"With the Church Fathers" Series (Hall) (4 Works)

Prod ID: With Church Fathers_4 / Pub. InterVarsity Press USA / Author:
Retail: $77.60 / Accordance: $69.90

Requires Accordance 10.4 or above.

We can find value in ancient insights from voices that are sometimes closer chronologically to the actual events. At the same time, these voices often look at the Bible from a pre-critical point of view.

This bundle contains:

  • Worshiping with the Church Fathers (2009) – The focus of this book is not liturgy but more broadly worship in its corporate and individual dimensions. We enter into the patristic understanding of baptism and the Eucharist. And, we come under the instruction and discipline of great spiritual teachers of prayer.
  • Learning Theology with the Church Fathers (2002) – The early church fathers were great theologians–although they did not think of themselves as such. They were working pastors, involved in the daily life and leadership of their congregations. Yet they were wrestling with many of the great and formative questions of the Christian faith, such as the Trinity, the incarnation, the providence of God and the nature of the church. What would it be like to sit under the preaching and instruction of these great men, to look over their shoulders as they thought and wrote, or to hear them debate theological issues? Learning Theology with the Church Fathers offers us that experience.
  • Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers (1998) – Christopher Hall introduces us to the early church, its unique world, and the sights and sounds of Scripture that are highlighted for them. As Hall points out, the ancient fathers hear music in Scripture where we remain tone-deaf.
  • Living Wisely with the Church Fathers (2017) – Christopher Hall takes us to the ancient Mediterranean world, inquiring Christian leaders how to live a good life as a Christ follower. The menu of topics wends its way through wealth and poverty, war and violence, marriage and sexuality, theater and the arena, as well as the harsh realities of persecution and martyrdom. Gathering around Basil or Chrysostom or Augustine, we are instructed anew in the way of discipleship.

Product Details

Included Modules

The following modules and groups are included when you purchase this package.

Category Code Title Price
HistoryFathers-Living WiselyLiving Wisely with the Church Fathers (Hall)21.90
HistoryFathers-ScriptureReading Scripture with the Church Fathers (Hall)15.90
HistoryFathers-TheologyLearning Theology with the Church Fathers19.90
HistoryFathers-WorshipWorshiping with the Church Fathers19.90

Reviews

  1. (verified owner) Ukfraser

    I have found this an uneven set.

    The first volume reading scriptures with the fathers is a really good introduction. It is set out introducing many of the church fathers by chronology and geography. We also get some great insights into the discussions they are having as they work out theology and refute what they see as heresy. In some cases i would have liked more extracts from the discussions included rather than a short comment informing me that the correspondence exists. But its a great introduction and really puts their society in context.

    My main criticisms of this volume is that having purchased this volume, the first two chapters are a justification on why we should be reading the fathers. I found this repetitive and should have been edited down considerably. The title is reading scriptures, but what we get is very few passages dealt with by the different fathers but this is supplemented to an equal extent with extracts from letters written to their congregation expressing concern over various illnesses or mistreatment.

    The second volume learning theology is much more focused and a gem in the set. We get a more detailed look at the works of various fathers as they each deal with a different theological aspect.

    In both volumes its one father looking at one passage or issue or adversary. We dont get the different views of different fathers looking at the same passage or issue.

    The third volume in the series and was originally going to be called Praying with the Church Fathers but the scope changed to its present title.

    I found this volume to be very disjointed and not as well structured as the first two volumes. There are also some omissions and it feels as though content was added because there wasn’t a more logical volume for it. Perhaps this should have remained a book within the scope of the original title.

    The introduction is very clear about the road map for the book, starting with the baptism, moving on to the eucharist then including several chapters on prayer and finishing with a look at spirituality of the church fathers.

    The first chapter opens with a detailed look at how some of the fathers defined sacraments, particularly baptism and the eucharist and then goes on to explore baptism. We also get interesting descriptions by Justin Martyr and Tertullian on early christian worship from the second-century.

    In the section on prayer there is a chapter on praying the psalms. i am of the group that think of the psalms as the first collection of sung/chanted material and to not include a chapter on music/dancing/singing/chanting in a book on worship seems at odds, especially when there are so many references to music and dancing in the bible as forms of worship.

    In addition, in the opening chapter we get insights into communal gatherings and there is this quote:

    In his First Apology Justin comments that “We praise [the Maker of the universe] as much as we are able by the word of prayer and thanksgiving for all the things with which we are supplied … being thankful in word, [we] send up to him honors and hymns for our creation…

    Clearly hymns and thanksgiving were aspects of the wider early church communal acts of worship and i think not to have included the fathers thoughts on these activities is a major omission given the volumes revised title.

    To summarise, for prayer and some sacraments, this book is good, for wider aspects of worship, look elsewhere!

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