Drawing heavily on the central figures involved in the development of Christianity in the West in the Middle Ages, such as Gregory the Great, John Wyclif, Peter Abelard, Dante Alighieri and Bernard of Clairvaux, this text paints a picture of a turbulent stage of religious history. The author begins by giving an overview of its development, before looking at the key aspects of medieval faith: the Bible and belief; popular piety and devotion; the Crusades and the idea of holy war; politics and the church; rebellion against authority; and the road to Reformation.