Schaff’s “History of the Christian Church, Vol.1,” Church History & TBN, Pentecostals, Liberals, Church Growthers, Evangelicals, 19-53

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=16097&post=94956&uid=308173344359#post94956

Schaff’s “History of the Christian Church, Vol.1,” the uses and practices of church history and miscellaneous after-thoughts (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 19-53.

2. TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Liberals, Emergents, and Contemporary Evangelicals. Do they have or appreciate history? Will you find it on TBN? What about Confessions, liturgies, hymns, and the great writers of the past?

3. We argued that history is important to the practitioner of systematic theology at:
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/hodges-systematic-theology-and-tbn.html

We quote: “There are some technicalities in this. Just a brief comment on this. Systematic Theology requires the practitioner to be an exegete (hence, studied in the original languages), a Biblical Theologian (studying the development of doctrines within the Bible itself, as the “acorn” of revelation grows to “an oak tree“), an Historian (of the church and doctrinal developments) and a Practical Theologian.”

3. As a Reformed historian and thelogian, Dr. Clark argues for the reconnection of Reformed Churches to their Confessions, historians and theologians. See: http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2010/03/dr-r-scott-clarks-recovery-reformed.html. This clearly needs wide expansion.

4. Christ’s Church under the new covenant administration withstood the destruction of Jerusalem (66-70 AD), the dissolution of the Roman Empire, barbarian invasions, Muslim conquests, corruptions within by numerous heresies (like our time), Papal tyranny, revolutions, and all manner of attacks. “Church History” is the “best commentator of Christianity itself, under all its aspects and in all its bearings.”

5. Church History is useful to Theologians, Pastors and Churchmen as a key to understanding the present and as a guide to an informed future. “The present is the fruit of the past, and the germ of the future.” If one does not learn from history, one is bound to repeat its mistakes, e.g. Pentecostalism as a re-manifestation of Marcionism, Montanism, Gnosticism, Sabellianism, Modalism, and Arianism. If you understood those historical heresies, you'll begin to understand TBN.

6. Church History is full of doctrine, teaching, correction, reproof, encouragement, counsel, and consolation.

7. Hebrews 11 is a “hall of fame” of great men and women of conquering faith---their lives, aspirations, consolations, desperations and victories.

8. The Church Historian must master his sources in primary and secondary sources, including the languages to read those sources. (Greek, Latin, Hebrew, French, and German).

9. The Church Historian must edit, arrange, and compose his work. Schaff says, “Brevity is a virtue in the historian, unless it makes him obscure and enigmatic.” He must be readable, interesting and conversational. It must be accessible to a layman. This cannot be stressed too strongly.

10. Apostolic Church: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

11. Greek Historians: Eusebius, Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret, Theodorus, Evagrius, Nicephorus Callisti.

12. Roman Church: Cassiodorus, Gregory of Tours, Venerable Bede, Paulus Diaconus, Adam of Bremen, Anastasius, Laurentius Valla, Nicolaus Cusa, Baronius, and others.

13. German Romanist Historians: Leopold von Stolberg, Keterkap, Hefele, Gfrorer, and Dollinger. Of the latter, an opponent of Papal infallibility at Vatican One, it was said: “He knows too much of church history to believe in the infallibility of the Pope.”

14. Protestant Church Historians: Schaff, von Ranke, the Parker Society series of English Reformers, Matthias Lacius, J.H. Hottinger, Frederick Spanheim, Gottfried Arnold, J.L. Mosheim, H.P. Henke, August Neander, J.C.L. Giesler, F.C. Baur, Rudolph Hagenbach, Adolph von Harnack, Merle D’Aubigne, Ernest Renan, James Roberton, Charles Hardwick, Archbishop Trench, Dean Milman of St. Paul’s, Archdeacon Farrar of Westminster, Dean Stanley of Westminster Abbey, Henry Smith of Union, and W.G.T. Shedd.

15. TBN, Pentecostals, Arminians, Liberals, Emergents, and Contemporary Evangelicals. Do they have or appreciate history? Will you find it on TBN? What about Confessions, liturgies, hymns, and the great writers of the past?

16. We realize working fathers and mothers changing diapers do not have time for research and reading. However, for TBN with its resources? What excuses might be offered? Or Christian radio? The real truth is that TBN is full of panderers, profiteers, and pimps rather than teachers. And Pastors should be constantly working exegetics, systematics, and church history. A part of that recovery would be a return to the Dutch practice of an evening service with expositions of the Confession or Catechism. Another part of recovery would be the singing of Psalms. Another part of the recovery would be to teach church history in Sunday Schools. Another would be the use of the good old Anglican Book of Common Prayer. The problem with TBN and Pentecostals, as many others, is that they have no historical consciousness---of history, confessions, theologians, writers, liturgies or hymns.

For Paul Crouch, the cleric from the Assemblies of God, doctrine is "doo doo."