"Forerunners of the Faith Manual" (Nathan Busenitz)

TITLE: Forerunners of the Faith: 13 Lessons to Understand and Appreciate the Basics of Church History
AUTHOR: Nathan Busenitz
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2020, (112 pages).

The great Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once said: "Life is lived forward but understood backwards." In trying to make sense of history, we are in effect trying to understand the meaning and significance of how past events have impacted or are still influencing our modern world. As a kid, history is one of those subjects that tend to be old and boring. Who wants to study the past when the future is so much more exciting? Once we get older, we realize that many things that we are trying to solve in the present have happened before in the past. In fact, the more we know of the past, the better we are able to plan for the future. With regard to faith, it is no different. In this survey of Church History, Church Age, or some might prefer to call it the History of Christianity, author and professor Busenitz divides post-Resurrection age in four periods:

1. The Apostolic Age (1st Century)
2. The Patristic Age (2nd-5th Centuries)
3. The Middle Age (6th-15th Centuries)
4. The Reformation and Modern Period (16th-20th Centuries)

These 13 lessons help us appreciate the paths of Christianity beginning with the WORD of God that is the foundation of the pillar of faith; followed by the WORK of God as the faith spreads and develops in many regions of the world. The WORSHIP of God is the ultimate goal of the Church. This book is a companion manual or workbook for students to maximize their study and discussion of these 13 lessons. Students can follow through this workbook along with lectures that could be downloaded from www.tms.edu/forerunners. The three goals of the book are:

1. To know some of the key figures and Church events
2. To understand the historical framework
3. To learn about the Christian faith in terms of how God deals with past generations.

Some of the features include "fill in the blanks" sections; spaces for one to write down pointers; discussion questions; recommended readings; etc. 

My Thoughts

Those who have studied Church History before would appreciate the clear and concise framework put forth by the author. Aided by creative diagrams and pointers, I find the teaching very clear. Busenitz is very economic with his descriptions, making this book a quick reference guide rather than an encyclopedia of words. The way to use the book effectively is to first listen to the lectures on the website. This is a creative way to teach, that utilizes the modern technological tools we have and the ubiquitous availability of the Internet. In the past, we would have a textbook with a companion workbook. Here, instead of a textbook, we have the audio-visual resources available on the website as a form of independent e-learning. The workbook could be used to prompt us to listen more carefully to the lectures. This might not benefit those who are simply rushing for time or trying to speed through the contents. Perhaps, the way to use this would be in a small group setting. It can be used for churches Sunday School too. 

Has the author accomplished his objectives? With regard to the key figures, it is definitely yes. He introduces us to huge figures such as Athanasius, Clement, Igatius, Polycarp, Tertullian, Irenaeus, Augustine, Chrysostom, as well as major church councils. He recognizes the impact of the schisms and lists the key figures in the pre and post Reformation as well. Some of the more recent figures include William Carey, Adoniram Judson, Hudson Taylor, Charles Hodge, and the rise of the modern evangelicals. The historical framework definitely helps in understanding the contexts of the respective movements. Things do not simply happen in a vacuum. Busenitz gives us both the contexts and the period to help us see why the figures rise to the challenge in their generation. In doing so, we are challenged to seek God on our own contexts and how we can be witnesses for Jesus. These people are definitely "forerunners" of the faith due to their impact to the formation of the Church. 

I would caution anyone who is new to Church history to use this book as the only text. They need to check out the website and listen to the lectures. That too is not sufficient. We need to use the lectures, the website, and this book as primers to launch us into a deeper study of Church history. After all, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, etc cannot be reduced to a simple paragraph or a "fill in the blanks" statement. What this book does well is to introduce us to the awareness of such figures and the periods of Church historical development. The rest is really up to us to discover more of the rich history. Welcome to Church history! 

Book Resource Link: Forerunners of the Faith

Dr. Nathan Busenitz serves as Dean of Faculty and Associate Professor of Theology at The Master’s Seminary, in Los Angeles, California. He has previously served as a member of the pastoral staff at Grace Community Church.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Moody Publishers and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.