Quote:
Originally Posted by Gideon7
You mention that the Lord’s Recovery began with Luther. I’m certainly no world class historian, and it seems pretty obvious that Luther did indeed make a dramatic and costly stand- and things changed in the “Christian world” at large from him on. But… (and here’s where my lack of history possibly kicks in…), weren’t there groups that stayed faithful to the Word even through the dark ages? I believe the Anabaptists were one? (Maybe others?) So how would WN/WL view these faithful brethren? Were they part of the Recovery? Pre-Recovery?
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Sure, there were many faithful believers on the European continent, often protected in mountain hamlets, whether the Alps or the Pyrenees, through all the dark ages. Many of these children of God were persecuted unto death by Papal emissaries and corrupt rulers. Church history books tell some of their stories, though most were lost or even written by their persecutors. Here are some histories I have always recommended:
- Milller's Church History is great, comprehensive yet without excessive detail. He identifies the "silver lining" of God's grace in true believers throughout the age of grace.
- The Pilgrim Church by Broadbent is excellent also, less coverage, but more inspiring stories.
- History of the Christian Church by Philip Shaff in 8 vols is the definitive work from the N.T. to the Reformation. More for reference than casual reading.
- Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Recommended for all of us Christians who like to complain about our lives.
Btw, the
"anabaptists," those who rejected infant baptism and were baptized again following their conversion by faith, were
after the Reformers, including Luther. They desired to go further in the truth than the reformers were willing to go, and sadly the reformers were part of their persecutions. Not Luther's finest moment.
Though I have the highest regard for Martin Luther, despite any shortcomings by today's standards, he never should be considered a MOTA. He did not "recover" justification by faith, though he championed it to the German people. In this regard, Luther gave credit to John Huss before him, who was martyred. What differentiated Luther from prior men of God was not the truths he found in the scripture, but his protection by the German nobility from papal assassins, and Gutenberg's invention of the printing press.
After leaving the LSM/LC's, I have been forced to discard every bit of church history I learned from Witness Lee, as it was always skewed in a self-serving way to exalt him and his ministry.