Why is it that churches hardly ever talk about the history of Christianity and the bible?!?

Question

I think everyone will agree that history is important. It helps us understand what shapes us and what is in store for the future. Anyways, I went to church growing (Southern Baptist) up but I no longer do (I'm agnostic). One thing Ive always noticed is that the church never talks about its history. For example, when each book was written, what was going on at the time each book was written, how many of the authors actually met Jesus, why books were and were not included..etc.! This is even more true when learning about the Old Testament. Does anyone else find this strange and worrying?

Answer 1

In my Protestant church (Anglican) bible study for teenagers and adults often included recommendations for reading books on church history for those interested in the subject.



I take it the Southern Baptists think only pastors need to know church and bible history?



Or at least the ones in the church where you grew up in?



Your ministry team should have helped you access commentaries and biblical history books and any decent commentary should have at least a brief section in the intro on the history and background of the particular book it focuses on!



I understand your need to verify the Bible as a text does have a history and is not just fiction.



Did you know Eusebius' famous history of the early church has several chapters on text authenticity?



I find it worrisome your bible studies teacher never mentioned books from IVP or Zondervan or other authors.

Answer 2

I'm a pastor, and I wish I had an entire congregation of folks like you!



I agree that too little of the history of the church, discussion over doctrine, etc, is available. But I also agree that the pulpit is not the place to discuss it. First and foremost, the pulpit is a place for proclamation. (even THAT, is a doctrinal assertion, and ought to be explained in discussed in some forum). That does not mean that there cannot be education from the pulpit, but typically the distinction is made that only history, doctrine, etc, is taught from the pulpit insofar as it highlights the proclamation of that day. Secondly, the pulpit is a one-sided forum which obviously means that true discussion is contrary to the format.



The classroom is the place for this sort of study. I LOVE teaching. I use history, original language, doctrine all over the place in my classes. Some love it. For a few, it is over their heads, but I cannot in good conscience teach every time to the lowest common denominator.



You are obviously a bright person of faith who has questions and you will be shocked how your faith can grow with delving into these matters. There are plenty of pastors equal to the challange of working with you on this. Granted, some pastors are simply not up for this. They might be riveting preachers or excellent pastoral care givers or brilliant at running programs, but they simply do not have the disposition or interest or capability. Look around, call the church body's district office. They know their pastors and can refer you to a congregation that will help your faith grow.



For further discussion, feel free to email me at [e-mail]

Answer 3

You base all those sour grapes on one church you went to growing up...



News flash :~ There are more than one



I learned all those very things in my church...

"when each book was written, what was going on at the time each

book was written, how many of the authors actually met Jesus, why

books were and were not included..etc"



And now as an "agnostic" -- you're the expert on what "churches" talk about?

Which "churches" do you you mean? All of them? Half?

The churches who currently teach the 70 million Christians in China?



So tell me ... how have you "always noticed" this problem in your absence?

I think you're just another whingeing antichrist puppet. The information you

lack is readily available... how is that "strange and worrying? Try reading.

Answer 4

Because they are striving so hard to ignore the evidence of that history!!



Academia states that in the absence of proof of the existence of something it must be deemed not to exist until verifiable proof is found - thus god is held not to exist pending some sort of verifiable evidence.



There is not one single mention of Jesus in the entire Roman record - that is right - not one!!! At the same time as he was supposed to have been around there were a number of Jews claiming to be the messiah - all of whom are well recorded!!



There is not a single contemporary record from any source and even the bible mentions of him like all other references were not written until many years after his supposed death!!



He was supposed to have been a huge problem to the Romans and produced wonderful miracles but still not one contemporary record?



Even the bible mentions of him like all other references were not written until many years after his supposed death!!



Pilate is recorded in the Roman record as a somewhat lack luster man but no mention of a Jesus, a trial or crucifixion that would surely have been used to make him look brighter!!



At best he was an amalgam of those others!!



The Roman Emperor Constantine produced the bible and he was a pagan not god!!! He also organized Christianity into the Holly Roman Catholic Church!! Not in Israel or any of the countries of supposed origin but entirely ITALIAN!!



Not one word of it is contemporary with the period and was not written until several hundred years after the period the story is set in!! How did the apostles write their books more than a hundred years after they would have been dead?



What a wonder full disinformation and deception campaign he waged against his Christian enemies - so good in fact that Christians are still following the deception to this day!!!



The first person to provide a shred of verifiable evidence for God will become world famous and mega rich!! Ain't happened yet and it never will!!



So how does this primitive belief survive? The answer is simple and very down to Earth!!



