Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Resource for the Serious Student
Review: A History of the Christian Church by Williston Walker was first published in 1918 and has gone through significant revision over the years. This is the fourth edition and includes the latest scholarship in the field of Christian history. The book is the major text for many seminary and university courses on the subject and with good reason, it includes quality research and scholarship. If you are a serious student of the subject you will enjoy the book and find it helpful in your own research. If you are a novice or casual inquirer, I recommend you look elsewhere. It does not offer a smooth flow through history like other texts of this nature. On the spectrum of Christian scholarship, the text is on the liberal end. The reading is more difficult than most introductory texts. Also, the book does not seem to give equal print to subjects of equal value to the history of the world wide Church. Yet, for the serious student of church history, it is an outstanding resource.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource for the Serious Student
Review: A History of the Christian Church by Williston Walker was first published in 1918 and has gone through significant revision over the years. This is the fourth edition and includes the latest scholarship in the field of Christian history. The book is the major text for many seminary and university courses on the subject and with good reason, it includes quality research and scholarship. If you are a serious student of the subject you will enjoy the book and find it helpful in your own research. If you are a novice or casual inquirer, I recommend you look elsewhere. It does not offer a smooth flow through history like other texts of this nature. On the spectrum of Christian scholarship, the text is on the liberal end. The reading is more difficult than most introductory texts. Also, the book does not seem to give equal print to subjects of equal value to the history of the world wide Church. Yet, for the serious student of church history, it is an outstanding resource.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical single volume survey
Review: I once heard a taped lecture in which the late church historian John Gerstner recommend Williston Walker's text as the best single volume work on the history of Christian Church that one could find. I have since concluded that Gerstner's assessment is correct. Any single volume work that attempts to cover such a broad and complex field is bound to suffer from gaps and over generalizations, but I must say that Walker, and his later revisers, have nonetheless done a fantastic job with the material covered. One of this book's strengths is the way it successfully ties together both theological issues and the broader historical context as they played a role in shaping the doctrine, life, and practice of the Church. There are a about nine maps scattered throughout, but apart from these there is nothing else in the way of images, just meaty text. An extensive bibliography can be found in the back of the book that is nicely divided up by periods, with each period further divided into various topical categories such as, "Sources and Documents," or "Thought and Theology." It should be noted, however, that this bibliography has not been updated since around 1984. Despite the fact this is a one volume survey, I do not think this work is for the casual reader looking for a light introduction to church history. I don't mean to suggest that it is difficult reading, because I think it is actually written very well. It just seems to me that this text's appeal and value will be for the serious student who desires a more scholalry survey.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical single volume survey
Review: I once heard a taped lecture in which the late church historian John Gerstner recommend Williston Walker's text as the best single volume work on the history of Christian Church that one could find. I have since concluded that Gerstner's assessment is correct. Any single volume work that attempts to cover such a broad and complex field is bound to suffer from gaps and over generalizations, but I must say that Walker, and his later revisers, have nonetheless done a fantastic job with the material covered. One of this book's strengths is the way it successfully ties together both theological issues and the broader historical context as they played a role in shaping the doctrine, life, and practice of the Church. There are a about nine maps scattered throughout, but apart from these there is nothing else in the way of images, just meaty text. An extensive bibliography can be found in the back of the book that is nicely divided up by periods, with each period further divided into various topical categories such as, "Sources and Documents," or "Thought and Theology." It should be noted, however, that this bibliography has not been updated since around 1984. Despite the fact this is a one volume survey, I do not think this work is for the casual reader looking for a light introduction to church history. I don't mean to suggest that it is difficult reading, because I think it is actually written very well. It just seems to me that this text's appeal and value will be for the serious student who desires a more scholalry survey.
Rating: 
Summary: Irritating at times, but overall well-done
Review: I understand that I am differing with other reviewers in giving Walker 5 stars, and at times I found Walker's passe divorcing of "faith and history" annoying, nevertheless, he knows his history and how to write it. The editors at the beginning make note of how Walker was indebted to the fruits of German scholarship--that becomes evident really quick in the book. In examing the early years of Chrisitanity (Christ through the rise of Docetism), Walker, although I disagree with parts of his methodolgy, has cogent arguments for the development of Christological thought. His contribution to early Trinitarian thought is outstanding. He outperforms himself in the times Jan Hus to the Reformation. Although I had a good grip on the Reformation, I found myself re-reading those chapters simply because they are so good. This is a well-researched book. However, I was shocked when I saw the price. Nevertheless, and the bigger the checkbook the better, this book is well-worth the horrendous price (ok, I understand there is a reason for the price). Tolle Legge!
Rating:
Summary: Irritating at times, but overall well-done
Review: I understand that I am differing with other reviewers in giving Walker 5 stars, and at times I found Walker's passe divorcing of "faith and history" annoying, nevertheless, he knows his history and how to write it. The editors at the beginning make note of how Walker was indebted to the fruits of German scholarship--that becomes evident really quick in the book. In examing the early years of Chrisitanity (Christ through the rise of Docetism), Walker, although I disagree with parts of his methodolgy, has cogent arguments for the development of Christological thought. His contribution to early Trinitarian thought is outstanding. He outperforms himself in the times Jan Hus to the Reformation. Although I had a good grip on the Reformation, I found myself re-reading those chapters simply because they are so good. This is a well-researched book. However, I was shocked when I saw the price. Nevertheless, and the bigger the checkbook the better, this book is well-worth the horrendous price (ok, I understand there is a reason for the price). Tolle Legge!
Rating:
Summary: Great reference book of basic Christian History
Review: Insightful, especially for Protestant Christians. It fills a mysterious gap, and explains the development of Church dogma within a framework of an uninterrupted apostolic succession particularly between Pentecost (the birth of the Christian Church) and Martin Luther's reformation.
Rating:
Summary: Informative but can be too detailed
Review: This is a very detailed book covering many years and topics regarding the history of the mainstream Christian church. It does tend to meander back to Catholicism most of the time, but they are the leading Christian group.
Overall, a very worthwhile book if you try not to get bogged down with all the dates and names put forth. From my limited experience, I think this is also a very thorough book which has gone through several revisions to keep it current.
Except for the fact I needed this for a class, I would not have purchased it at full price, or close to full price.
Rating:
Summary: Informative but can be too detailed
Review: This is a very detailed book covering many years and topics regarding the history of the mainstream Christian church. It does tend to meander back to Catholicism most of the time, but they are the leading Christian group.
Overall, a very worthwhile book if you try not to get bogged down with all the dates and names put forth. From my limited experience, I think this is also a very thorough book which has gone through several revisions to keep it current.
Except for the fact I needed this for a class, I would not have purchased it at full price, or close to full price.
Rating:
Summary: The definitive concise presentation of Church History
Review: This is the long established basic text for an introduction to church history as used in many Christian colleges. It is an excellent introduction to the development of the Christian Church. Anyone interested in the subject should begin with this book.
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