Reading the Fathers

Been on an interesting journey, connecting the dots, learning more, but thought I'd pause to blog some of my thoughts and what stood out for me during this research phase I am going through.

In one introduction of the Life of Antony (Vita Antonii) on the blog of Read the Fathers  who was Egyptian Christian who became known as the"first ascetic to live in the wilderness.The Life tells of Antony’s life of prayer in the desert and his wrestling with demons..."

And now the part which stood out for me, in bold:

The Life of Antony is one of the two foundational texts of Western monasticism. (The other is the Rule of St. Benedict.¹) Though highly valued by the medieval church, Protestant reformers scorned the text for valuing monasticism and for its accounts of the supernatural. Twenty-first-century readers, no matter whether Protestant or Catholic, are likely to read the text incredulously.

Somewhere else in all my readings which I can't find now, basically been looking at how though Martin Luther brought in Sola Scriptura (and basing things on scripture alone) how that contrasts with experiential christianity. Which really helps me to understand the lenses people look at things through.

Even reading the some out there stories, and reading the "absolute" sounding texts of the Early Fathers, and beginning for myself to understand:

The Word is central and True, but one can learn from the other stories and books written too (well not just any, not the false manuscripts), but when reading the others, see what you can learn from them but also realise that they just have one level of revelation...

For E.g. Tertullian, was the first to use the word Trinity, but also had a big beef with women. Do you throw the baby out with the bath water, no! They had revelations that I can learn from. Same even today, different churches, different nations do things differently. We don't agree with everything, but with some, and we can learn and deepen our own walk with those things.

Somewhere I think in one of Brian Zahnd 's sermons ( I hope it's there, must find it again!) he says something to the effect of " The church is both Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Pentecostal, etc... This is the Church.

This has been a blessing and a challenge to me. While we do not agree with all theology, we cannot reject another part of the body of Christ. I am learning to value, build on, yet see where I differ.

Also appreciative to God for suddenly bringing in my path things, books, people, music, ideas that take me deeper into him.

Found the quote: Google Search:

Tweet from Brian Zahnd:

The Church is Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, Evangelical, and Pentecostal. You can either celebrate it or be frustrated by it.