Leonard Verduin. An engrossing, detailed study of the hybrid to which Constantine gave birth: the state church.The author analyzes some of the distortions of Christianity that this hybrid has engendered. This is the original Eerdmans edition of the book (reprinted in March 1985)
274 pp. Paper. $9.95 $10.95
Description
Leonard Verduin
An engrossing, detailed study of the hybrid to which Constantine gave birth: the state church. The author analyzes some of the distortions of Christianity that this hybrid has engendered–holy war, religious persecution, universal baptism, hyper-sacerdotalism, and neglect of the Bible. This is the original Eerdmans edition of the book (reprinted in March 1985).
274 pp. Paper. $10.95
Reviews
good account of how Christendom got into to mess it is in today.
The Author traces the strong tendency to unite religion and government back to its origins in the earliest societies and details its disastrous consequences throughout history.
Even tho I found the book to be on a subject that I am interested in, the style of the writing was way too “Collage Level” for myself. When I bought this I was expected some straight forward teaching like D. Bercot or D. Kauffman does, but it is not even close to that style. It took me a long time to get thru it, and tho it is a good book with a lot of information, and is well worth the $$, the writing style made me re-read way too much.
his book is a worthwhile read on the subject of Anabaptism and the Reformers. Rev. Verduin has done considerable research. However, with respect to a related matter, infant baptism, the book contains a flaw. It attributes a quote to the Reformer Zwingli incorrectly. Dialogos Studies has done research into this. The practice of infant baptism should be cleared of this error. For more information on this see: http://www.dialogos-studies.com/Dialogos/baptism/Zwingli_on_Infant_Baptism.htm
I use this book for an Ante-Nicene Foundation Course I teach. My main point of interest comes from the material on Constantine, and how the whole hybrid mess got started. Well written, plenty of through research. I do recognize that there is a certain slant that Rev. Verduin brings to the book as it does seem to have an Anabaptist perspective.
This book is amazing. Verduin has changed the way I view Christianity in society. I believe he also explains very well what is that mystery of God that Paul speaks of. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the principle of separation between church and state.
A monumental valuable resource telling the truth of one of history’s great tragedies and unknown truth of the Church dominated by force rather than by faith.
Although the work is written in a strongly academic way, it is nonetheless, an important read for an serious student of truth. A life changing read for me! I plan on reading it again soon.
I agree the book is difficult to read and may even bury some of the point regarding the US. However it is worth the time! As a non-anabaptist (Roger Williams) in time grasps that God’s Providence is a providence of “Freedom of Conscience”. This movement by God shows that God moves with his people throughout time even making a particular country that his people could worship him while in freedom and not just under duress in thankfulness. The experiment of Roger Williams opened up the door for the once delivered faith to come to America and go teach all nations from there. Verduin was very inspired it appears.
See also different:
Philip Hess Why did Jesus die? You may be surprised to learn that the meaning of Jesus' death as taught by many Christians is a fairly modern development in church history. Penal Substitution, the idea that Jesus died to take our punishment an [...]
Review Anatomy of a Hybrid.