As the subtitle suggests, this book is a ‘concise’ history of Christianity in America. In broad brushstrokes, Askew and pierard paint the contours of American church history from its European Roots to the present day. The book is divided into five eras: The Old World Heritage; Colonial Foundations (1607–1783); The Nationalisation and Expansion of the Churches (1784–1860); Disruption, Devotion and Debate (1861–1916); and The Churches in a Pluralistic Society (1917 to the present). For each era the authors not only show how the church responded to changing theological tides and ideologies and trends in American life, but they also show how in many eras the church has been at the forefront of challenging prevailing American sentiments, such as slavery and racism, and has worked to change society through social action. There can be no doubt that the American church has a unique history, and the authors highlight both the advantages and temptations that go along with growing up in a religious, and for most of its history protestant, nation.

This book is a good introduction to the history of the American Church, and in particular the evangelical wing of the church. It is broad in scope, so no era receives deep attention, but the main players and events are covered and the bibliography is extensive for anyone wanting to pursue further studies.

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