Here at last is the true textbook for church history courses. Originally crafted as lectures in this country's premier African American theological institution, Reclaiming Our Roots represents the most inclusive church history text on the market today. It pays special attention to such matters as Christianity in the southern hemisphere, Eastern Orthodoxy, the church among minority cultures in North America, and the role of women in church history.

The text includes not just names, dates, and events in church history but also sophisticated theological analyses of the issues that have made history, making it possible to function also in "history of Christian thought" as well as in "introduction to church history" courses.

Ellingsen has produced an extraordinarily balanced text, one that provides readers with sympathetic exposure to a variety of credible, scholarly interpretations of the major figures. In this way, he encourages readers to make their own judgments based on the evidence and with the help of primary-source readings that he suggests. Leading questions about the material covered are included at the end of each section.

Volume 2 -- Martin Luther to Martin Luther King, Jr. (Fall 1999)

Mark Ellingsen is Associate Professor of Church History at the Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta.

Mary E. Hull is a professional writer specializing in history and current events.