I have been listening to Thomas Oden’s lectures recently at Dallas Theological Seminary about the importance of African Christianity of the 2nd through 6th centuries in shaping the Christianity that became the Christianity of Nicaea and of Europe. In this series he is specifically focusing on the Christianity of Libya. Some stunning insights. There is much for the evangelical to gain in the movement called paleoorthodoxy, a renewed reliance upon and attention to the patristic age, the Church Fathers of the 2nd through 8th centuries, from Clement I of Rome to John of Damascus.
I have committed myself to reading and studying in this area. Of some help should be the bible commentary series publised by IVP, the Ancient Christian Commentary Series. The basis of this series is that all the biblical texts have been commented upon by the Fathers and in a manner that answers the concerns of 21st century humankind. Most of our commentaries are submerged in text critical concerns and overly rationalistic investigations that leave little for the spirit to feed upon. Not so the Fathers.
While I am doing so I have also committed to rereading the Institutes of the Christian Religion, first published in 1536. 500 years is a good run for a book!!! I would do well to read more of Luther as well. I am still trying to figure out why there was so little reading of Luther in my seminary career. That man was alive!!!!!!!
