Pagan Christianity
 

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and seminaries? This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence in the first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices.

Sorting Out Truth From Tradition

Many Christians take for granted that their church's practices are rooted in Scripture. Yet those practices look very different from those of the first-century church. The New Testament is not silent on how the early church freely expressed the reality of Christ's indwelling in ways that rocked the first-century world.

Times have changed. Pagan Christianity leads us on a fascinating tour through church history, revealing this startling and unsettling truth: Many cherished church traditions embraced today originated not out of the New Testament, but out of pagan practices. One of the most troubling outcomes has been the effect on average believers: turning them from living expressions of Christ's glory and power to passive observers. If you want to see that trend reversed, turn to Pagan Christianity . . . a book that examines and challenges every aspect of our contemporary church experience.

Are We Really Doing Church "By the Book?"

Why does the pastor preach a sermon at every service? Why do our church services seem so similar week after week? Why does the congregation sit passively in pews?

Not sure? Pagan Christianity makes an unsettling proposal: Most of what present-day Christians do in church each Sunday is rooted not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Authors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of our modern Christian church practices.

In the process, the authors uncover the problems that emerge when the church functions like a business organization rather than the living organism it was created to be. As you reconsider Christ's revolutionary plan for His church-to be the head of a fully functioning body in which all believers play an active role-you'll be challenged to decide whether you can ever do church the same way again.

Source: http://www.paganchristianity.org/

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

I do think people need to be aware of the fact that many of our traditions are just that, traditions. Just because the founders of the UPC did it that way doesn't make it scriptural.

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

I have the previous version of this book.

I wonder what is different in the new version?

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

I read a book like that but cannot remember if it is by that same author.

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

D4T, how was the first version...was it a worthwhile read?

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

I thought so. That would differ from person to person.

If one is open to the thought that much of what we practice in Christianity today has simply been adapted into the church from various forms of paganism then it is a very informative and interesting read.

If one is of the opine that the vast majority (if not every single one) of our learned methods of church are (pause for heavenly choir) delivered directly from God Almighty and he is beside himself constantly with pleasure at all that we do then it will just be a constant eye roller.

I found it informative, interesting and even funny at times.

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

Okay that's good to know....I think I would fall under the former.

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

Tony Meeks, my "Wife Swap" show counterpart is reading this book right now - and is very excited about it. I would like to read it sometime.

J-roc, what is the practical application (or desired impact) of this book? Is this written as an expose' without a real world solution?

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

Hoovster,

I think the point of books like that is simply to get folks to think about "the way we've 'always' done it" to see if maybe it's not really the way it was always done.

To stir something up in the reader to simply re-examine their belief structure and investigate on their own further.

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

I've read it and found it very compelling. I'd say it's not for the spiritually immature Christian though.

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

Good points to all.

I heard a series of radio broadcasts sometime back from Combine Harvesting Ministries that came from a book entitled The Paganization of Christianity. In it, the author makes mention of several things that we do in our churches today that have roots, or even mimic what was done in paganism long ago. I find it fascinating and challenging.

However, in the hands of an immature believer, it is a loaded gun. It can cause them to go off on tangents and bring them to condemn everyone and everything.

Re: Pagan Christianity
 

This book is actually one in a series of books that Frank Viola had written. Frank is an avid house church promoter and each book builds upon the other.

Several of his books (some of which delve into where we have left the beaten path and other which deal with finding said path again.) include...

Pagan Christianity - The Origin Of Our Modern Church Practices
Rethinking The Wineskin - The Practice Of The NT Church
Who is Your Covering - A fresh look at leadership, authority & accountability
So You Want To Start A House Church - First Century Styled Church Planting For Today

etc etc.

So, while Pagan Christianity is not a book which just complains and offers no answers, it is also meant to be viewed as part of a larger series that delves more deeply into the issue at hand.