Erskine Seminary
Learning From the Past By Dr. David Smith W
hy study church histo- ry? Some say we should keep the past in the past:
“Wouldn’t it be better to concentrate on the contemporary church or look forward to the future?” Others do not see any relevance for their lives: “Why should people and events from long ago matter to the church today?” gone by: “The Bible already teaches us all we really need to know about God and the church. Why devote time to old debates and worn-out controversies?” So why should we study church history?
Christians should study church history because it is the study of God’s work in the world and in the church throughout the centuries. But it also amounts to understanding and obeying Proverbs 4:7— “The begin- ning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.” God’s Word tells us about God’s work of creation, His governance over his- work is a progressive work, span- ning many generations. We cannot be truly informed Christians apart from studying history in general, and church history in particular, because this is how we study God’s work in the world.
For example, when I was grow- ing up, I had questions about why interpretations of the Bible varied so widely across the religious landscape of America. I encountered differing interpretations in my own family just as I did among friends at school. Learning about the 19th century has helped me to better understand de- velopments in the church and culture in my lifetime. Much of what plagues church today is rooted in the 1800s, a time when Presbyterians, both bib- lically faithful and unfaithful ones,
American Presbyterianism is necessary for a full understanding of American Christianity.
• the development of Protestant Liberal theology • the consistent growth and westward expansion of the United States • the legacy of Jonathan Edwards
• the need for training and evaluation of ministers • slavery and the Civil War • the Industrial Revolution in Europe and North America and the rise of cities • the relationship of the church to the state; the church’s responsibility in society • the relationship of church boards and agencies to faithful Presbyterian polity • the changing role of women in society
We cannot understand the theological and ecclesiastical chal- lenges of our day apart from a knowledge of these 19th-century this century gave rise to challenges and debates that have been unavoidable for 20th- and 21st-century Christians, both as indi- viduals in society and as church members.
If you would like to familiarize yourself with this impor- tant period of church history, I would recommend two works. Seeking a Better Country: 300 Years of American Pres- byterianism by D.G. Hart and John Muether. The second is The American Evangelical Story: A History of the Movement by Douglas A. Sweeney. These books are not focused solely on the 19th cen- tury, but they provide a good overview of the issues and develop- ments of that time and how they have shaped the church.
Dr. David Smith is Adjunct Professor of Historical Theology at Erskine Seminary and pastor of Covenant Fellowship ARP Church in Greensboro, N.C. He is the author of - (Wipf & Stock, 2011). Starting in January 2022, he will be teaching a class in Columbia, S.C., entitled “19th-Century Presbyterian History & Theology,” which will also be available online. For more information regarding this class, contact 864.379.6571 or broome@
erskine.edu.
Learning From the Past
Erskine Theological Seminary 12 The Associate Reformed Presbyterian
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