A History of American Christianity

This volume offers a sweeping look at how Christianity first reached the New World, tracing the subtle threads of early missionary work that predate Columbus’s famed voyage. It explores the surprising evidence of medieval churches and monks on the icy coasts of Greenland and the faint traces of evangelistic activity along the Atlantic seaboard, showing how those fragile footholds were often snuffed out by violent conflict. The author also sets the stage by describing the turbulent religious climate of fifteenth‑century Europe, when the Catholic Church was wrestling with corruption and calls for reform.

Against this backdrop, the narrative examines how divine providence, as the author sees it, timed the discovery of America to coincide with a period of spiritual renewal. By linking the decline of the old European church with the fresh possibilities awaiting across the ocean, the book invites listeners to consider the profound impact of early religious currents on the shaping of a distinct American Christian identity.