brief thumbnails biographies and ‘funny caption’ pictures and comments that are laugh out funny, with versions of humour to suit every taste: corny, lewd, ironic, and word plays a plenty.
Includes the major councils, key changes in theology, the split between East and West, as well as the start of so much that shapes our modern church and theological landscape.
Maybe it’s slightly irreverent in places, but that’s because if you didn’t laugh, you would probably change Faiths. This candid look at what history shapers actually did includes so much material that is so unchristian, it is beyond belief. The atrocities in the Crusades are well documented but less well known are some of the many papal philandering and attitudes and behaviour of characters regarded as ‘icons’ within Protestantism. Page is quick to spot the irony and puncture pomposity where he needs to, though this is more descriptive than analytical. You might call it a ‘horrible histories’ for Christians. Yes it’s easy to judge history unfairly by our standings, but measured against Jesus plain teaching, so much was in a different stratosphere.
A book for those with a good grasp of true Christianity, the ability to laugh, and who don’t suffer from nut allergies – this has plenty.