On Christian History

It is a funny irony to be a Christian and to dislike history because to be a Christian requires faith in the historic claims of Jesus and his disciples. This ironic situation was a reality for the first few years of my Christian faith. As I went through high school I disliked history and I don’t think I was the only one. In my opinion and experience the topic of history was seldom discussed because its relevance was lost to us (except for one guy who really liked history. But we thought that was weird). Our modern values and our language show us that my little thought and experience is perhaps quite systemic. There is a trend to live for the moment, to be in the present. We use sayings like, “well that’s history”, or, “that’s all in the past now.” I think these little snippets of the zeitgeist are telling.  As Christians we can certainly breathe it in, long and deep, drawn-out breaths, until our blood is infused with historic levels of ambivalence.

What is the answer to this problem? Well just like the answer to most of life’s problems is to eat more vegetables, such is the case in this instance. We must eat more history. And who knows (!) perhaps you’ll even come to like it.

First of all, the Christian faith is historical. It is centred on the historic person of Jesus. It relies upon the eyewitness accounts of his disciples, what they saw and heard and even touched. Our faith is to be the same as their faith and the link between the two is a long line of history.

So what of this long line that connects us to the first disciples? Well that we call church history. Church history is not as important as the historic faith itself. Nevertheless, it is important. But it’s also particularly important in a time of revisionist history, in a time that is very sceptical of history, in a time that intentionally tries to cut itself off from the past to seek its independence – because we are not independent of our past. To be specific, the church is not independent of its past and we must recognise that. We ought to acknowledge the value of our history because our history is a history of faith, conviction, knowledge and discovery from which we can gain all the same from.

To that end let me share some quotes from some very early Christian writers and writings.

Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 150-215) wrote this in his letter to the Corinthians.

“Let us fix our thoughts on the blood of Christ and reflect how precious that blood is in God’s eyes, inasmuch as its outpouring for our salvation has opened the grace of repentance to all mankind.”

In reading these words we get a glimpse of the centrality of Jesus work at the cross for us and our salvation. As much as we say this is true for us now let us remember it has always been the case.

Again, Clement, encouraging the Corinthians in light of the sin of envy, says this,

“Take the noble figures of our own generation. Even the greatest and most virtuous pillars of our church were assailed by envy and jealousy, and had to keep up the struggle till death ended their days. Look at the good apostles. It was by sinful jealousy Peter was subjected to tribulation, not once or twice but many times; it was in that way that he bore his witness, ere he left for his well-earned place in glory. And Paul, because of jealousy and contention, has become the very type of endurance rewarded. He was in bonds seven times, he was exiled, he was stoned… In him we have one of the greatest of all examples of endurance.”

It is an interesting thought that Clement is talking about the apostles within recent history of their lives. I appreciate this little quote from his writings for that very reason.

Another interesting fella was Ignatius of Antioch (A.D 98-117). He was apparently the third Bishop of Antioch after St Peter according to Eusebius. Poor Ignatius (although he wouldn’t see this way) was martyred. His thoughts on martyrdom are quite intense and I think worth quoting just to get a sense of this man’s convictions. He writes to the Roman church,

“For my part, I am writing to all the churches and assuring them that I am truly in earnest about dying for God – if only you yourselves put no obstacles in the way. I must implore you to do me no such untimely kindness; pray leave me to be a meal for the beasts, for it is they who can provide my way to God. I am his wheat, ground fine by the lion’s teeth to be made purest bread for Christ. Better still, insight the creatures to become a Sepulchre for me; let them not leave the smallest scrap of my flesh so that I need not be a burden to anyone after I fall asleep… So intercede with Him for me, that by their instrumentality I may be made a sacrifice to God. However, I am not issuing orders to you as though I were a Peter or a Paul. They were apostles and I am a condemned criminal. They were free men and I am still a slave… For the present, these chains are schooling me to have done with earthly desires… No power, visible or invisible, must grudge me my coming to Jesus Christ. Fire, cross, beast fighting, hacking and quartering, splintering of bone and mangling of limb, even the pulverising of my entire body – let every horrid and diabolical torment come upon me provided only that I can win my way to Jesus Christ!”

What an intense character Ignatius must’ve been! Before we write him off for being insane, we must certainly appreciate his confidence in the Lord Jesus shown through his deep longing to be with him. Nevertheless, his example ought to be tempered in our minds. It’s not recommendable to pursue martyrdom! But his perspective is one we must learn from, “For the present, these chains are schooling me to have done with earthly desires.”

These are just little snippets from the vast array of early Christian writings available. Let me finish with a quote from the Epistle to Diognetus, a letter written around 120-200.

“To put it briefly, the relation of Christians to the world is that of a soul to the body. As the soul is diffused through every part of the body, so Christians through all the cities of the world.”

And we would do well to remember that Christians are also diffused throughout history shaping its course under the will of God to bring many into the kingdom by the power of the gospel, the gospel passed down through the ages themselves. This is the history that you are a part of.