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Has anyone read this book yet: Pagan Christianity By Frank Viola and George Barna?

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No, but I'll bet it's good. Lots of reviews at Amazon.

One of the editorial reviews:
I think I'll have to put this on my reading list.

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Yes, I have just finished it, on the kindle. It makes the case that church buildings, church membership, just having wine/juice, and wafer at the Lords Supper, paid clergy, among other things, are all unBiblical. It's not for those who hang their faith upon 'the church". Funny though, it dosen't mention Christmas or Easter in the unBiblical things, but according to Viola's blog he says those things have been covered before.

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"Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition" -C.H. Spurgeon

I have not read the book but it sounds interesting. There is a book, written back in the 80's called "The Problem of Wineskins," by Howard Snyder. In his book he also makes the case against church buildings, paid clergy, etc. It is a radical book but perhaps we need some radical ideas to bring about change in evangelical Christianity.

IMO, our issues are not actually buildings, clergy, liturgy. Our issues are faithfulness, obedience, holiness, mercy, grace, kindness, goodness...it is the life of the Spirit in His Church in the midst of a world lost in darkness. I personally think that Viola has stretched things pretty thin and just seems to rail against the forms of Christianity which he rejects. But perhaps others benefit from his work...I've just not found any of it actually to be very edifying. Though I'm open to suggestions.

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I think you should do a lot of research on this topic as PC has received considerable criticism from credible scholars like Ben Witherington.
http://mattdabbs.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/paganchristianityreview-witherington.pdf

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Are they arguing that Christianity took over pagen customs and practices and "Chrsitianized" them , such as the Roamn catholic church did early on?

I thought from the title, referring to pagen sources in early christianity being 'rolled" into Christian theology!

Yes, for the most part, they are. Other things, like dressing up for "Church", was taken from some book written by a Pastor, around 200 years ago(I don't have the book with me, right now, so my fact check could be wrong)

IMO, it is a thought provoking book, and I don't agree with all of it-I read the chapter on taking Scripture out of context, twice now, and still don't get what Viola in trying to say; Using his argument, The Apostle Paul, and Peter, both did the same thing. However, I do like that he wants to eliminate the word "layity" and "layperson" from our vocabulary. It does, IMO, give some an excuse, to not serve, or grow.

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"Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition" -C.H. Spurgeon

the only way one can hold to that sort of theology though is to discount totally the person of jesus as God Incarnated, the Holy Spirit giving divine revelation to the Apostolic witnesses to jesus!

I am on pg 8 of Ben Witherington's critque of PC. He makes some good points.
Viola credits a minister named Horace Bushnell for Churchgoers playing dress-up, in 1843 as he wrote an essay called "Taste and Fashion"

The chapter that makes no sense to me is #11, called "Reapproaching the New Testament", where he critisizes "proof texting", but in my opinion, does a lousy job of it. He claims that Mat 18:20 is dealing with an excommunication, not wether a Church can be established with two or more.

He also talks of what "organic" Church(whenever I use the word 'organic' I always think of tye dye, and hippies ) is not, but never really tell you what it is. I guess it's like the Judge in the obcenity trial, who, when asked what obcenity was he replied: "I'll know it when I see it"

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"Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition" -C.H. Spurgeon

There's an article on the bible.org site, that deals with what I think is the "meat" of P.C. It's called "Who's in Charge Here? Leadership in the New Testament Church", by Bob Deffinbaugh. It sums up alot of what Frank Viola was saying in the book(actually, IMO, he does a better job of it, in alot less space).

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"Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition" -C.H. Spurgeon

That's a good article, iGt. Thanks for pointing it out.

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"Pagan Christianity" is brilliant, and I highly recommend it .... please don't just read other people's opinions about the book .... read the book! ... it is not expensive.

If anyone is interested we could read the book together and comment, ask questions etc. here ... creating a topic for the purpose.

Would also recommend Frank Viola's "Jesus Manifesto"

like all his books, the point he is trying to get across is that we have to get our eyes back on Jesus Himself, and not all the other additions and "improvements" that we seem to have accumulated over time.

in Christ

Dinah

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Like I said before Ch. 11 is really the only part of PC, I didn't go along with. Other than that, I think it's a good way to get 'new eyes' to look at Church practices-I personally, have been correcting myself when I start to say:"go to Church"

This book, as well as other articles(especially an A.W Tozer book:"The Purpose of Man"), etc., have come at a time when I feel like I'm bored with what we called 'worship' at my local gathering... and I'm an insturmentalist, in our services!
It had become dry, and ritualistic, even though we don't play any "old foagy songs"(which I love BTW), but the pattern has been the same: noisy music over the speakers prior to the service- a fast song to start, then another- announcements- a slow "make me cry" tune-prayer-choir number- sermon- another "make me cry" tune- benediction- exit .

All of which, makes me paraphrase the late, great, Waylon Jennings, saying: "are you sure ol' Paul done it this a way?" We went from a sometimes clumsy, awkward, but loving and growing(spiritually) congregation, IMO, to 10 years later, a spit-shined, slick, seamless, "church show", that save for the few small groups, and Sunday school, seems to be kind of stuck.

I'm personally hungry for a little more, these days.

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"Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition" -C.H. Spurgeon