The Forge of Christendom by Tom Holland

The Forge of Christendom by Tom Holland

A grand history of the rise of Western Europe following the collapse of the Roman Empire, from the acclaimed author of Rubicon and co-host of the hit podcast The Rest Is History

"An entertaining account of the fraught last years of the Dark Ages."--The Wall Street Journal

"An enjoyable and exuberantly argued book . . . Holland combines sound scholarly credentials with a gift for storytelling on a magisterial scale."--The Economist

At the approach of the first millennium, the Christians of Europe did not seem likely candidates for future greatness. Weak, fractured, and hemmed in by hostile nations, they saw no future beyond the widely anticipated Second Coming of Christ. But when the world did not end, the peoples of Western Europe suddenly found themselves with no choice but to begin the heroic task of building a Jerusalem on earth.

In The Forge of Christendom, Tom Holland masterfully describes this remarkable new age, a time of caliphs and Viking sea kings, the spread of castles and the invention of knighthood. It was one of the most significant departure points in history: the emergence of Western Europe as a distinctive and expansionist power.

Holland, Tom: - Tom Holland trained as an engineer but, following a strong sense of God's call to Christian service, he left this field of specialisation to study theology. After graduating from London University, he accepted an invitation to establish a church 25 miles south of Cambridge. The church grew rapidly and he served as its pastor. During this time, he became aware that there was far more of the Old Testament in the New Testament than was recognised. Believing that this insight was the key to a better understanding of the New Testament, he gave himself to researching this topic. The following 18 years caused his understanding to make huge adjustments as he came to value the vital link between the content of the two testaments. He retired from the church after 19 years of service in Letchworth and planted a second church in a nearby town, which has grown to be a thriving congregation. While serving this church he was invited to become New Testament lecturer at what is now Union School of Theology. He lectured at the school for 25 years, and during this time he gained his PhD from the University of Wales. Dr Holland became the Director of Biblical Research at the School, supervising over 20 students as they worked for their own doctoral degrees and teaching at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. During this time he continued to share the leadership of the church he'd planted, engaging in his own biblical research while writing books that have received warm endorsements from world leaders of New Testament research. In his retirement, Tom continues his writing and wider teaching as the Senior Research Fellow of Union School of Theology. He is married to Barbara and has 3 daughters and six grandchildren.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780307278708
ISBN 10	0307278700
Title	The Forge of Christendom
Author	Tom Holland
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Random House USA Inc
Year published	2010-06-01
Number of pages	512
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.