What is the importance of Christianity in the book, Thou Art That?

The second world religion chronologically after Buddhism, Christianity begins as a reforming movement within Judaism, which is a strictly ethnic religion. A young rabbi accepts baptism from a member of the Essene brotherhood, faces temptations to wealth, political power, and spiritual egotism during a desert testing, and begins a public preaching ministry. When he proclaims, "I and the Father are one," Jesus is charged with blasphemy and executed. Followers, led by Peter, a fisherman selected because he so often misinterprets what is happening, proclaim Jesus' resurrection and ascension to heaven.

Little happens until another rabbi sees the light about God coming down in the form of man and accepting crucifixion in order to bring the world new life. It spreads rapidly among non-Jews. In the 4th century, it becomes the state religion of the Roman Empire and rivals such as Gnosticism and Mithra are suppressed. Christianity insists on the historicity of Jesus' life and constructs theories of why the Crucifixion is needed: to appease the wrath of God over Adam and Eve's disloyalty or to trick the Devil into releasing the pledge on them held since the Fall. Christian mystics throughout history have tried to point to the deeper spiritual meaning of sacred events but the weight of tradition has always fallen on the literal side. A non-practicing Roman Catholic, Campbell laments the reforms of the 1960s, claiming they leech the mystery out of the Mass. He joins C. G. Jung in applauding the dogma of the Assumption (1950), but specifies it is for non-literal reasons, allowing Mother Earth back into the heavens. He notes that Protestants are dropping their fierce opposition to "Mariolatry."