My second publication hit shelves just yesterday. It is another contribution to the excellent FLEX series by 21st Century Christian publishers. The idea behind FLEX is that they could offer a variety of quality Bible studies that are available at any time, and not only at a particular quarter (which is how most curriculum is produced and rotated).This one is called Watershed Moments: Pivotal Points in Church History. I tried to make a very basic collection of highlights that would be good material for discussion in Bible classes. I also have written from a Restorationist perspective. As many of our churches have historical amnesia to an extent, but are likewise suspicious of denominational literature, I hope this will give them a more comfortable way to encounter believers of the past. The material is about 1/3 pre-Reformation, 1/3 Reformation, and 1/3 Restoration Movement. It is by no means an exhaustive study of church history, but it would make a great first step if you are curious about it, but don't know where to begin.
They are priced so that you could teach it at church, and be able to afford a copy for everyone in your class. You can check out a free sample of a chapter, or purchase the book here.
Congrats Mark. I'm back in Memphis Aug.8-13 for Restoration History. My last class.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, Bob! That was a favorite class of mine. I had Robinson, and it was a very transformative experience.
ReplyDeleteOne of the texts is by Richard Hughes. I must say his book was an eye-opening experience.
ReplyDeleteOne of Hughes' books, Reviving the Ancient Faith, actually quotes my grandfather out of context. I hate for him to have been immortalized incorrectly, but that appears to be the case. Good luck with the class!
ReplyDeleteWho is your grandfather? and where is the quote? I would be most interested in reading that again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book. It arrived today.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather is John M Adams. He was speaking at the FHU lectureship about liberal higher biblical criticism coming from German theologians. Hughes was talking about our anti-intellectual bias in churches of Christ. He did not quote him incorrectly, but he didn't represent his feelings accurately. He was looking for a straw man guy for his argument that "We don't like academia." My grandfather holds numerous degrees, and has dedicated the greater part of his life to Christian education, helping to launch a school in Nashville. No one has been pushing me more to get my doctorate than my grandfather. He loves education; he just doesn't love false teaching. This is why he was misquoted. He wasn't arguing that we shouldn't be intellectuals; just that we shouldn't cast our lot with Bultmann.
See page 331 for the quote. He puts him right by Contending for the Faith, which is rather unfortunate, as he's nothing like those guys.
Mark, thanks for the info. I hope I can meet your grandfather some time. Sounds like quite a guy.
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