Why Church History Matters with Dr. Matthew Bingham | Deep Roots Podcast Ep 2

[@HearGodsWord]

Thanks for addressing topic of Church history. Gives some helpful context to understand how Christianity has interacted and influenced the world.

[@alistairmchaffie3897]

Great to see you, Tim, it's been a long time! We were at Oak Hill when Rudi Heinz taught Church History, and he almost always ended his lectures with something like ... "That was then, but here's where we see it in the church today." He nearly always linked the church past with the church present. That's why I found Church History relevant and helpful at Oak Hill.

[@oakhilllondon]

Hi Alistair! Great to hear from you. I remember those lectures with Rudi very fondly. Sometimes that feels like a hundred years ago, especially when quite a few of the students who are here now weren't born when you and I studied here. - Tim

[@anthonyagbobu6735]

THIS WAS A HELPFUL PODCAST, PARTICULARLY THE DISCUSSIONS AROUND THE REFERENCE BOOKS. I DO FEEL THOUGH THAT THE WESTERN MIND LIMITS ITSELF TO WESTERN HISTORY MAYBE PERHAPS BECAUSE MUCH OF THIS IS DOCUMENTED, BUT ALL THE APOSTLES AND CHRSIT HIMSELF WERE MIDDLE EASTERN AND FROM COMLETELY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS - WHO ALSO WROTE FANTASTICALLY, I.E. THE BIBLE. MUCH OF THE WRITINGS IN THE SCRIPTURE EVEN THE OLD TESTAMENT RESONATE WITH ME AS SOMEONE BORN IN AFRICA AND WHO UNDERSTANDS SOME OF THESE CULTURAL ANCIENT JEWISH PRACTICES. ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE PRACTICE, WHAT WE THINK IN OUR HEARTS CONCERNING OTHERS AND HOW WE TREAT THEM IS THE MOST ACCURATE REFLECTION OF OUR WALK WITH GOD THAN ANYTHING A MAN CAN WRITE EXTRA-BIBLICALLY. THE BOOK OF OUR LIVES IS IN 'THE BOOK OF LIFE' OPENED UP FOR EACH ONE OF US BY GOD HIMSELF, SO OUR LIVES ARE THE BOOK BY WHICH WE ARE 'JUDGED' BUT NOT CONDEMNED AS BELIEVERS IN THE LORD. I THINK WE WOULD DO WELL IN HAVING MORE TAUGHT EXAMPLES OF TRUE CHRISTIAN PRACTICE THROUGHOUT HISTORY FROM A WIDER POOL OF BELIEVERS BEYOND THE SHORES OF EUROPE.

[@ericortlund1476]

Thank you, Anthony, that's a good point. While we try to be aware of our own history in this country, as you say, the church is a lot bigger! We'll keep this in mind in the future. Thanks for listening!