| This book includes many important primary sources of Christianity to convey a sense of the history and growth of Christianity. He breaks the history up into Biblical foundations (Old and New Testament), ancient Christianity, Medieval times, reformation, early modern Christianity, and modern Christianity. Within each era the division of the writings into Events, Institution, Teaching, Ethics, and Relations may be a bit artificial (for example is the beginning of Monasticism more about events, institution, or teaching?), but does help organize the readings. Some of the dates on the sources are not clearly given, but generally this is not a problem as the general era is clear. Van Voorst should be congratulated for including womens' perspective throughout the history, and at least some writings from the Eastern Orthodox Christianity, which often seems neglected in this country. He often does a great job of pairing primary sources, for example pairing Anselm's scholastic argument on proving the existence of God with Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologiae. Everyone will probably find missing some of their sources (like Dante), but there is a chance of discovering new authors shaping Christianity (like Hildegard of Bingen). Whoever reads these texts will find some new understanding of how Christianity has grappled with some of the same historic issues of faith and works, but has also dealings with new topics such as bioengineering. |
