Retro-Christianity

"STAND BY THE ROADS, AND LOOK, AND ASK FOR THE ANCIENT PATHS, WHERE THE GOOD WAY IS; AND WALK IN IT, AND FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS" - Jeremiah 6:16

Christianity is heading all over the place and going in many directions.  People struggle today as much with "which church?" as well as "which Bible?"  Churches more often compete with each other in today's consumer market and Christian bookstores which are going the way of the dinosaur display the many versions of the Bible like picking a Bible is like what kind of dress are you going to wear or what kind of deordorant are you going to put on?

There are some Christian groups that earnestly desire a better way of doing church today or if you prefer, can we get back to the ancient way of the early christians?  Reform and restoration movements abound and even these groups it seems may have started in the Spirit but have ended up in the flesh.  So what is a Christian to do in all the chaos and confusion?  Michael Svigel, a Protestant church history teacher tries to skillfully and carefully point people back to the ancient markers and ancient practices of the early church and patristic church fathers while appreciating all of church history throughout the ages.

Although I applaud Svigel's suggestion and directions especially for Evangelicals and the Evangelical church today, there are some glaring problems or nagging questions in all this?  Did the Reformation have to happen and visible separation and disunity where God wants us all to stay put?  And should we not listen and learn from the two most ancient church traditions, Catholic and Eastern Orthodox?  Are there not some insights and pitfalls they could teach us in mining the riches of the ancient church traditions? 

There also seems to be an underlying individualism in studying church history and discipleship.  Private study is important but is that all there is to discipleship and history?  What about the corporate dimensions of study from examing Scripture with orthodox Jews to the Eastern Orthodox?  What about living out the Christian life in monastaries, Almish counter-cultural communities, or long group retreats designed to sharpen spiritual thinking and spiritual living in a secular age?  Maybe some of these ideas sound too radical but one still needs to raise the question to Evangelicals?  Are you willing to get so radical in your faith so as to get outside your comfort zones, your preferences, your respectable ways of doing Christianity?  Now that's the question and the rub!