LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Book Review: Getting to Know
the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction
Submitted to Dr. Edward
Smither, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the
completion of the course
CHHI 520 – B01
Introduction to Seminary
Studies
by
Robert Ortiz Jr.
June 23, 2014
Getting to Know the
Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction. By Bryan M. Litfin. Grand
Rapids: Brazos, 2007, 304 pp., $17.98 paperback.
Getting to Know the Church Fathers by Bryan
M. Litfin is an introductory study of ten influential church Fathers spanning
some five hundred years. The church fathers included in Litfin’s work are seven
Greek fathers: Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons, Origen,
Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Cryil of Alexandria, and three Latin fathers:
Augustine, Tertullian and Perpetua (the only female in the group). Although not
necessarily an exhaustive list it is nonetheless a great primer to Patristic
study; there are certainly other church fathers that could have been included in
this book as very influential and having made huge strides in Christianity.
Bryan M.
Litfin is a Professor of Theology at Moody Bible Institute and holds a Ph.D
from the University of Virginia. In this his first book he seeks to whet the
appetite of those interested
in the study of Patristics and begin to do so with little foreknowledge, he
writes, “For many readers of this book, this
will be your first real encounter with the ancient Christian writers.”[1]
He goes on to state that “most Christians today haven’t met the fathers.”[2]
He then writes to his reader, “I believe you’re missing something valuable.”[3]
Litfin explains what a church Father is, their most
important service to Christianity, and some of the misconceptions about them,
namely, they were non-biblical, they were Roman Catholics, and they represent
the “fall” of Christianity. Litfin provides an easy to read format and includes
a bevy of background information that allows the reader to paint a picture of the
times in which a church Father worked and ministered.
Today there are numerous books that
highlight scripture, ideas, and opinions that afford Christians the opportunity
to delve into various topics with the hope of becoming better followers of
Christ; and sadly Christians are sometimes no different than the world in that
they too want whats “new.” Liftin reminds his readers that there is a wealth of
wisdom to attain from those that have paved the way for future generations to
enjoy their freedom in Christ to its fullest. This review will show that Liftin
has accomplished this task well.
Liftin expresses his strengths in
that in each chapter he uses a heartwarming contemporary account to help
contemporary readers understand the context, theme, and lessons to be learned
from the father he introduces. Within the scope of the chapter he provides
background information so that his readers are able to roundly grasp the state
of affairs surrounding the church father being expounded. He then deals with
the church father and his or her contribution to Christianity. Liftin includes
the issues (politics, heresy, theological concerns) he has had to face, the
obstacles he has had to overcome, and the stark realities of being a follower
of Christ which at times included martyrdom.
Liftin also includes how a church fathers life affects the generations
after him.
At the end of each chapter Liftin provides
four elements to assist the reader in developing further understanding of the
church father, they are: 1. reflections – here Liftin provides his own insight
into the role of the church father and how what he accomplished helps modern
Christians live out their walk with Christ more effectively; 2. provocative
questions – these are meant to allow the reader to think heartily through some
of the issues church fathers dealt with and how the contemporary reader should
deal with or apply any resolutions to his own life; 3. good books to go deeper
– these are publications Liftin feels should help the reader along in creating
a wider knowledge base about the father studied; 4. a taste of – this is
primary source literature that provides the reader an intimate experience of
the church father discussed.
The writing style is very
conversational going so far as to include second person singular / plural form;
perhaps unacceptable in a formal education text, here it seemed to guide the
reader along very comfortably. The use of contractions was something left to be
desired. Liftin could have easily omitted that usage. Liftin provides a map
(not very extensive) and timeline from the founding of Carthage (800BC) to the
End of Rome (500AD), helpful. The Notes
section provides clarity and further information for the reader.
There are
some issues with this work, the likes of which the beginner Patristic learner
could do without. Most notably is the exclusion of key church fathers that
worked tirelessly before, after, or as contemporaries with those studied
herein; these fathers made impactful contributions to church history and
although the ones outlined in Liftin’s book are important some of the others
are important enough and could have been profiled. Clement of Alexandria and
his work on Christian ethics - important teachings of Christ on morality in a
society. Cyprian, who ultimately desired that people be saved and leaders
should lead. And the great Cappadocian church fathers, Basil of Caesarea,
Gregory of Nanzianzus, and Gregory of Nyssa – theologians that were
instrumental in the theology of the Trinity. To keep out fathers like these, without
even a mention, does a great disservice to the beginner Patristic learner.
Liftin could have easily lessened some of the material included in each chapter
or simply added these important church architects, something akin to Drobner’s The Fathers of the
Church: A Comprehensive Introduction (Hendrickson
Publishers, 2007).
Liftin
certainly has no problem sharing his thoughts and position which the beginning
Patristic learning has to chew on carefully. For example, he states (speaking
of Athanasius and his fight against the heretical view of Arianism), “it’s
probably not an exaggeration to say that if it weren’t for his efforts, a
heretical view of the Trinity known as Arianism would have won the day.”[4]
A careful study of Athanasius’ battle against Arianism will show that Arius
(proponent of this view) was systematically changing the religious landscape to
show that Jesus Christ was not divine but a creation of God. In order then to
accept or reject this church father as being instrumental to Christianity one
must study further – a keen way for Liftin to keep the reader moving forward.
The
final analysis for this author is that Liftin provides his reader with a well
thought out, if not somewhat incomplete in some of his research methodology,
easy to read and understand survey of some key church fathers and all that they
brought to the Christian faith. It is a blessing to know that church fathers
(including a woman that would not deny her faith in Jesus Christ and was
martyred) paid a heavy price (martyrdom for many) in order that generations of
Christians can live their lives fully surrendered to God through Jesus Christ
under the power of the Holy Spirit. Liftin’s goal is ultimately to get his
reader interested in church history as it brings with it a wealth of knowledge that
leads to a reverence of God and a clearer understanding of the mandate of
Christ. Liftin says, “I pray you [gain]…an awareness that you’re part of
something much bigger than yourself.”[5]
Liftin
does a wonderful job of engaging his reader and leading him on a journey of
discovery; one filled with necessary study and determined thought because the
church fathers left Christianity with so much to think about, so much to work
with and work on. These, and so many others, have brought to the faith a sense
of urgency in defending the faith, and a sense of urgency in living up to the
standards of God. All this, thankfully, is expressed very keenly in scripture;
the church fathers were able to see it for what it was.
No comments:
Post a Comment