Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices

by Frank Viola

This book traces the historical roots of Protestant church practices and asks if the modern-way of doing church is a departure or a development from what Jesus and the apostles taught. A recent interview where the authors (George Barna and Frank Viola) answer objections and challenges: http://frankviola.org/2012/06/04/geor...http://frankviola.org/2012/06/04/geor...

This book isn't to be read alone, but is to be read with the constructive sequel, REIMAGINING CHURCH. The official website with author Q & A is http://www.PaganChristianity.orghttp://www.PaganChristianity.org

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Hardcover, 269 pages

Published February 1st 2008 by Tyndale Momentum (first published 2001)

tags: theology, spirituality, faith, christianity, church, religion, nonfiction, christian living, history, christian

Book Quotes

“El punto que señalamos acerca de Finney se refiere simplemente a que los evangelistas de avivamiento hicieron de la salvación el propósito prioritario de Dios. La salvación se convirtió en algo que cobró vida propia, a menudo aislada de una experiencia cristiana holística, y por lo tanto se llevaron a cabo muchas innovaciones para facilitar la experiencia de conversión, pero no una experiencia cristiana completa. El propósito eterno de Dios no estaba para nada dentro de la perspectiva. En lo que tiene que ver con el pragmatismo moderno, los cristianos deberían determinar por ellos mismos si alguna práctica en particular es del Espíritu Santo o si se trata de una mera ingenuidad humana en operación.”

― Frank Viola

“According to the best available scholarship, here is the order in which they were written:1050 Galatians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Romans Colossians Philemon Ephesians Philippians 1 Timothy Titus 2 Timothy”

― Frank Viola

“We Protestants have replaced some of the grander architectural embellishments with a specific use of music intended to achieve the same end. Consequently, in Protestant circles “good” worship leaders are those who can use music to evoke what other traditions use space to evoke; specifically, a soulish sense of worshipfulness.227 But this is disjointed from everyday life and is inauthentic. Jonathan Edwards rightfully pointed out that emotions are transient and cannot be used to measure one’s relationship with God.228”

― Frank Viola

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” —Socrates”

― Frank Viola

“Because the presbyters were the ones administering the Lord’s Supper, they began to be called priests.560 More startling, the bishop came to be regarded as the high priest who could forgive sins!561 All of these trends obscured the New Testament reality that all believers are priests unto God.”

― Frank Viola

“The social location of the church meeting expresses and influences the character of the church.221”

― Frank Viola

“This does not mean that the knowledge of the world, church history, theology, philosophy, and the Scriptures is without value. Such knowledge can be very useful.[105] But it is not central. Theological competence and a high-voltage intellect alone do not qualify a person to serve in God’s house.”

― Frank Viola

“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the Word of God for profit.” —Paul of Tarsus in 2 Corinthians 2:17, NIV”

― Frank Viola

“In Jesus Christ, you and I have received something far greater than a personal Savior. We have received Jesus Christ’s very own relationship with His Father! According to New Testament teaching, what the Father was to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is to you and me. Because we are now “in Christ,” the Father loves us and treats us just as He does His own Son. In other words, we share and participate in Christ’s perfect relationship with His Father.”

― Frank Viola

“Plato and Aristotle (both disciples of Socrates) are the fathers of contemporary Christian education.1030 To use a biblical metaphor, present-day Christian education, whether it be seminarian or Bible college, is serving food from the wrong tree: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil rather than the tree of life.1031 Contemporary theological learning is essentially cerebral. It can be called “liquid pedagogy.”1032 We pry open people’s heads, pour in a cup or two of information, and close them up again. They have the information, so we mistakenly conclude the job is complete.”

― Frank Viola

Frank Viola

Frank Viola ( - )

Frank Viola author is the bestselling author of God’s Favorite Place on Earth, From Eternity to Here, Jesus Manifesto, Reimagining Church, Jesus Now, and Jesus: A Theography. Rethinking status quo Christianity, Frank Viola has helped thousands of Christians to deepen their relationship to Jesus and experience a more vibrant, authentic expression of church. His blog, Beyond Evangelical, is one of the most popular in Christian circles today, ranking in the top 10 of all Christian blogs on the Web. Viola has written a series of well-read articles called Rethinking. Frank Viola’s message has enabled God’s people to:

Frank’s public speaking covers a wide range of topics including the centrality, supremacy, and all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ, the deepening of the spiritual life, Christian community, church planting, God’s eternal purpose, mission, and church renewal and restoration. Viola has written numerous books on the deeper Christian life and radical church reform, including the bestsellers God’s Favorite Place on Earth, From Eternity to Here, Jesus Manifesto (coauthored with Len Sweet), and Pagan Christianity (co-authored with George Barna) as well as Revise Us Again, Finding Organic Church, Reimagining Church, Jesus Now, and The Untold Story of the New Testament Church.

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