A Short History of Christianity Second Edition, Revised, With Additions

"A Short History of Christianity" by J. M. Robertson is a historical analysis exploring the rise of Christianity from its beginnings to an established religion. The book examines Christianity's connection to Judaism, the different groups that formed within it, and the social and political forces that influenced its path through history. Approaching the subject with a critical eye, the author contends that Christianity's story involves made-up myths and mixed religious backgrounds. The author starts by addressing the difficulties in presenting the complex history of Christianity in a short way. Robertson points out that the oldest Christian writings, like Paul's letters, don't seem to know much about the gospel stories and seem to focus on the worship of a crucified Jesus instead of his lessons. He stresses that there was probably a big difference between the assumed life of Jesus and the creation of the stories about him, hinting that these stories were shaped by myth rather than historical truth. Robertson prepares to investigate how primitive beliefs evolved into the Christianity we know today, which has been influenced by different cultural and intellectual movements over time.