• A short and accessible guide to the world's largest religion
• Considers the rise and growth of Christianity throughout history
• Outlines the main principles and beliefs of Christian thought
• Demonstrates the diversity of Christian faith and practice in the modern world
• Explores their struggle with modernity and gender

New to this Edition:

• Explores the continued expansion of Christianity throughout some parts of the world
• Looks at how and why Christianity has declined in the West
• Updated to reflect the changing nature and challenges Christianity faces in an increasingly globalized world
• Includes an updated further reading section

  
At a time when Christianity is flourishing in the Southern hemisphere but declining in much of the West, this Very Short Introduction offers an important overview of the world's largest religion.
  
Exploring the cultural and institutional dimensions of Christianity, and tracing its course over two millennia, Linda Woodhead provides a fresh, lively, and candid portrait of Christianity's past and present. Addressing topics including the competition for power between different forms of Christianity, the churches' use of power, and its struggles with modernity, this new edition includes up to date information on the growth and geographical spread of Eastern Christianity, reflecting the global nature of Christianity in our ever-shifting contemporary culture. 
 
 
Reading Guide
Exploring the cultural and institutional dimensions of Christianity, and tracing its course over two millennia, this book provides a fresh, lively, and candid portrait of its past and present. Addressing topics that other studies neglect, including the competition for power between different forms of Christianity, the churches' uses of power, and their struggles with modernity, Linda Woodhead concludes by showing the ways in which those who previously had the least power in Christianity - women and non-Europeans - have become increasingly central to its unfolding story.