12 books every Christian should own and read
A series of book reviews used for the monthly church bulletin of 2013
Book no. 5: Heroes and Heretics by Iain D. Campbell
It is important for believers to gain at least a basic understanding of church history. Many of the doctrines which have come to define the Christian faith were developed over time; they emerged out of long running debates and controversies. We very much stand upon the shoulders of those who went before us and it is helpful for us to understand how we have arrived where we are today. It is also encouraging for us to see the progress of the Gospel through the ages. We are part of something far bigger than what we experience in our corner of the vineyard. It has also been said “those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it” – meaning its mistakes.
Concerning church history, Heroes and Heretics is the ideal place to start the journey of discovery. It provides a well- rounded overview avoiding the traps of being too detailed or too simplistic. It also serves as a primer for further reading and contains a concise bibliography to that end. Iain Campbell has achieved an almost impossible task cramming two thousand years of history into twenty succinct chapters. Perhaps even more remarkable is that each chapter was originally a ½ hour Sunday school talk!
Each century is given its own chapter which covers the major people, events, councils, doctrinal developments and controversies over that one hundred year period. As a helpful way of summarising the contents of the chapters they begin with a chart outlining the main points.
I wrestled for a while whether to include this book or Sketches from Church History by S.M. Houghton. They are both good but I prefer the structure and layout of Heroes and Heretics. It must be noted however that it does have a Scottish emphasis which has meant the omission of important issues elsewhere, for example the author says nothing on the ministry of Martyn Lloyd Jones and Banner of Truth Trust ministry in the 20th century. The significance of both cannot be understated.
Although Lloyd Jones has been overlooked in Campbell’s book, he would encourage us to read it: “It is always essential for us to supplement our reading of Theology with the reading of church history. If we do not, we shall be in danger of becoming abstract, theoretical, and academic in our view of the truth; and failing to relate it to the practicalities of life and daily living, we shall soon be in trouble.”
Heroes and Heretics is a good place to begin an important subject.