What was the effect of Christianity on Europe? And how did Christian Europe come to have such an extraordinary influence on the world? Professor Evans draws on her expertise in medieval theology, ecumenism and intellectual history in this in-depth study. She traces Christianity's influence across the centuries, from its earliest days, through the East/West schism, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, to its development in the scientific age of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and its place in the modern world. The narrative is complemented by topic boxes and short articles, highlighting key events and concepts, such as monastic life, icons, Darwin's The Origin of Species, prophecy, the slave trade and the influence of psychology.