Acceptance of a supernatural claim tends to promote cooperative social relationships. This communication demonstrates a willingness to accept, without skepticism, the influence of the speaker in a way similar to a child's acceptance of the influence of a parent. By encouraging this kind of behavior where the most intense social relationships occur it facilitates the lack of skepticism and deters more open minded thinking.



They are christian, Muslim or the other religions depending where they were born simply because they were indoctrinated by their parents as very young children. They will go on to indoctrinate their own children and those will go on to indoctrinate their grandchildren!!



Atheists have the intellect to see through the conditioning and escape into the real world!!



Agnostics have the intellect to see through the conditioning but lack the courage to throw of the conditioning entirely.



Sadly Christians are still held firmly prisoner by the self perpetuating brainwashing!!

Answer 5

Because if they did, they would have to admit that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, but at some time in the spring. And that Christmas is actually based on the Pagan holiday of winter solstice. Also, that there were many books written thousands of years before the Bible was supposed to have taken place that all have the same story line but with different characters.



I don't find it strange, nor do I worry. I have come to realize that it is all lies to make us fear some all-knowing, all-seeing entity that decides what happens to us when we die. I do not need fear to make me a good person. I chose to be one on my own.



If you look back in history, many different ethnicities were enslaved by those who said that they were doing God's work. What type of God would tell us that one skin color or religion or gender, or social status is better than another? The Nazis, Klu Klux Klan, and White Supremists all claim to be doing what the Bible says is right. If that is what your Bible teaches you, then I will pass...thank you very much

Answer 6

I agree that studying church history is important and can give us new insight. It is one of the reasons I am Catholic. I figured I wanted to be part of the church that believed the same as the early Christians. That is why I have being studying the history to examine what it is the early Christians believed. It turns out they were very Catholic, having believed in the Eucharist and many other Catholic doctrines. There are many historical 'doctors' of the church like St. Augustine who paved the theology of the church.

Answer 7

no. that's just because the church you went to wasn't a good church. it was probably a 'seeker friendly' church that focused more on bringing people in and making them feel good rather than telling them the truth and exposing their sin. i attend a Christian church a few times a week (not that my attendance wins me anything) but just about every single time -with whatever book they're teaching out of- i hear the historical background and get a very clear picture of what was going on when this book was written. The teaching is very clear on how the authors interacted with Jesus, and when the book was written. p.s. every sermon is available for free download on www.gty.org under resources if you'd like to hear some real truth

Answer 8

It's a good idea, but it just isn't practical. While some of that is usually explored during sermons, there isn't enough time in the day to go deeply into the history behind each book, the context in which it was written, and the role these things played in the development of the church. There are scholars and such who spend their entire lives studying these things because there is just so much to study. I think the only solutions are to offer classes on these things outside of church time or just pass out books about the history of Christianity and the Bible to churchgoers and hope they find some time to read these books when they aren't working and taking care of their families.

Answer 9

I won't mention the name of the church, but one church that I attend does do this now and then. Especially when talking about doctrine or church policy. When people ask why the church doesn't accept certain doctrines, they point to the past where some churches did horrific things with certain powers. They have often pointed out the faults of cults and one sermon I attended even mentioned a bad period in that churches history when it started acting like a cult. They used to allow one person to have full control of the church. Later on they learned from that mistake and currently no one person has authority in the church.

Answer 10

The church I go to is a Calvary Chapel, the pastor does talk about about what was going on at the time so we can understand the context of the text. If your worried about it, there are several commentaries available and many Bibles have information about the men who penned the text (God is the author, the writer was inspired by Him), the time period, etc.

The information is available if you truly want to learn about it.

Answer 11

Well, they'd have a problem there, because the Bible they use today is unlike the original Bible (the codex sinaiticus).



They'd have to talk about the Lost Gospels - the 60 Gospels that were not included in the original Bible because the Church didn't like the contradictions they raised.



They'd have to talk about the Druid genocide and the Jewish Diasporas the Church ordered.



And that would likely make their congregations realize that the Bible is not inerrant, as they maintain, and the Church leaders don't have any more of a clue what's going on that you and I do.

Answer 12

there is not a respected be conscious in the Bible for the reason that is a decision of allegories, not first-hand bills. What replaced into written in the Bible are recycled, interpolated fables supplied as abstracts of spirituality and weren't in any respect meant to be perceived as fact. Of all the verses in the Bible, not one is unique. it is all an expounded blathering of glaring rhetoric earlier written or spoken via a hodge-podge of cultures that must be rather concluded with out lots extreme thinking. With that being pronounced and the age of the Bible, it is going to likely be thoroughly out of date in a hundred years or much less.

