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Preface to the First Edition ix

Preface to the Second Edition xiii

Part I

PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY

Chap. I—The Beginnings

§ 1.	Documentary Clues							1
§ 2.	The Earliest Christian Sects							5
§ 3.	Personality of the Nominal Founder							10
§ 4.	Myth of the Twelve Apostles							16
§ 5.	Primary Forms of the Cult							20
§ 6.	Rise of Gentile Christism							28
§ 7.	Growth of the Christ Myth							36

Chap. II—The Environment

§ 1.	Social and Mental Conditions in the Roman Empire							41
§ 2.	Jewish Orthodoxy							46
§ 3.	Jewish Sects: the Essenes							49
§ 4.	Gentile Cults							51
§ 5.	Ethics: Popular and Philosophic							60

Chap. III—Conditions of Survival

§ 1.	Popular Appeal							67
§ 2.	Economic Causation							69
§ 3.	Organization and Sacred Books							72
§ 4.	Concession and Fixation							75
§ 5.	Cosmic Philosophy							78

Part II

CHRISTIANITY FROM THE SECOND CENTURY TO THE RISE OF ISLAM

Chap. I—Developments in the Unestablished Church

§ 1.	Numbers and Inner Life							81
§ 2.	Growth of the Priesthood							87
§ 3.	The Gnostic Movement in the Second Century							91
§ 4.	Marcionism and Montanism							97
§ 5.	Rites and Ceremonies							101
§ 6.	Strifes over Primary Dogma							102

Chap. II—Relations of Church and State

§ 1.	Persecutions							106
§ 2.	Establishment and Creed-Making							114
§ 3.	Reaction under Julian							127
§ 4.	Re-establishment: Disestablishment of Paganism							133

Chap. III—Failure with Survival

§ 1.	The Overthrow of Arianism							142
§ 2.	The Cost of Orthodoxy							146
§ 3.	Moral and Intellectual Stagnation							153
§ 4.	The Social Failure							159

Part III

MEDIEVAL CHRISTIANITY

Chap. I—Expansion and Organization

§ 1.	Position in the Seventh Century							165
§ 2.	Methods of Expansion							168
§ 3.	Growth of the Papacy							174

Chap. II—Religious Evolution and Strife

§ 1.	Growth of Idolatry and Polytheism							184
§ 2.	Doctrines of the Eucharist, Purgatory, and Confession							189
§ 3.	Rationalistic Heresies							194
§ 4.	Anti-clerical Heresies							197

Chap. III—The Social Life and Structure

§ 1.	The Clergy, Regular and Secular							205
§ 2.	The Higher Theology and its Effects							211
§ 3.	Christianity and Feudalism							213
§ 4.	Influence of the Crusades							218

Chap. IV—The Intellectual Life

§ 1.	Superstition and Intolerance							224
§ 2.	The Inquisition							227
§ 3.	Classic Survivals and Saracen Contacts							231
§ 4.	Religion and Art							236

Chap. V—Byzantine Christianity 238

Part IV

MODERN CHRISTIANITY

Chap. I—The Reformation

§ 1.	Moral and Intellectual Forces							245
§ 2.	Political and Economic Forces							249
§ 3.	Social and Political Results							257
§ 4.	Intellectual Results							265

Chap. II—Progress of Anti-Christian Thought

§ 1.	The Physical Sciences							278
§ 2.	Philosophy, Cosmic and Moral							283
§ 3.	Biblical and Historical Criticism							286

Chap. III—Popular Acceptance

§ 1.	Catholic Christianity							292
§ 2.	Protestant Christianity							296
§ 3.	Greek Christianity							303

Chap. IV—The Relation to Progress

§ 1.	Moral Influence							310
§ 2.	Intellectual Influence							315
§ 3.	Conclusion and Prognosis							319

Synopsis of Literature 323

Index 339