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Christianity Today, March, 2008 |

Starter Books on Ancient-Future Faith

David Neff, editor in chief, Christianity Today Media Group | posted 3/17/2008 10:03AM

Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern World
Robert E. Webber

The late Bob Webber wrote the first popular book about the church fathers as a source for contemporary ministry. ...

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The Junaluskan

Posted: March 18, 2008 8:08 AM

In response to Gerald: To say, "study the words of Jesus Himself, and of the Apostles. . . .Or is Jesus no longer sufficient?" sounds fine on the surface, but it fails to take into account that nobody reads the Bible free from bias or cultural blinders. To be a modern evangelical is to be a part of a community which comes at the Bible with a world of assumptions, interpretations, interpolations, and such, all of which shape the final conclusions we draw. We can paint ourselves into theological corners, and reading broadly from other eras, especially the early Church, when the faith was fresh, breaks us free. It does not mean that we will agree with everything they thought or said way back then, but it brings to the light that we may be thinking or saying things that have gotten off track. Take for example the subject of free will. The early Church had a much different take on it than, say, Calvin or Wesley. We need to put that into our mental food processors.

Paul	Posted: March 18, 2008 5:28 AM


Quote: 'Read your bible carefully' and interpret it the way you do??

Patrick Gann

Posted: March 18, 2008 1:51 AM


Christopher Hall's book is great.

Ralph Gaily

Posted: March 17, 2008 7:50 PM


Beware of many false doctrines that are weakening the Church right now.....they come through like contrary winds.....catching the unwary that have their sails up....and are sweeping them out to sea as storms approach. Read your Bible....carefully!

Gerald McNaughton

Posted: March 17, 2008 5:23 PM

While reading the early church "fathers" may stimulate some critical thinking in some Christians today, I believe we need to be wary of the contradictory nature of those writings. There is disagreement among the writers themselves. There are also numerous doctrines presented which only a devout Catholic could love. Today's Evangelicals would be far better advised to study the words of Jesus Himself, and of the Apostles who were inspired by Jesus. Or is Jesus no longer sufficient?

Rudy	Posted: March 17, 2008 3:42 PM


Other suggestions would be books on Eastern Orthodox Christianity: The Orthodox Church by Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Way by Timothy Ware, The Faith by Clarke Carlton, and Becoming Orthodox by Peter Gilquist. All of these have a strong emphasis on the early Church fathers placed in the context of an ancient-future church.

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