Turning Points

Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity

By: Mark A. Noll

Narrated by: James Anderson Foster

In this popular introduction to church history, now in its third edition, Mark Noll isolates key events that provide a framework for understanding the history of Christianity. The book presents Christianity as a worldwide phenomenon rather than just a Western experience.

Now organized around 14 key moments in church history, this well-received text provides contemporary Christians with a fuller understanding of God as he has revealed his purpose through the centuries. This new edition includes a new preface; updates throughout the book; and two new chapters, including one spotlighting Vatican II and Lausanne as turning points of the recent past. Students in academic settings and church adult education contexts will benefit from this one-semester survey of Christian history.

©2012 Mark A. Noll (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"This highly recommended work provides a thoughtful yet comprehensive framework for the history of Christianity." Library Journal)

It doesn't get better than this

Mark Noll has given the serious student of Christian history an invaluable work. It's packed with important information made to come alive. This is an excellent work.

Great perspective

Noll took on the difficult task of reducing 2000 years of history to the small set of events the set or changed the direction of the church. The result is a wonderfully coherent view of key moments in history. Each turning point is set in its own rich context and includes a glimpse of the consequences. Of special note was his review of fairly recent events. Definitely worth the time.

Mark Knoll is a phenomenal historian.

This dive into Turning Points of Christian history delivers a unique look at some of the most influential events that occurred over the course of history. With brilliant authorship Knoll navigates the minefield of history with uncommon deftness.

a good history marred by mispronunciations

Noll gives a good overview of church history and some of its most significant events and movements. It leans heavily toward early church history and the Reformation in Europe. It is a bit light on the English Reformation and Christianity in the American colonies prior to John Wesley. Noll does a good job of unpacking the wider significance and interconnections of the events he is recounting.

Narrator James Foster reads at a good pace, but his rendering is marred at times by bizarre pronunciations of names and theological terms. One example that drove me a little crazy was his pronunciation of the name of the German reformer Philip Melanchthon, whose adopted academic last name was a Greek translation of his birth patronymic Schwartzerdt (black earth). In this case the "ch" combination is a rendering of the Greek letter chi, and in German would have been a standard achlaut, as in "Bach." Foster pronounced it like the ch in "chosen." Foster should have been coached on pronunciation of historic names and theological terminology, or else done more research himself.

Full of information

I fully appreciate the research that happened for this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. The reading was a little dry but I was Inspired enough to purchase the physical book for further study.

Informative and balanced

The author gives a good access to key moments of Church History from his evangelical perspective while still being balanced and critical of his own tradition.

Excellent book with wonderful insights

I really enjoyed this book. It provides wonderful details and explanations of the history Christianity.

Excellent Overview

Turning Points was accessible to the general reader. The book was balanced and yet faithful to an orthodox perspective.

Excellent, Brief Snippet’s

Noll provides brief but appropriately clear glimpses into several key moments of the Christian faith. He also includes primary source excerpts to give added insight for the reader and demonstrates all of the necessary historical thinking skills that are part of a historian’s craft and helpful in establishing argumentative credibility.