Hob's SemBlog

Notes, comments, thoughts on my studies at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
so my friends/family/supporters/whoever can keep tabs on my progress, and nag me to keep on top of things.

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Fighting the Good Fight Reading Report

Heart really wasn't in this report, took me 3 days to push this out...not sure why. But it's done now...that's the important part, w/o futher ado, here's my report on Fighting the Good Fight: A Brief History of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church

"The OPC's identity is bound to her origins. In other words, the OPC was born a certain type of church. This means her identity is not tied so much to her collective self-understanding as it is to her existence as such." This statement by OPC Historian Charles Dennison is the driving philosophy behind this book. The book attempts to tell the story of the OPC by looking at the fights that have characterized the her history--from its turbulent founding and pre-founding days, to the failed mergers of the 1980's.

The authors are careful and consistent to bring the controversies of the 30's into their discussions of the rest of the denomination’s history--the Peniel, Clark-Van Til and New Life controversies; the efforts in Foreign and Home Missions; Ecumenicity; as well as the Christian Life. They do so without resorting to hagiography, which would have been all too easy to do. Certainly they have great respect for men like Machen and Murray, but they do not let that get out of control--nor do the authors demonize those on the other side of the debates.

It can be argued that there is to every history an agenda beyond the mere recounting of facts, and that is certainly the case with this book. Hart and Muether are very upfront about that, informing their reader that they want the book to persuade members of the denomination. This is perhaps the strength as well as the weakness of Fighting the Good Fight--the authors have the freedom to analyze and comment on their narration.

Personally, Parts Two and Three were the most valuable. The story of the OPC's founding related in Part One is so familiar that one feels they can sing along as they read, and the issues discussed in Part Four are still under discussion so there is more to tell (and therefore the authors' accounts seem lacking). But the descriptions of both the philosophy and efforts in Foreign and Home Missions and the Ecumenical moves (both towards greater union and separation) are very helpful reflections on areas in our history that are not focused on enough. Perhaps that's why we seem to be repeating some of the same struggles now.

H. C. jotted this down on 10:47 AM. (( 10:47 AM 0 comments

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