'A series such as this is hugely welcome. Its emphasis on the history of ideas, and on the global - not just European - experience of Christianity and its manifestations of church, will be valued by students, scholars and general readers alike. The I.B.Tauris History of the Christian Church brings ecclesiastical history into a new era, for a new generation' - Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford; 'As all good general histories must, this volume offers a clear structure, expertly chosen details, authoritative judgments, and forcefully direct prose. Yet David Hempton's treatment of 'the long eighteenth century' in the history of Christianity goes well beyond the usual requirements for a successful introduction. It is unusually sensitive to the most attractive as well as the most blameworthy aspects of its story; it blends large-scale political and imperial tectonics with telling biographical miniatures; it documents the deeds of women as well as men, the lowly as well as...