Inevitably when a faith arises persecution is soon to follow. Pesecution is not limited to a single faith, but is universal. New faith rubs raw the traditions of established faith thus introducing a conflict of ideas.
resource recommendation
April 23, 2008 By Leave a Comment
There is a very interesting interview with Ergun Caner about the Christian Jihad. What caught my attention was when he stated:”…even though it is a distant point, even though it is not an particularly on-target point — there was a time in Christian history where we did as bad as Osama bin Ladin has done.” This was a very interesting statement. It is very shocking when comparing Christians to Bin Ladin….
Essay
April 23, 2008 By Leave a Comment
In this class I have learned so much that it is hard to write about only one of the things that I have learned. First I would like to say that the best thing about this class is that I never liked history or wanted to learn about it. I always saw history as something that was in the past and it needed to stay there. That it was not important to know so many details of the past. To me history was boring and not something that interested me. Then I took this class and I saw a new side of history. History is His story and that was the first part that made me interested. Then when we started to learn about the ancient civilizations and how all of the history related to today. How the Bible is history and all the stories come from the time periods that we studied in this class. That is when I woke up; I realized that history is really fun and exciting. History can teach us so much and makes the Bible relate even more to me. The Bible’s words seemed to come off the pages in a new way. I saw the stories of God and how those stories are what have led up to now and how it is important to know what happened. It shows me how people stood up for what they believed and how some people died for what they believed. It shows how God chose to use people in different ways and shows me that he can and will use me in many ways. That God can and will use me now, I learned that history teaches us to act now and to help others and how the things that I do will influence others in more ways than I could never know.
History is all about what God has done and is doing. God is so immediately involved in our lives and his thoughts are like the sands of the ocean. My passion for God has been brought to a new level in this class. I have been encouraged in more ways than I can count in this class through the way that you have shown how God is in all of history. History is now something that I want to read about and something that I can’t wait to learn more about. This class has brought everything into a new light. The way that everything comes together and to see how God is and has always been involved in everything, no one can get away from God he is always there and will continue to be here. Everything is His design and God can use anyone.
History is something that I new God had designed and I knew that God wrote history, but the way that this class has brought it to light is something that will always stick with me. This class has taught me to question more and to think more intently about what is going on in my life now and what I am doing now to make a difference for God. This class has been about history, but has taught me so much more than I ever thought. I see that I do not have to be done with school before I teach and share God. I see how history is right now and I am a part of it and God can and is using me now.
Book Review
April 21, 2008 By 3 Comments
Instead of doing Christian Jihad, I was able to do a book report over one of Francis Schaeffer’s books: How Shall We Then Live? This is actually one of my favorite books and I have no problem reading it more than once. The idea of the book is over the rise and decline of western thought and culture. If anybody wishes to understand how western civilization thinks and lives the way it does, Schaeffer explores this topic better than most. It’s not a dry read either. Actually if someone gets into it, it’s hard to put down and leave. What Schaeffer has done in this book is start from the Ancients and explore history all the way up to the 1900s’ and show how ideas have been changed and infiltrated. In his book we meet very familiar people but also people that are rarely mentioned and yet have made a great impact on civilization. I believe this book is very much needed if we want to understand the ideas that have gipped our culture and how they came into being. I must add that Schaeffer is mediaeval. In a sense that in the middle ages people where not just disciplined in one subject as we are today. Schaeffer seems very well disciplined in the arts, history, literature and philosophy therefore making him more versatile.
In the beggining of this book Schaffer first establishes terms. Such as, what is meant by presuppositions. Schaeffer defines it as the basic way an individual looks at life, his basic worldview, the grid through which he sees the world. And it is these presuppositions that people live more consistently with. Also what is interesting is that Schaeffer says in order to understand where we are in today’s world we must trace three lines in history: the philosophic, the scientific and the religious. I say its interesting because there has been a neglect of the philosophical in order to help understand the world. The place where it’s most neglected is within the Christian community.
