MBS Newsletter
For too long, the history of Christianity has been told as the triumph of orthodox doctrine imposed through power and hierarchy. In A People's History of Christianity, historian and religion expert Diana Butler Bass reveals an alternate history that includes a deep social ethic and far-reaching inclusivity: "the other side of the story" is not a modern phenomenon, but has always been practiced within the church. Butler Bass persuasively argues that corrective—even subversive—beliefs and practices have always been hallmarks of Christianity and are necessary to nourish communities of faith.
In the same spirit as Howard Zinn's groundbreaking work The People's History of the United States, Butler Bass's A People's History of Christianity brings to life the movements, personalities, and spiritual disciplines that have always informed and ignited Christian worship and social activism.
A People's History of Christianity authenticates the vital, emerging Christian movements of our time, providing the historical evidence that celebrates these movements as thoroughly Christian and faithful to the mission and message of Jesus.
About the Author
Diana Butler Bass is the author of seven books, including Christianity for the Rest of Us, Strength for the Journey, and The Practicing Congregation. She earned her Ph.D. in church history from Duke University; has taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Rhodes College, and Virginia Theological Seminary; and is currently senior fellow at the Cathedral College of the Washington National Cathedral. From 1995 to 2000 she wrote a weekly column on American religion for the New York Times syndicate and is a popular speaker at retreats and workshops across the country. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia.