Paul Stephenson (1) (1969–)

4 solid stars due to the following: 1) it's easy to read; 2) the author's thesis is clearly stated and he sticks to supporting it throughout the book, 3) it's balanced - although much of it is about the early years of Christianity, the author is not pro-Christian or anti-Christian, and 4) his view on why the emperor Constantine championed Christianity is quite original. I will just say it involves the military's role in making or breaking emperors, what the military's true interests were (mostly booty & plunder), and how Constantine brilliantly convinced them that one particular god was capable of delivering victories. The author supports his argument by examining primary accounts, statues, architecture, coinage and art. Really excellent if you are interested in how Christianity got its big break.… (more)