Christians' Thoughts ali | 07 Jan 2008 07:20 pm
Blog Ripples.
The book Pagan Christianity by George Barna and Frank Viola has not yet been released, but advanced copies have been sent to various bloggers for them to read and review. And there have been a few. Here’s an incomplete list: Pastor Joe Thorn, theheresy, Letters from Kamp Krusty, Kingdom People, Dash House, and so on. The book is actually the second edition, the first written by Frank Viola alone and reviewed at The Kingdom Come and Sue’s Book Reviews.
Viola has answered some questions that have arisen from the book. According to Frank, this review ”was excellent. It fairly characterized the book. It was witty, refreshingly honest, and strikingly accurate.” Strangely enough, it was also the only review in the above list that had nothing negative whatsoever to say about the book.
I might say something more about this book later on.
Joel Osteen has been reviewed also. Not so positively. HT: Imonk.
Aaron seems to have stopped attempting to cause any ripples at all. Where are you, Aaron?
And tea’s on the table. Doesn’t have anything to do with blogs other than indicate I’d better stop blogging for the moment.
on 07 Jan 2008 at 11:17 pm 1.Roger said …
I read the book and have to agree with Viola’s observation. I’ve also seen a number of positive reviews on this title. highly recommended.
on 08 Jan 2008 at 5:56 am 2.Sue said …
Thanks for the link to my blog … I should point out, though, that ‘Pagan Christianity’ has been published for several months - I didn’t receive an advance copy, I borrowed one from a friend who had bought it. It’s available new or second-hand from Amazon USA, and second-hand only from Amazon UK.
on 08 Jan 2008 at 6:27 am 3.ali said …
Hi Sue.
Frank Viola actually published the book some time ago and the yet-to-be-released one is an update with George Barna as co-author. Perhaps it has been released by now. It would seem you actually reviewed the former, though it has been said they are not much different.
Roger, I have come across more than one positive review, also, but they are not as easy to find as the negative or cautious ones.
on 20 Jan 2008 at 5:24 pm 4.Roderick said …
Thanks also for pointing out thekingdomcome.com review of the book. It was actually a 2 part review with the second part being here: http://thekingdomcome.com/pagan_christianity_review
Just quick summary:
1) Viola sets up a false premise: that anything added to the original NT structure/practice is wrong. Yet even the role of deacon as an add-on meant to meet a specific need. There is no prohibition against adding other aspects so long as they aren’t anti-Christian.
2) Viola depicts all institutional Church structures as deadening when no only is that not always the case, but the house church model often breeds willy-nilly “no doctrine” types that really make up stuff as they go.
3) Viola seems to dummy-down the role of the original apostles, making them mere “church planters” & then setting himself up as equal with these “church planter / apostles” — that is not only arrogant it is dangerous & against the original function of the Jesus ordained apostles…of which Viola or ANY modern “church planter” is not part.