Why Church History Matters

Foreword
Abbreviations
Introduction
Part One: How We Understand The Tradition
1. What Is The Tradition?
2. How Have We Understood Tradition Historically?
3. How Do We Understand The Tradition Today?

Part Two: Expanding Circles Of Inquiry
4. Who Am I? History And Christian Identity
5. A Great Cloud Of Witnesses: Christian Community Across The Centuries
6. Accountability Partners: Sharing Accountability With Historic Christians
7. Mentors And Friends: Historic Christians Broaden Our Horizons And Fill Gaps In Our Understanding

Part Three: Tradition Serving The Church
8. Rightly Dividing The Word Of Truth: Christian Exegesis Across The Centuries
9. Tradition And Ministry Celebrate The Body Of Christ

Recommended Resources For Ministry

Additional Info
Does it matter how Christians in other times and places thought? If the Bible alone is God’s revelation, why spend time studying the history? Aren’t history and tradition more a problem than a solution? For many Christians who believe the Bible is the only ultimate authority for faith and life, questions about the role and value of the church’s traditions can be difficult to tackle. But let’s be honest: even those of us who admit that church history is important are often too intimidated or busy to delve into it deeply. And for students, it’s sometimes difficult to see how church history matters in practical ways for future vocations inside and outside the the contemporary church. In this wide-ranging book, veteran teacher Bob Rea tackles these barriers to understanding and embracing the signifiance of the faith and practice of our spiritual forebears. Rea not only skillfully explains why church history matters — he shows why it should matter to you.