An introduction to the history of the Christian church in the modern period, beginning with the changing social, cultural, and religious context of Europe around the year 1500 and tracing the development of the various branches of the Christian faith through the present. An important feature of this study is the integration of American, European, and--to a lesser extent--African and Asian elements of the church's story during the modern period. The scope of the book's approach is broad, ranging from an examination of theological figures and the history of denominations and movements to discussions of the social history of the churches and women's history.

This is a concise but substantive examination of the history of Christianity in the modern period. It integrates newer research into social and cultural history without departing from the traditional presentation of theologians and movement. It maintains a focus that is relevant to American students without being exclusively tied to Europe and North America. This volume can be used as a stand alone text or as a set with the previous two books in the series, The Early Church and The Medieval Church.