For the Christian, history is rich with meaning because we believe in a God who is intimately involved with his creation. Throughout time we see God's sovereign, caring and chastising hand at work to bring about the spread of the gospel and then the recreation of a new universe. One that will once more be in balance and sin is banished to plague us no more. If God is real and involved, then history bears his fingerprints. Many people profess to be ignorant of church history but to remain so is to be ignorant of God. So many problems we face are eased by the lessons of history, especially church history. If we ignore history then we can't see what God is doing! Iain Campbell has set out a lively and absorbing summary of history, one century at a time. The result entices you into the great sweeping themes of history that show God at work through his church. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that "It is always essential for us to supplement our reading of theology with the reading of church history… If we do not, we shall be in danger of becoming abstract, theoretical and academic in our view of truth and failing to relate it to the practicalities of life and daily living, we shall soon be in trouble."