The Work of Shepherds (6)

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15.4

Christianity and Liberalism
J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)
“When it is once admitted that a body of facts lies at the basis of the Christian religion, the efforts which past generations have made toward the classification of the facts will have to be treated with respect. In no branch of science would there be any real advance if every generation started fresh with no dependence upon what past generations have achieved. Yet in theology, vituperation of the past seems to be thought essential to progress.”

Machen’s complaint was against liberal theologians, who dismissed the history of Christian doctrine and worked to recast all of Christianity into, first, a modernist, then, after Machen’s day, an existentialist mode. Now the fashion among many Christians is to dismiss the past contributions of our Christian forebears and to fit the faith into a postmodernist mindset, where relativism, individualism, and tribalism define the terms of belief and practice. Paul insisted that the teaching of our forebears should be heeded, and we need the doctrinal work of those who have preceded us to understand the Scriptures aright. To neglect or dismiss the history of theology is as grave an error in our day as it was in Machen’s.

But this means that shepherds have a duty to keep in touch with sound instruction from the past. How do you do this, to improve your walk with and work for the Lord?

The Celtic Revival
We have much to learn from our forebears in the faith. One of the most overlooked periods of the Christian movement is that great revival of true religion which began with Patrick and extended through the eighth century – nearly 400 years of vibrant faith, witness, and transforming power. We’ve prepared a brief introduction to the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD), and you can have a copy by writing to John Nunnikhoven at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Request The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations from J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1923, 1974).