The Handy Christianity Answer Book takes an accessible, enlightening and informative look at one of the world's most important religions.

Table of Contents

• TIMELINE
• INTRODUCTION
• WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?
• The Definition and Size of Christianity
• The Cultural Influence of Christianity
• Important Vocabulary for Studying Christianity
• WHO IS JESUS?
• Sources on Jesus
• Background on Jesus
• The Public Ministry of Jesus
• The Crucifixion of Jesus
• The Jewish World of Jesus
• IMPORTANT SCENES IN THE LIFE OF JESUS
• Early Gospel Stories
• The Birth of Jesus
• The Baptism of Jesus
• The Temptations of Jesus
• Public Ministry Stories
• The Final Stories
• From the Last Supper to the Death of Jesus
• The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus
• THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS
• Overview
• The Parables of Jesus
• The Ethical Teachings of Jesus
• Jesus on Jesus
• IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE GOSPELS
• The Three Kings
• The Family of Jesus
• John the Baptist
• Salome
• The Followers of Jesus
• People Involved in the Crucifixion
• Other Significant People in the Gospels
• BASIC BELIEFS OF MAINLINE CHRISTIANS
• The Seven Basic Christian Beliefs
• The Nicene Creed
• The Gospel of John on the Trinity
• Savior and Redeemer
• THE BIBLE
• Structure of the Old and New Testaments
• Different Views on How to Read the Bible
• Reading the Bible
• Christian Use of the Old Testament
• Isaiah and Jonah
• The Psalms
• The Gospels
• The Rest of the New Testament
• Salvation History
• CHRISTIAN HISTORY: THE APOSTOLIC AGE
• Jesus to the Year 100
• Writing of the Gospels and the New Testament
• Church Structure
• CHRISTIAN HISTORY: 100–800
• Roman Persecutions
• Emperor Constantine
• Emperor Justinian and the Hagia Sophia
• Augustine
• The Battle against Heresy
• Monastacism
• Benedict
• The Doctors of the Church
• Fall of the Roman Empire and the Dark Ages
• Christianity and Islam
• CHRISTIAN HISTORY: 800–1500
• The Middle Ages: 800–1300
• Theologians and Saints
• The Crusades
• Christianity and the Renaissance
• Important Figures of the Renaissance
• CHRISTIAN HISTORY: THE 1500s
• Key Figures
• The Anglican Church and the Puritan Movement
• The Anabaptists
• The Catholic Counter-Reformation
• The Jesuits
• CHRISTIAN HISTORY IN EUROPE: 1600s TO THE PRESENT
• The Baptists
• The Quakers
• John Wesley and Methodism
• The 1800s
• The World Council of Churches and Vatican I and II
• Important Figures
• CHRISTIAN HISTORY IN AMERICA: 1492 TO THE PRESENT
• Christopher Columbus and the Spanish Influence
• The British and French
• The Great Awakenings
• The Mormons
• Mary Baker Eddy and Christian Scientists
• The Unity Church, Unitarians, and Universalists
• Jehovah's Witnesses and the Social Gospel Movement
• Pentecostalism
• The Scopes Trial
• Other Important Figures
• CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: CELEBRATIONS AND RITUALS
• The Calendar
• Services and Rituals
• CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT
• Foundations of Christian Morality
• The Morality of War
• Capital Punishment
• Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage
• Abortion
• Miscellaneous Topics on Morality
• Mortality and Immortality
• Heaven and Hell
• Who Gets into Heaven?
• CHRISTIAN BELIEFS: ANGELS, THE DEVIL, AND THE END TIMES
• Angels
• The Devil
• The Apocalypse and the Antichrist
• THE CATHOIC CHURCH
• Catholic Church Structure
• Catholic Sacraments
• Catholic Teachings on Mary
• Other Catholic Topics
• CHRISTIAN CULTURE: ART AND ARCHITECTURE
• Paintings and Sculpture
• Architecture
• CHRISTIAN CULTURE: MUSIC
• The Early Centuries
• Famous Hymns, Requiems, and Masses
• Gospel and Popular Music
• CHRISTIAN CULTURE: MOVIES AND MUSICALS
• Movies about the Old Testament
• Movies about Jesus
• Christian Musicals That Became Movies
• Movies about Contemporaries of Jesus
• Movies about Catholic Priests
• Movies about Catholic Nuns
• Other Christian Movies of Note
• The Motion Picture Production Code
• MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS
• FURTHER READING