DESCRIPTION
A learned and uniquely constructive book that gently urges "suspicious" Christians to reclaim the patristic roots of their faith.
Written to help Protestant Christians recognize the early church fathers as an essential part of their faith, this book is addressed primarily to the evangelical, independent, and free church communities, who remain largely suspicious of church history and the relationship between Scripture and tradition. D. H. Williams clearly explains why every branch of today's church owes its heritage to the doctrinal foundation laid by postapostolic Christianity.
Based on solid historical scholarship, this volume shows that embracing the "catholic" roots of the faith will not lead to the loss of Protestant distinctiveness but is essential for preserving the Christian vision in our rapidly changing world.
REVIEWS
Baptists Today
"An informative and interesting look at the misconceived distance between the postapostolic church and modern Protestant faith."
Publishers Weekly
"Why is it that so many evangelicals who reflect on the heritage of their faith jump so easily from the New Testament to the Protestant Reformation with little concern or understanding for all that has taken place in between? asks Loyola professor D. H. Willliams. . . As a Baptist teaching at a Catholic university, Williams understands both his intended Protestant audience and the tradition he is urging evangelicals to recover. This is an informed, well-written appeal for historical foundation."
CBA Marketplace
"A valuable resource for all serious students of Christian history and theology."
Forth Worth Star-Telegram
"Retrieving the Tradition challenges stereotypes of not just the post-apostolic church but the Reformation as well. It's a good starting point for some welcome thinking."
The Living Church
"The book is a valuable one to Christians of many traditions. Fortunately, Williams wears his learning lightly, thereby producing a marvelous introduction to one of the most exciting and significant periods in all church history."