Charting the theological and cultural potency of Acts across the timespan of Christian history, this work of profound scholarship reveals the full extent of the New Testament book's religious, artistic, literary, and political influence. * Reveals the influence of Acts at key turning points in the history of the Christian church * Traces the rich and varied artistic and cultural heritage rooted in Acts, from music to literature * Analyzes the political significance of the book as a touchstone in the church's external relations * Provides detailed commentary on the exegesis of Acts down the centuries