~ the question we discussed in Sunday School today, as my pastor is beginning a ??-long series on Church History...how cool is that??
Okay, here are some of the answers we came up with:
1. There's nothing new under the sun. The same heresies are repeated over and over, just with new buzzwords and cultural application.
2. We repeat mistakes if we don't know mistakes of the past (true for all of history).
3. We see God's preserving hand of the true church through the ages.
4. We get context for Scripture, and avoid chronological snobbery (C.S. Lewis)
5. Each age has its own blind spots, including ours!
6. Throughout history, we see God's corporate sanctification and maturing process of the universal (catholic with a little "c") church.
7. We are to comprehend our faith "with all the saints" (Ephesians 3:18)
8. Hebrews 11:36-40: we are part of the family that is listed here...there's more to the story, and it includes us.
9. I Timothy 4:11-16 speaks of the handing down of doctrine and life...must know the life and doctrine of the apostles and church fathers in order to imitate it.
So...all five of you that read this blog...I'd like to know why YOU think Church History is (or isn't) important.
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4 comments:
I think church history is important (wow, ok, that intro feels like the beginning of an essay...lol) because it gives you a great view of the heritage we stand on. Just like family or national history inspires, informs, and warns, church history reminds us of God's "scarlet thread" of sovereignty and protection and how he works through (and in spite of) our strengths and weaknesses. I think its semi-weird when people get so caught up in the history that they have to make Mecca-esque trips to places of importance or base non-essential choices on "what we've always done." That just gets to be a pride issue and starts to supercede the way the bible/God/Holy Spirit should inform our choices. Afterall, at some point, we might be the "church history" others are studying...what legacy are we leaving? I hope it is one of humble orthodoxy.
I like that, Janice, "humble orthodoxy". One implication of that is that we cannot just throw out 2000 years of church history and understanding in order to interpret Scripture however we want! (We were just discussing this in Church History - my online class - I'm getting double dose! - so I'm quoting Wes Callihan there. :)
I think it is really important, because we learn a lot of new things, how to forgive and forget and to love one another just like jesus our wonderful saviour loves us all. I'm a mother of 4 and im teaching my kids to take on history and learn about the history of the church. i love god, that;ll never change. These comments i've been reading are really strong ones, Janice. I love your comment I read it to my children even so they dont understand yet they take it in, or perhaps try to. and its wonderful to see my kids worshipping the Lord.
Thanks.
I want to study the apocrypha on the 12 apostles and what became of them and how the church grew and what life was like during times of peace and during persecutions. I love Jesus (Yahshua) Christ (Messiah), Emmanuel and Father (Abba) God (Ha Shem, Elohim, Adonai) and Holy Spirit/Ghost (Rua Hocadesh). I pray for everyone to have peace, love, forgiveness, kindness in 2010 Bye!
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