For two thousand years, Christianity has had a varying but immense influence on world history. Accomplished historian Geoffrey Blainey leads us through the history of this world-changing religion. A Short History of Christianity vividly describes many of the significant players in the religion s rise and fall through the ages, from Jesus himself to Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, Francis Xavier, John Wesley, and even the Beatles, who claimed to be more popular than Jesus. Blainey takes us into the world of Christian worshipers through the ages from housewives to stonemasons and traces the rise of the critics of Christ and his followers. Eminently readable, and written with Blainey s characteristic curiosity and storytelling skill, this book often places Christianity at the center of world history. Will it remain near the center? Blainey s narrative illustrates that Christianity s history is a much-repeated story of ups and downs."