How did the Christian Church originate, what journeys has it taken over two millennia, and how did it come to exist in its present, myriad forms? The answers to these questions form a tapestry of history that reaches from first century Palestine to the ends of the earth. This volume tells this rich story from an ecumenical perspective, drawing on both Eastern and Western historic sources in exploring the rise of Eastern Orthodoxy; the church across Asia, Africa, and the Americas; and the reformations of the Western Church; including the diversity of contemporary voices. The work benefits from many pedagogical features: - boxed text sections identifying central figures and points of debate - study questions for each chapter - chapter summaries - maps --charts --index Supplemented by over 400 illustrations, this book embraces the universality of historic and current Christianity, creating a single and comprehensive volume for students of Church history and systematic theology. The history of the Christian Church, from its beginnings until the present day, represents a challenging topic for students at every educational level. This book offers a new approach to the subject due to its coverage not only of Western Christian theology and practice, but also of the Eastern, Oriental and other global traditions. The second half of the work provides primary texts and illustrations that add considerably to its teaching potential. In short, this book portrays Christian Church history in all its diversity, with attention to the many thinkers, mystics, and artists who have contributed to its development.