Synopsis
This lesson provides a working definition of church history and gives three reasons why studying the history of this influence is worthwhile:
- It humbles us.
- It gives us hope.
- It grounds us in our identity as Kingdom citizens.
Key Quotes
- "No fact of history is more amazing than that Jesus' influence spread at all." (Kenneth Scott Latourette)
- "The spread of Jesus' influence has been like the tide. Like the tide it has moved forward in waves. Each major wave has been followed by a major recession. But each major wave has set a new high-water mark and each major recession has been less pronounced than its predecessor." (Kenneth Scott Latourette)
- "If you don't know your history, you don't know where you're coming from." (Bob Marley)
Reflection Questions
- What difference does it make to frame church history as "the spread of Jesus' influence" rather than "the spread of Christianity" or "the spread of the church"?
- In the article linked to above, Latourette asks, "Do patterns exist in history?" What would a Christian answer to this question be?
- How is the study of church history personally meaningful to you?
Further Reading
- Kenneth Scott Latourette, "The Christian Understanding of History."
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