Germane for the laiety and religious scholar alike
I bought this book for a class but have enjoyed reading it far beyond what was required for the course.
It's plain language, excellent background of biblical times along with the in depth analysis of the rise of the Christian faith will engross you for hours and encourage even more research into issues raised in the book.
This book is a fine primer to prepare you for more specific interests and venues regarding the history of the Christian church. If you are a religious studies major, Christian who wants to know more about the history of your faith or simply curious about the history of the Church , sic Western Civ, this book is for you.