In differing ways, both the 16th Century Reformation and the 19th Century Oxford Movement represented a systematic attempt to return to the vision of the NT or apostolic church… the church of today needs to be constantly challenged and nourished by returning to its roots in the apostolic era. This is no historical romanticism, based on the belief that things were better in the past then they are now.
Rather, it is the realization that the church needs to be reminded of its reason for being there in the first place, if it is ever to regain its sense of mission and purpose in the world… At first glance, this respect for roots might seem to be a recipe for a reactionary mind-set, encouraging unoriginality and the stifling of creativity… [but] commitment to a tradition is not equivalent to an encrusted dogmatism, a denial of the freedom to think, or of the importance of creativity. To take Scripture seriously is to allow the past to speak to us. Alister McGrath (Reclaiming the Bible for the Church 1995)
The only part of the Bible you and I believe is the part we obey. We need to return to the actual practice of the New Testament church — not cultural, but practice.
Gretchen Gaebelein Hull ("Empowered to Serve" 1995)
One reply on “Western Christianity has been deeply affected by this concern for roots.”
Good words! The New Testament pattern for church life is critical to the priesthood of every believer. The modern church stiffles the priesthood of every believer with its dependence on superstar, CEO type leaders, buildings, budgets, denominations and programs.
As long as there is a hierarchical type leadership structure in place with paid professionals at the top, the priesthood of every believer will never be taken seriously in the church. And as long as the priesthood of every believer is stiffled, the power of the Holy Spirit will be stiffled. There is simply no need for the Holy Spirit in the modern church. Growth is in large part the product of transfer growth because program oriented churches attrached consumer oriented church shoppers. Gone are the days of signs, wonders, miracles and spiritual gifts in the modern church.
Brent