 |
This book is a gem of a book, people today deride history newer is better there are no lessons to be learned from the people of the past, but MacLeod in this volume illustrates why that is so foolish. The characters in this book may be from 1500-1700 but the lessons the issues they are facing could well be taken from 21st Century church history, what role does the state have in the church? When is it right to listen to the king and when is it right to disobey him?
The book is a relatively straightforward read, Donald MacLeod writes in a way that is academic but it is accessible for the interested, this volume isn't as scholarly as say MacLeod's "The Person Of Christ" but it does not lack scholarly rigour.
Each chapter takes a person from the period of time and works through the lessons that they taught the church at the time and what those lessons might mean for us in the church today. Figures covered include Patrick Hamilton and George Wishart, John Knox, Andrew Melville, Robert Bruce, Alexander Henderson, Samuel Rutherford, David Dickson and Robert Leighton. Interspersed with historical sketches other more topical chapters are written including on Federal Theology, the impact of Rutherford's Lex Rex and the Second Book of Discipline.
This book is no hagiography the charachters dealt with are dealt with fairly their good points are emphasised but by no means are there flaws hidden. What you come away from this book with is a sense of the importance of Scottish Theology on the whole presbyterian church worldwide, with a sense of the deep peity of the men and women involved and the cost associated with being a presbyterian in Scotland in 1500-1700, most of the characters studied ended up deposed, in prison, or killed for their faith.
If you would like to buy a copy of the book you can find it here:
No comments:
Post a Comment