Beware, brethren, lest there be
in any of you an evil heart
of unbelief in departing from
the living God: but exhort one
another daily, while it is called
"Today," lest any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulness
of sin. For we have become
partakers of Christ if we hold
the beginning of our confidence
steadfast to the end...
Hebrews 3:12-14
Setting forth the ground rules for this discussion on history, especially history of the Church I will give Cornelius Van Til's, (1895 – 1987) was a Christian philosopher, Reformed theologian, and presuppositional apologist, who wrote in his Apologetics:
"It is impossible and useless to seek to defend Christianity as an historical religion by a discussion of facts only. We say that Christ arose from the grave. We say further that this resurrection proves his divinity. this is the nerve of the historical argument for Christianity. Yet a pragmatist philosopher will refuse to follow this line of reasoning. Granted he allows that Christactually arose from the grave, he will say that this proves nothing more than that something very unusual took place in the case of that man Jesus. The pragmatist's philosophy is that everything in this universe is unrelated and that such a fact as the resurrection of Jesus, granted it were a fact, would have no significance for us who live two thousand years after him. It is apparent from this that if we would really defend Christianity as a historical religion, we must at the same time defend the theism upon which Christianity is based, and this involves us in philosophical discussion." (Cornelius Van til, Christian Apologetic, 1942, 2; Retrieved from his The Defense of the Faith, P & R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, fourth edition, 2008, p.28; italics mine).
Do we not use philosophical means in our defense of the faith? Yes, we do use philosophical means! Our defense is first grounded Scripture for our knowledge and our defense of our Christian faith. Our theism is from the Bible for our defense of our Christian faith is dependent on the system of truth revealed to us in Scripture. We find that this system of truth is revealed to us in history, and in the Reformed creeds of the Church.
This discussion of Church history is not to be an academic exercise so that you and I can just remember facts. We must give attention to the value of Church history to our Christian faith. Looking back into history we find that the ancient historians had a much higher appreciation of the pragmatic, didactic, and moral values of history than do the modern historians. To be a student, one who is desires to know the values to be achieved by such a study of history, especially Christian history will have a strong motivation and a real interest, in human history and of our Christian history.
As we study history we do so that we would come to a conclusion(s) how history as affected the present, to give us an explanation of the present. Here we will find the value of this search into history and we will bolster our faith due to this search, that is, if we approach this study in light of Scripture. There are evils that have plagued the Church from it very beginning and are present in this day and age, therefore this study will help us to understand how these evils have invaded the Church, that is, into the lives of many parishoners. Knowing the problem, then the solution is at hand. So, this is the foundation from which we attack this study, and an attack it is for it is much larger than can be stated in a blog, but I will search diligently with references for the facts. You may or may not like them but you will not easily dismiss them.
And Jesus said to them,
"Do you not see all these things?
Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone
shall be left here upon another,
that shall not be thrown down."
Matthew 24:2; (an historical fact)
Seek the truth, seek the Lord
Richard L. Crumb
"It is impossible and useless to seek to defend Christianity as an historical religion by a discussion of facts only. We say that Christ arose from the grave. We say further that this resurrection proves his divinity. this is the nerve of the historical argument for Christianity. Yet a pragmatist philosopher will refuse to follow this line of reasoning. Granted he allows that Christactually arose from the grave, he will say that this proves nothing more than that something very unusual took place in the case of that man Jesus. The pragmatist's philosophy is that everything in this universe is unrelated and that such a fact as the resurrection of Jesus, granted it were a fact, would have no significance for us who live two thousand years after him. It is apparent from this that if we would really defend Christianity as a historical religion, we must at the same time defend the theism upon which Christianity is based, and this involves us in philosophical discussion." (Cornelius Van til, Christian Apologetic, 1942, 2; Retrieved from his The Defense of the Faith, P & R Publishing, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, fourth edition, 2008, p.28; italics mine).
Do we not use philosophical means in our defense of the faith? Yes, we do use philosophical means! Our defense is first grounded Scripture for our knowledge and our defense of our Christian faith. Our theism is from the Bible for our defense of our Christian faith is dependent on the system of truth revealed to us in Scripture. We find that this system of truth is revealed to us in history, and in the Reformed creeds of the Church.
This discussion of Church history is not to be an academic exercise so that you and I can just remember facts. We must give attention to the value of Church history to our Christian faith. Looking back into history we find that the ancient historians had a much higher appreciation of the pragmatic, didactic, and moral values of history than do the modern historians. To be a student, one who is desires to know the values to be achieved by such a study of history, especially Christian history will have a strong motivation and a real interest, in human history and of our Christian history.
As we study history we do so that we would come to a conclusion(s) how history as affected the present, to give us an explanation of the present. Here we will find the value of this search into history and we will bolster our faith due to this search, that is, if we approach this study in light of Scripture. There are evils that have plagued the Church from it very beginning and are present in this day and age, therefore this study will help us to understand how these evils have invaded the Church, that is, into the lives of many parishoners. Knowing the problem, then the solution is at hand. So, this is the foundation from which we attack this study, and an attack it is for it is much larger than can be stated in a blog, but I will search diligently with references for the facts. You may or may not like them but you will not easily dismiss them.
And Jesus said to them,
"Do you not see all these things?
Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone
shall be left here upon another,
that shall not be thrown down."
Matthew 24:2; (an historical fact)
Seek the truth, seek the Lord
Richard L. Crumb
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