Church History II: Authority, Faith, and the Making of the Modern World (1517–Present): 1517 to the Present

How did the Protestant Reformation reshape the modern world?Why did the Enlightenment challenge Christianity’s authority?How did revivalism, revolution, secularism, nationalism, and technology transform the Church—and how did the Church respond?Church History II: Authority, Faith, and the Making of the Modern World (1517–Present) is a sweeping narrative of Christianity from the Reformation to the digital age. Written from a biblical and historically grounded Christian worldview, this volume explores the theological, political, intellectual, and cultural forces that shaped the modern era. Rather than treating church history as a disconnected sequence of names and dates, Dr. David Q. Santos presents history as a continuing struggle over authority, truth, conscience, and the meaning of civilization itself.Beginning with Martin Luther’s challenge to medieval authority and moving through Calvinism, global missions, revivalism, the Enlightenment, modernism, totalitarianism, ecumenism, and the rise of digital culture, this book examines how Christianity both transformed and was transformed by the modern world. The work argues that modern secular ideologies did not emerge apart from Christianity, but often inherited Christian moral structures while rejecting biblical authority.This volume combines church history, theology, intellectual history, political theology, and cultural analysis into a single interpretive framework designed for students, pastors, teachers, and serious readers of Christian history.Topics Include:Martin Luther and the Protestant ReformationJohn Calvin and the Reformed traditionThe English Reformation and PuritanismThe Enlightenment and the challenge of reasonRevivalism and evangelical awakeningsMissions and the global expansion of ChristianityChristianity and the rise of modern scienceAmerican religious history and political theologyLiberal theology and modernismTotalitarianism, war, and ideological religionEcumenism and doctrinal compromiseTechnology, secularization, and the digital ageUnlike many church history surveys that approach religion from a detached or purely sociological perspective, Church History II openly treats theology as historically consequential and doctrinal belief as central to understanding the development of the modern world. The book emphasizes historical clarity, theological discernment, and cultural courage for Christians navigating an increasingly secular age.Designed for:Bible colleges and seminariesChurch history and theology coursesPastors and ministry leadersChristian educatorsStudents of Western civilizationReaders interested in Christianity’s role in shaping modern cultureAbout the AuthorDr. David Q. Santos, MA, MDiv, PhD, is a historian, educator, and scholar specializing in church history, theology, intellectual history, and the relationship between Christianity and Western civilization. He teaches courses in history, theology, and biblical studies and writes extensively on authority, biblical interpretation, political theology, and the historical development of Christian thought. Read more