Kreider's book examines the first five centuries of Christianity and documents the relationship between conversion and Christendom. Early on conversion had four stages. 1. The candidate was introduced to a leader or bishop of the church. He underwent a “scrutiny” regarding his life. “The catechists’ concern was to determine whether the candidates were ‘capable of hearing the word.’ ... Were the candidates involved in some profession that involved behavior that the church repudiated—idolatry, astrology, killing, or sexual looseness? If so, ‘Let them cease or be rejected.’ If a person was in a difficult profession, such as military service, they could be accepted into the ranks of the catechumens only if they promised not to kill” (23). If he was accepted he entered stage two. During this time the candidates were committed to the journey of conversion. “Several times a week they received instruction conducive to the conversion process. The teaching seems to have concentrated on a reshaping of the convert’s behavior” (22). Only after another scrutiny did they enter stage three. At this time they were taught orthodox doctrine. At the end of this period of instruction they were baptized and received the Eucharist, thus becoming full members of the Church. Occasionally they would enter a fourth stage wherein they learned the meaning of the sacraments they just experienced, i.e. baptism and Eucharist. As the Church grew in power Christianity became Christendom. It became less difficult to become a Christian and so less emphasis was put on a change in behavior. Now the emphasis was on right belief. Eventually coercion was used to manipulate people into becoming Christians. So “[c]onversion, which had made Christians into distinctive people—resident aliens—now was something that made people ordinary, not resident aliens but simply residents” (90). This is often the case today. “[P]rograms of evangelistic teaching in our time leave people ‘converted’ but unchanged” (103). This brief book (107 pages) gives a fascinating look into conversion throughout history.