Answer 13

Well I'm a Christian and when they teach in church its about the Scriptures they talk on mainly. But background and history will normally come in cause they make a big part in the study. Example, we know Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience hence the reason why he doesn't say the kingdom of God much cause knows the Jews hold God's name very sacred so he uses the kingdom of Heaven.

Answer 14

I certainly did this when I went to Seminary, and when I preach, I will often bring up some of this history to help with understanding what is going on. However, I was also told in school that we were not supposed to "teach" when we preach. I have always thought that there are few places that one can learn one's faith outside of Sunday School unless you go to university to study Theology, or perhaps a Bible College - but few do. So, I do do it, but many do not.

Answer 15

well i agree that history is extremely important, but not all "churches" don't talk about history. It depends on the preacher and his knowledge./? I took a history course on the bible. I can't believe how much history the true faith has. if you want to listen to history, listen to Professor Scott Hahn. he knows all about the bible. he had some audio tapes/CDs out there

Answer 16

Nope.



Come join my Sunday School class! We just finished three months worth of talking about the Bible, its origins, its authors, the process of its transmission, the archaeology and history that supports its account, its canon, its prophetic claims and how they were fulfilled, etc.



I think you're generalizing a little. Not every church is like the church you went to.



By the way, my church is also Southern Baptist.



Your question implies that there is a problem with the accuracy of scripture, however. I can assure you that if you'll investigate the Bible in as unbiased a manner as possible, you will not come away disappointed.

Answer 17

This is something we would look into on our own time. The true Church isn't interested in the history of mankind or philosophies and pop-psychology of man, but we bask in knowing the infallible and sufficient Word of God is perfect and God-breathed. We don't need a new revelation of history, facts and figures, we need a new revelation of the majesty of God and His supernatural working power and love through His people, the Body of Christ. We are the light of the world, not history.

Answer 18

It must have been your particular assembly... I go to a southern baptist church and that is precisely the way the bible is taught.

Answer 19

I was surprised when I first realized some of the facts involved with the Bible`s history.

I think many church leaders really don`t know the facts, or they don't want to tell it as it would cause the credibility of the Bible to come into question.

Answer 20

Bible study & church history are academic subjects, available at most universities.

If you attended a Catholic Church, you'd probably get a good education over time.

Answer 21

they never talk about it, because it is filled with tales of violence, war, slavery, biological warfare, manifest destiny, Cesare Borgia, deceitfulness, idoltry, and they know the Bible is a book pertaining to Jacob. When it comes to the times of peril it will be Jacob's trouble. Study

Answer 22

I agree, I think there should be at least some history included. To include the bumps in the road too

Answer 23

Well, I'm an evangelical, which means I accept the Word of God, and only that. If it's not written in the Bible, I don't buy it.

Answer 24

If your church doesn't, find another church. We have an open discussion every Wednesday night.

Answer 25

Because the "Free" Masons / Illuminati / Satan's Secret society has covertly entered the Christian church suppressing the truth?

Answer 26

interesting...but also makes sense.



why do ppl go to church? to make frds, to hear encouragements, to receive comforts

when ppl lose their job, broke up from a relationship, ran away from home, Church is a one place sanctuary for them.



do you think it will help them to hear lectures about history when their life is so down?

Answer 27

That's Theology, we do not go to Church every day to be taught Calvinism and how a king formed his own church, we go to have our souls saved

Answer 28

Ever heard the history of religions? It's not pretty in any form of pretty whatsoever. Many people have been killed in the "Name of God"

Answer 29

It's the reason I don't go to church. I got tired of asking questions and not getting answers, or being made to feel ashamed for wanting to know more.

Answer 30

The Church you are referring to does not teach the Word correctly - we are to learn Book by Book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse and word by word, including what was happening when each apart was being written

Answer 31

To be versed in history is to cease to be Protestant. ... It's about being intellectually honest - to oneself and to God.

Answer 32

Simply "because no church can tolerate a close scrutiny of its origins!" -- Sterling McMurin, University of Utah.

Answer 33

If you weren't stupid, you'd know there are books published by religions that cover that.

Answer 34

A professor of mine used to say, "If you want to keep your power, keep the people stupid."



If I were making money of of gullible people and something came up that was inconvenient and exposed the fallacies and hypocrisy of my religion I'd hide it too.

Answer 35

I don;t find it "strange and worrying" at all. I don't know of any history class where the textbook is examined at all.

Answer 36

some do

Answer 37

Because they don't like admitting that there is no evidence for Christ's existence.