Atlases that represent the first 1500 years of Christianity can, for the most part, safely rely on ethnic and national boundaries to provide the basic context for the maps and drawings that illustrate change. Yet as one approaches the modern period, when the credal preferences of rulers and governments become decreasingly determinative, the geographical portrayal of religion becomes more problematic.
Particular attention is paid to the interaction between Christians and Jews and to the encounter between Christianity and Islam. Three main areas are emphasized: theology and dogma, ethical and moral life, and the expansion of Christianity to a world religion.
