Christianity

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

so-so

I finished this 1200-page TOME a couple of weeks ago and it feels like such an accomplishment! I read it for my Education for Ministry group at church & while I learned a lot from it, it wouldn‘t be my choice for a Christian History text. The breadth of scholarship is impressive, but I found MacCulloch‘s tone off-putting. Far too often, he‘s condescending & dismissive of the very religion he‘s chronicling, which is frustrating & disappointing. ⤵️

BarbaraJean I don‘t expect a historian to subscribe to the religion he‘s writing about, but I do expect a greater level of balance in the overall tone. I mean, there‘s a lot of ugly stuff in the history of Christianity already... no need to also pour on the sarcasm about sincerely felt religious experiences like visions of Mary (which also seemed borderline sexist, so there‘s that, too...) 3y

SamAnne Hmmm….this has been on my TBR for awhile. I‘m not a Christian but I‘ve wanted to explore the history more closely. Sorry about the tone. 3y

Kimzey I‘m an EfM grad. We didn‘t read any 1,200-page books though. The curriculum has changed a lot since I went through. Thanks for the review! 3y

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BarbaraJean

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

On the left: my rewards for finishing my weekly reading in the tome on the right.

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BarbaraJean

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

When I was in college/grad school, my FAVORITE thing was getting my textbooks at the bookstore at the start of a semester. I‘ve been in an Education for Ministry group at my church for the past 2 years & have felt similarly upon picking up my EfM books each year. This year we‘re meeting via Zoom, so my pastor drove around delivering everyone‘s books yesterday & and it was just as exciting. Even if one of them is the tagged doorstopper of a book!

25 likes

MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BookNBrunch! Breakfast and lunch in one today. Accompaniment this sunny, comfortable afternoon was: egg, bacon, and cheddar cheese toasted sandwiches, with lemonade. MMMmmm 😋! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

Crazeedi Yum! We had that yeaterday on my homemade buns! And I just had toasted cheese today, enjoy!! 4y

wordslinger42 That looks so good! Might have to go and make myself one 😅 4y

JacqMac Oh, that looks so good! 4y

MrBook @Crazeedi , I like the way you eat 😋! @wordslinger42 , make two 😉🙃! @JacqMac 😙👌🏻 4y

Kimberlone I made myself a very similar breakfast sandwich this morning too! I even had a glass of lemonade! (edited) 4y

88 likes5 comments

MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BookNDinner! Almost done with this audiobook 😆. Accompaniment this comfortable and calm evening was: angel hair pasta in a white clam sauce, with lemon pepper seasoning mix and parmesan cheese, and sparkling mineral water. MMMmmm 😋! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

SamAnne Oh and it‘s a chunkster! It is in my TBR pile. Thinking about reading and getting the audio from the library to tag team it. Interested in your thoughts on it. I‘m not Christian but fascinated by the history and influence on Western thought and culture. (edited) 4y

Crazeedi Is it a book that is readable, or very dry? I'm intrigued by this one, btw your dinners are always scrumptious looking!💖 4y

GardenJess That looks amazing! 4y

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MrBook @Crazeedi , yeah, you just have to pay attention though, lol. Lots of names and movements and sects, and keeping their differences straight. Definitely won‘t retain most of the info, but it‘s more helpful and less frustrating to read it for the macro-movements and how certain things got their start, if that makes sense. 4y

MrBook @SamAnne , aye, it is! It‘s written by an agnostic, so there isn‘t a bias toward one denomination or sect. It‘s strength might be in explaining developments outside of Europe. 🙂 4y

MrBook @GardenJess , thank you!! ☺️ 4y

83 likes6 comments

MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BooKNDinner! More audiobook tonight—5 hours left ??. Accompaniment this cool and pleasant night was: my stir-fry of: green beans, carrots, bella mushrooms, and Italian sausage, sautéed in extra virgin olive oil; cucumbers; mozzarella balls; walnuts; melted cheddar; and sprinkled parmesan-romano. With sparkling mineral water. It was goooood, MMMMmmmm ?! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! ???

TheSpineView Looks yummy! 😊 4y

84 likes1 comment

MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BooKNDinner! Accompaniment this comfortable, clear night: mango, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, pineapple, and watermelon. MMMmmm 😋! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

I usually do meat and/or veggies, so why not fruit for a change 😊. Almost done with this audiobook—it‘s ~48 hours long, and I have 7 left.