Schaeffer doesn’t spend much time in the Greek and Roman era, even though he says these eras cannot be neglected when discussing western civilization. For anyone who has read any of Schaeffer’s books will see that his favorite place to start when discussing ideas is with Aquinas. He starts there I believe because it is through, some would say a misunderstanding of Aquinas’s writings, Aquinas that philosophy and theology are made two different disciplines and reasoning becomes more autonomous than before. From this point on he shows what happened to the middle ages, the renaissance and reformation, the enlightment, the rise of modern science, and then what happened to the arts and literature. Not saying that Aquinas started everything put its easier to see where people took an idea and ran with it. To me its one of the best books, but that may also be because i’m a Schaeffer fan.
History Podcast
April 21, 2008 By Leave a Comment
I’m going to recommend a audio source that can be found through itunes. The title is History of Christianity and its taught by Dr. Maxie Burch. He has at least eleven podcast covering the mediaeval period and there a little more than an hour long for each. I know that is kind of long but if you like history its well worth the time.
"Christian Jihad" – once an oxymoron
April 21, 2008 By 3 Comments
The first thing I’ll say is that this book was not an easy read. Secondly, most of my review will be an analysis of various responses that have resulted from this controversial topic. Emir & Ergun Caner, in my opinion, presented a rather unbiased, objective, historical representation of this dark age. From the early formations of Augustine’s just war criteria to the Spanish Inquisition, they provide us with a comprehensive yet concise overview of “the Crusades and killing in the name of Christ.” They highlight the abuses of the Papacy in manipulating the masses, taking advantage of their ignorance, and promising salvation to all worthy crusading participants. Many of the accounts in this book are nauseating, at times causing you to tell yourself that “ignorance really is bliss.”
The Crusades were tragic. They attest to the depths of our self-deception, greed, lust for power, and utter depravity. Moreover, they bear witness of the black shrouds of darkness present in the chambers of an unregenerate human heart (notice the emphasis on unregenerate). So we can ask: Were the majority of the participants in these events authentic Christians who were regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit? Whatever the case, a close examination (heck, even a brief perusal) of Scripture unequivocally demonstrates that Christ does not advocate the type of atrocities committed during this terrible epoch of church history.
Augustine of Hippo once said, “Never judge a philosophy by its abuse.” But is it not human nature to judge the validity of a philosophy by the practice (or malpractice thereof) of that philosophy’s adherents? ”Judge not, lest you be judged” has transformed into the obstinate fight song of our generation. It’s as if those words grant us a license to live in moral degradation, rejecting any authority over us that demands higher ethical submission. The fallacy present in choking out a particular religion because of its hypocritical following has become dominant in our postmodern world. This ideology has pointedly honed in on and attacked the Christian faith, deeming this faith inadequate become of its abuse.
However, the logical conclusion is apparent: We do not judge a philosophy by its abuse, but by its truth. And who do we follow but the very One who is the ultimate Truth? The One who looked at the masses and was moved with compassion. The One to whom every knee will one day bow and every tongue one day confess. You see, the One who wielded the very sword Pope Boniface claimed belonged to the papacy is the One who emptied Himself, becoming the slain Lamb who died for and redeemed those who hated Him. Proposing to reject the Christian religion because of its history fails to carefully examine the validity of that religion’s one true God. Yet we cannot help but wonder if there is a deeper underlying motivation to this adamant objection. A rejection of true Christianity is a rejection of Christ. Our Creator is not polluted by the sins of mankind, nor by the sins of Christ “professors.”
In the end, the glory of God will not be clouded by the depravity of man.
Quotes
April 20, 2008 By 3 Comments
“Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” – Augustine
“You made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it finds its place of rest in You.” -Augustine
I liked the second quote because all through history there is seen a restless search for life’s meaning. The first quote because history has also shown that much learning makes hard for humility.
Excellent Audio Resource
April 20, 2008 By 2 Comments
Let me recommend a downloadable audio resource that I think would be of great help in furthering your knowledge of church history. This is a study of church history (comprised of 13 messages) by Tom Nelson. He is pastor of Denton Bible, that I actually found out is near Fort Worth. I just listened to part of the first lecture but they seem to be awesome. If you want to expand your understanding of church history then download and listen to these!
