Church History 101: A Concise Overview

One may read about the "early church" or the "Renaissance popes" without a clear idea of the who-where-when-what-why-and-how of those eras. This easy-to-read volume answers the basic question "what did the Church look like in this particular period?" for the four traditionally recognized eras of Church history: early, medieval, Reformation, and modern.

Each chapter includes a map and timeline to locate the reader in time and place. The timeline identifies what else was going on. Then they address these topics: 1) The Big Picture: a broad overview of the era; 2) The Church's Hierarchy: a look at the popes, cardinals and bishops with their concerns; 3) The Church in the Pews: what was Christianity like for the average person; and 4) What made this period unique--taking a comparative approach.

All chapters conclude with discussion questions and a list for further reading.

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Christopher M. Bellitto, PhD, is a medievalist, a Church historian, and professor of history at Kean University in Union, NJ, where he teaches courses in ancient and medieval history. He is also a frequent public speaker and media commentator on Church history and contemporary Catholicism.

Bellitto has written a variety of publications, including The Living Church and Church History 101 from Liguori Publications. He also offers professional development workshops on working with the media, publishing, writing outreach articles and essays, and speaking to a wide range of audiences.