Comments on: Pagan Christianity Reviewed http://www.postkiwi.com/2008/pagan-christianity-reviewed/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pagan-christianity-reviewed Duncan Macleod on Faith and Culture Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:26:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tim Rowland http://www.postkiwi.com/2008/pagan-christianity-reviewed/comment-page-1/#comment-16235 Tim Rowland Sat, 24 Jan 2009 07:43:23 +0000 http://www.postkiwi.com/?p=2054#comment-16235 I like many of the points that you make, I appreciate you taking the time to read and respond to this book. I am still working my way through it, I keep setting it down and grabbing my Bible and some of Viola's claims are outrageous. The idea that the original, NT church was infallible and perfect in some way is not born out in Scripture. The fact that Paul had to write corrections to the churches in Corinth, Galatia, and Thessolonica, are proof positive that human error had crept into the earliest of meetings. As well as the appearance of the first Deacons in response to a snag in the food distribution program for widows, and the Apostles didn't have the time to oversee it. And, forgive me for being simple, but in 1 Corinthians 9, and again in 1 timothy 5:17,18 Paul clearly states the case for elders and teachers to recieve pay for their services. The concept of a paid clergy is by no means a pagan idea, and Paul even uses - Gasp! the OT as a proof text! There are many other points I would make, I just don't want to weigh down your site with too much info. I will say this: The apalling lack of Biblical understanding, or even the twisting of some of the Scriptures is off-putting to me. While there are legitimate problems in our church systems, the answer for Viola is to do away with everything and start back at nothing. Too great a leap, in my opinion, and not one required by the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. Blessings.. I like many of the points that you make, I appreciate you taking the time to read and respond to this book. I am still working my way through it, I keep setting it down and grabbing my Bible and some of Viola’s claims are outrageous.

The idea that the original, NT church was infallible and perfect in some way is not born out in Scripture. The fact that Paul had to write corrections to the churches in Corinth, Galatia, and Thessolonica, are proof positive that human error had crept into the earliest of meetings. As well as the appearance of the first Deacons in response to a snag in the food distribution program for widows, and the Apostles didn’t have the time to oversee it.

And, forgive me for being simple, but in 1 Corinthians 9, and again in 1 timothy 5:17,18 Paul clearly states the case for elders and teachers to recieve pay for their services. The concept of a paid clergy is by no means a pagan idea, and Paul even uses – Gasp! the OT as a proof text!

There are many other points I would make, I just don’t want to weigh down your site with too much info. I will say this: The apalling lack of Biblical understanding, or even the twisting of some of the Scriptures is off-putting to me.

While there are legitimate problems in our church systems, the answer for Viola is to do away with everything and start back at nothing. Too great a leap, in my opinion, and not one required by the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ.

Blessings..

]]> By: Matthew Smith http://www.postkiwi.com/2008/pagan-christianity-reviewed/comment-page-1/#comment-11320 Matthew Smith Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:22:03 +0000 http://www.postkiwi.com/?p=2054#comment-11320 Good review and I liked how you have a 'critiquing the critique' section. It seems like we've had a few big movements over the centuries that have tried to get back to how it was at the beginning, notably the reformation and some of the reforms of Vatican II despite the obvious fact that year-zero culture is gone forever and won't be coming back. I like the idea of critiquing current Christian practices but without the need to sweepingly discard all the rich history and culture that has gone before us. Good review and I liked how you have a ‘critiquing the critique’ section. It seems like we’ve had a few big movements over the centuries that have tried to get back to how it was at the beginning, notably the reformation and some of the reforms of Vatican II despite the obvious fact that year-zero culture is gone forever and won’t be coming back. I like the idea of critiquing current Christian practices but without the need to sweepingly discard all the rich history and culture that has gone before us.

]]>