You can listen to and/or download the messages here
Secondly, I have not read this particular book yet but have asked many people and browsed the internet way too long trying to find a good introductory book to church history (along with Ferguson’s text). This book has been recommended a number of times so I plan to read it sometime later.
If you want to check it out, read reviews, and possibly pick it up also, then go here
p.s. (add-on) alright guys i just listened to the whole first lecture and it was soooooo good!!! oh man you guys gotta listen to it for real. there was so much info in there. i think i took about 5 pages of notes haha kbye
Biography
April 20, 2008 By Leave a Comment
My name is Keith Starks and I am from Midwest City, Oklahoma. Since my dad was in the military we did a lot of traveling when i was young. I’ve lived in Japan, England, Arkansas, New Mexico and Texas. England was my favorite, besides the fact that I love Midwest City because its my home. I graduated from Midwest City High in 03. Worked at a car shop and went to college part time. My favorite subjects are history and philosophy. Also to mention i have two brothers and one sister. My youngest brother graduated in 05 and my sister is in 7th grade. I’ll end saying i was saved in 02.
Luther, MAN OF GOD (1,000 words)
April 19, 2008 By Leave a Comment
It is worth research about the life and works of Martin Luther. Many times Martin Luther is accounted as a legend who broke the solid ground of dark age and open the door for the new world, bring the light into the room, not only religiously but also socially. It is true and undeniable. However if one regard history thus, not as continuous movement of causes and ramifications but an event ex nihilo, history may lose its reliability rapidly. True, Luther is the hero of Protestant Church and also the legend for the Reformation but it should be all about Jesus not Luther. Therefore history gets clearer window for whomever wants to look into it when Luther’s work is accounted as the hinge that swings door to open from dark to new, Medieval to Reformation, pinnacle of the all that was developed before not as the solitary event. However one mystery still remains. Why Luther? After all those movement has been developed for that very moment of October 31st. But why God chose Luther?
“Arise, O Lord, and judge thy cause a wild boar has invaded thy vinyard.”
Thus began the introduction to Exsurge Domine, the papal bull published by Leo X against Luther. When Luther burnt it in front of the public did he have too much confidence on Frederick the wise or was it a mere reflection of his character? Quite a character Luther was; he could not take “No” for his assertion. “I cannot deny that I am more vehement than I should be.” said he. Luther was bull-headed, coarse-tongued and intemperate. It seemed there were no one other than Katherine von Bora who could calm him down. While others thought that he was very difficult person to be with for his temperament, it was evident he genuinely thought that was only of necessity. Although he wrote in his journal as all his life was patience that he had to out up with the pope, the heretics, family and Katie he always loved Katie, “his rib” and whole heartedly concerned for the family and church. This might be one reason why the LORD chose him.
Luther’s genuine love for his wife was never questioned despite of those harsh words came out of Luther’s mouth to her. It was also evident that Katherine truly loved Luther until last day of her life, that she knew his heart. It also might be a reason regardless of his temperament God used him mightily for the Reformation for the corrupted church. Some said he was a man of grand contradiction. But he himself looked at it differently. “I was born to war with fanatics and devils.” So most times he actually seemed gentle but other times when it was necessary in his conviction, he was an angry man. “Anger refreshed all my blood, sharpens my mind, and drives away temptations,” said Luther.
And also comparing with “love and gentleness in all times”-Erasmus may give another insight. Although both counted the Bible as their supreme law of life and both became the giant figures of the Reformation it was Luther who walked all the way up from his conviction of sin while Erasmus was more in a judging side of others. When Luther was angry it was plausible to think that he was either angry on himself or indignation of God he was expressing.
The sociopolitical and historical background of Luther’s day definitely needed someone like Luther who can break the ground and even jump into the fire not like for the truth. Luther could be transformed into someone totally different in that regard and no doubt God would used him however could have taken longer to see the reformation. It is true “that the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:20). But it is also true that “to everything there is a season, a time to love and a time to hate” (Eccles. 3:1, 6).
All the reasons men can give for the great success of the Reformation, however still Jesus is the beginning and the ending of all great event. After all, history is His story and never less. Amen.