Mahatma Gandhi once chided a Christian friend, "All you Christians, missionaries and all, must begin to live more like Jesus Christ." And what Christian among us would disagree with him? After the holy wars and witch-hunts, after persecutions and political machinations, there is a broad sense today that the Church, however well-meaning, is on the wrong side of history.

But do we really know our history? In this collaboration with historian Arnold Angenendt, best-selling German author Manfred Lütz dares to show us what contemporary historians actually say about Christianity's track record over the ages.

This detailed overview begins with the ancient pagans, passing through Israel, the early Church martyrs, Constantine's Rome, the reign of Charlemagne, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Reformation, the Borgia popes, the Galileo affair, the conquistadores, the French Revolution, the slave trade, the Holocaust, the sex abuse crisis, and more.

The Scandal of the Scandals separates myth from fact, giving us a candid portrait of Christendom with its scars and all. Prepare to be amazed at how little you really knew about Christianity.

"In taking on 'the distorted image of the history of Christianity', Dr. Lütz challenges and corrects a remarkable range of errors, misunderstandings, and falsehoods, combining robust historical research with a clear and accessible style." 
— Carl Olson, Editor, Catholic World Report; Author, Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?

"Christianity plays a starring role in countless urban legends, many of these involving misinformation about historical events. Manfred Lütz gives brief accounts, backed up by evidence, of the most commonly misunderstood events and trends in Christian history."
— Mike Aquilina, Author, Villains of the Early Church

"Lütz provides a helpful overview of some of the major episodes and controversies in Church history. Drawing heavily upon the recent work of German scholars, Lütz's primer conveys the important insights of modern research that has previously been unavailable in English."
— Vincent Ryan, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History, Aquinas College