Understanding church history is vital for all Christians for several reasons:
1. It helps us learn from the mistakes and successes of previous generations of believers. As the saying goes, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Studying church history allows us to see where the church thrived and where it went astray. We can learn from the courage and faithfulness of Christian martyrs and heroes of the faith. But we can also learn from times when the church compromised its beliefs or behaved in unchristian ways, like supporting slavery or persecuting heretics. Knowing this history helps us avoid similar pitfalls today.
2. Church history gives us perspective. When we’re discouraged about the state of the church today, studying the highs and lows of the past reminds us that Christianity has flourished despite persecution and hardship. Times of decline are usually followed by renewal and revival. God remains faithful through it all. As Psalm 102:12 says, “But you, O Lord, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations.”
3. Studying church history helps us understand where many of today’s denominations and theological debates originated. Current divisions over issues like spiritual gifts, baptism, and church government echo controversies faced by believers centuries ago. By studying the origins of these traditions, we can better understand their biblical basis and discern which views align closest with Scripture.
4. Examining the lives of past Christians can inspire our own faith. Reading about courageous reformers like Martin Luther, passionate evangelists like John Wesley, or brilliant apologists like G.K. Chesterton challenges us to pursue Christ with similar boldness and devotion. Their examples spur us to deeper Bible study, prayer, and service.
5. Church history allows us to see the “big picture” of Christianity rather than limiting our perspective to only what’s happening in the church today. Christianity is a global, 2,000-year-old faith practiced by believers from every tribe and language. Studying the worldwide church throughout the centuries gives us an awe-inspiring view of how sovereignly God has built his kingdom.
6. Understanding church history helps us grasp how the Holy Spirit has illuminated the truth in Scripture over time. While the Bible never changes, its meaning and application have become clearer to believers as they study its pages generation after generation. We stand on the shoulders of those who’ve gone before us.
7. Learning church history makes us more grateful for the heroes of faith who preserved the gospel for us today. From early church fathers who resisted heresy to Reformers who gave us Scripture in our own language, we owe a debt to those who protected sound doctrine and copied the Word of God faithfully and meticulously by hand up until the printing press. Their sacrifices enable us to hear the good news freely.
8. Studying the sweeping story of Christianity gives us hope. Despite periods of corruption and persecution, the church persists. As Christ promised, the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). God is sovereign over human affairs, working all things for the growth of his kingdom. Reflecting on the unstoppable advance of God’s purposes over centuries gives us confidence in his plans for the future.
9. Church history provides us with godly mentors and models of Christian character. By reading the biographies of giants of the faith who lived in different eras and cultures, we’re exposed to saints whose love for Christ transformed their entire outlook on life. Their examples prod us to live more wholeheartedly for God’s glory.
10. Understanding church history humbles us by showing us that we’re part of something much bigger than ourselves or our individual congregations. It’s easy to have a myopic view, thinking our specific place and time in the kingdom of God is most important. But God’s purposes span the centuries. We’re all members of the worldwide, transgenerational Body of Christ.
In summary, studying church history helps us learn from the past, gain perspective for the present, grasp where we’ve come from theologically, be inspired by great lives of faith, see the “big picture” of God’s work in the world, appreciate those who preserved the gospel for us, gain hope for the future, find mentors and models for Christlike living, and humble ourselves as part of God’s story throughout the ages. When we’re rooted in church history, we’re rooted in the providence of God.
Here are some key figures and events from church history that illustrate its importance:
– The early church fathers (100-500 AD) – Their writings help us understand early church practices and doctrines. Key figures include Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Augustine.
– The ecumenical councils (300s-700s AD) – These gatherings confronted early heresies like Arianism. They produced the Nicene Creed and affirmed core doctrines like the Trinity and the hypostatic union of Christ.
– John Wycliffe and the Lollards (1300s-1400s) – Wycliffe translated the Bible into English and questioned Catholic practices. The Lollard movement carried on his calls for reform.
– Jan Hus (1369-1415) – Hus criticized Catholic corruption and affirmed the authority of Scripture. He was burned at the stake for heresy.
– William Tyndale (1494-1536) – Tyndale’s English Bible improved on Wycliffe and laid the foundations of early modern English. He was martyred for his work.
– The Protestant Reformation (1500s) – Reformers like Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin protested false doctrines, sparking the Reformation. Key issues included justification by faith alone.
– The Catholic Counter-Reformation (1500s) – The Council of Trent responded to the Reformation, launching the Counter-Reformation to reassert Catholic doctrine and power.
– The Puritans and Pilgrims (1600s) – These English Protestants sought biblical purity in religion. Many fled to America, laying the roots of the First Great Awakening.
– George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards (early 1700s) – Their preaching fueled the First Great Awakening revival in Britain and colonial America.
– John and Charles Wesley (1700s) – The Wesley brothers founded Methodism, pioneering open-air preaching and hymn-singing to spread the gospel across Britain.
– William Carey and the modern missionary movement (late 1700s) – Carey’s work in India birthed the modern missionary era. His circle promoted gospel-spreading societies.
– The Holiness movement (1800s) – Holiness groups taught the possibility of moral perfection. Key figures included Charles Finney and Phoebe Palmer.
– Fundamentalist-modernist controversy (early 1900s) – Out of this divide between traditionalists and modernizers, fundamentalism emerged as a distinct movement.
– Azusa Street Revival (1900s) – This multi-racial Los Angeles revival birthed global Pentecostalism.
– Vatican II (1960s) – This council modernized the Catholic Church, allowing contemporary worship forms and emphasis on personal religious experience.
– Explosion of Christianity in the Global South (1900s-today) – Pentecostalism, revivalism, and evangelicalism have mushroomed across Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
This whirlwind tour demonstrates the diversity of church history and themes of change versus continuity across the centuries. God remains at work through fallible human agents in every age to build his church.
When studying church history, we must be discerning. Just because something happened does not mean it was good or in line with Scripture. We must evaluate based on biblical teaching. At the same time, we should avoid chronological snobbery, thinking our age has everything right in contrast to benighted previous generations. Appreciating church history requires humility and wisdom in equal measure.
In addition to studying people and events, it’s helpful to read primary sources from different eras like creeds, catechisms, theological writings, and sermons. This immerses us into the ways people thought and worshipped in other times and places. We come to appreciate the richness of our Christian heritage.
Studying church history does not mean uncritically glorifying every person or tradition from the past. It requires biblical discernment. But a knowledge of our shared story allows today’s believers to learn from those who’ve gone before us, gain perspective on our place in God’s eternal purposes, and bring greater unity to the worldwide Body of Christ across time.