This new text combines primary source readings with extended introductions that provide historical context for understanding key thinkers and moments in the history of Christianity. Rather than offering pre-digested, abridged "sound bites" of primary materials, the book includes important documents in their entirety; for example, all of the Gospel of Mark, all of Martin Luther’s "Preface to the Letter to the Romans," and all of Martin Luther King’s sermon "Loving Your Enemies." At the same time, detailed descriptions set the stage for understanding these texts within theological, historical, and other frameworks. The primary texts themselves convey a diversity of views on various issues in the history of Christianity, while introductory questions direct students to consider opposing opinions and counter-arguments and encourage them to reflect on what previous writers had to say on similar subjects.