Redwritinghood Hey - 3000 years in 48 hours isn't too bad. 😂 4y

MrBook @Redwritinghood , indubitably! 4y

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MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BookNBrunch! Audiobook! Accompaniment this warm and sunny afternoon: cheddar scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, #TATERTOTS(!!!), maple sausage links, a blueberry English muffin, and vanilla caramel tea. MMMmmmm 😋! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🤗🤗🤗 4y

Bigarn72 You can get a lot of reading done over that meal. 4y

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MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BookNDinner! Audiobook accompaniment this pleasant and calm evening is: rotini in a four-cheese sauce with sautéed mild Italian sausage, cheesy garlic bread, an olive & mozzarella salad, and Cherry Coke. MMMmmmm ?! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! ??? Who wants to come over and have some? I still wind up making for two ??, so I have plenty.

TheSpineView Looks yummy! Would love to be your dinner guest but it would a bit of a hike for me!🤣 4y

ShelleyBooksie Me!! All your meals look so tasty! 4y

Crazeedi This is my absolute favorite meal! I could eat every day!!! 4y

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Andrea4 Haven't had pasta or meatballs...or cheese!! In a while so this looks delicious!!! 4y

BethM I‘ll come that looks delish! 4y

Andrea4 Also, making for 2 (or more) just means delicious leftovers. I've been doing it for over a year and still don't get the concept of cooking one serving. What's the point? I just have to do it more often 🤣 4y

91 likes6 comments

MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BookNLunch! A nice quick lunch with an audiobook today! Accompaniment this cold, sunny afternoon was: multi-grain Tostitos scoops, black olives, crumbled bacon, cheddar and Colby Jack and mozzarella and romano and parmesan cheeses, and spices, and sparkling lime water. MMMmmmm 😋! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

audraelizabeth That is some awesome looking nachos. 4y

Bigarn72 😋 4y

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MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

I did an audiobook for this #BookNDinner! Accompaniment this cold and wet evening was: pepperoni pizza, pepperoni bread, and wings, with Cherry Coke. MMMmmm 😋! This has been another presentation of: #MrBookKitchen. Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

Crazeedi Yum! 4y

JulietReads Where are the tater tots? Lol. 4y

79 likes2 comments

MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BookNDinner! Audio Edition. Accompaniment this warm and wet evening: homemade pappardelle with steak tomatoes and pesto, and a margherita pizza with tomatoes and basil and buffalo mozzarella with an olive oil base instead of tomato sauce—like it‘s made in the Old Country. The chef is a friend of mine, and he comes from northern Italy and then became something of a celebrity chef in Manhattan before moving here. Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

rwmg It's a great book. Fascinating in its broad scope covering so much more than we usually get to hear about 4y

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MrBook

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

#BookNLunch! Audiobook with this fine accompaniment this cold and grey afternoon: lobster roll, crab roll, shrimp roll, New England clam chowder, kettle chips, and Maine blueberry soda. MMMMmmm 😋!!! #LukesLobster is awesome!!! Happy reads & happy eats! 😎👌🏻

Mitch Looks delish! 4y

alisiakae That‘s like a Grand Slam of sandwiches! Yum! 4y

Chab256 Omg... yummy yum yum! 4y

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ljuliel Luke Lobster. That‘s a catchy name ! And you have a smorgasbord of items to try ! 4y

KatieDid927 I knew it was Luke's before I even read the caption! 4y

LeslieO That would be a perfect meal if there were tater tots 4y

TheSpineView Looks tasty!💜 4y

Kimberlone That shrimp rolls looks so tasty! 4y

umbrellagirl I hope it‘s a Connecticut lobster roll. Those are the best! 4y

82 likes9 comments

taning

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

pick

Unbiased approach to the history of Christianity

teresareads

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

I am always here for Dan Brown snark.

7 likes

teresareads

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

"No one sane has sought to replicate Plato's picture of government in the real world." I love when the books I'm reading talk to each other. This is the exact premise of Jo Walton's Thessaly trilogy, and the final book is at the top of my stack.

10 likes

teresareads

Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years | Diarmaid MacCulloch

Getting started with my EfM (Education for Ministry) reading for the year. Today is the intro and chapter on Greece and Rome.

LitHousewife Good luck! 8y

6 likes1 comment

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