One of Christianity’s dedicated scholars

There are few writers in America today more qualified than Marty Martin to take the long view of contemporary Christian practice.

Marty, who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, served as a Lutheran pastor from 1952 to 1962 in suburban Chicago.

Since 1956, he’s been writing columns for The Christian Century magazine since 1956. According to his Wikipedia entry, he has authored over 5,000 articles and been conferred with 75 honorary doctorates.

His published works include “Righteous Empire: The Protestant Experience in America” (1970), for which he won the National Book Award, the encyclopedic five-volume Fundamentalism Project, co-edited with historian R. Scott Appleby, and the biography, “Martin Luther” (2004).

It’s an impressive background and certainly Martin’s experience offers both depth and breadth. So while his latest work “The Christian World: A Global History” may err on the side of breadth (perhaps at the expense of depth) it is still a work well worth reading.

It should hold particular appeal for readers who like the idea of a writer who approaches the Christian world with both energy and enthusiasm.

To read the Monitor’s review of “The Christian World,” click here.