This book is just two chapters of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire which were extracted for this volume. The two chapters deal specifically with the author's view of Christianity. The author is a humorous writer, bringing a great deal of wit to his treatment of a subject that was nearly taboo in his lifetime - critical analysis of the origins and beliefs of Christianity. Gibbon is one of the great Enlightenment thinkers, and reading his works can help you understand what the Enlightenment was about. ( )