An Introduction to Common Heresies edition by Tom Hyland Hayes Press Religion Spirituality eBooks
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This book takes a look at some of the major errors that have been introduced into the Christian faith over the last 2,000 years - many (if not all) of which are still prevalent today - and provides what the Bible says about these teachings!
An ideal primer for those interested in church history, theology, biblical exegesis and interpretation and ecclesiology.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER TWO JUDAISM
CHAPTER THREE GNOSTICISM
CHAPTER FOUR ARIANISM
CHAPTER FIVE NESTORIANISM
CHAPTER SIX PELAGIANISM
CHAPTER SEVEN CHURCH AND STATE - PART ONE
CHAPTER EIGHT CHURCH AND STATE – PART TWO
CHAPTER NINE THE PAPACY
CHAPTER TEN BAPTISMAL REGENERATION
CHAPTER ELEVEN TRANSUBSTANTIATION
CHAPTER TWELVE CONCLUSION
An Introduction to Common Heresies edition by Tom Hyland Hayes Press Religion Spirituality eBooks
Having read this little book from cover to cover, I can say that the first chapters are a good enough introduction to the early heresies of the church. The writer addresses Judaism, Gnosticism, Arianism, Nestorianism and Pelagianism. I agree with the writer that these are important to study, as they and variations upon them tend to crop up throughout church history.The writer quickly made clear that he is quite skeptical of creeds and confessions. He acknowledges, though, that some readers will disagree.
The problems really start with the chapter on the heresy of baptismal regeneration. I can agree that baptismal regeneration is a heretical teaching, and does not cohere with the doctrine of justification by faith. This writer goes further, however, so resolutely advancing his credo-baptist position that he actually plainly lies about the history. He shamefully misrepresents Tertullian's views on infant baptism. Tertullian believed infant baptism to be an error. But Tertullian did not address it as a novelty, as the writer says he did, but rather as an established practice with which he happened to disagree (on the principle that children once baptised will fall into sin and be forever damned–something our writer does not address).
It is not fitting for a Christian tract to misrepresent opposing views. That amounts to dishonesty. But then this tract states that any who practice infant baptism are (somehow) guilty of the heresy of baptismal regeneration. The writer says, '...[T]he retention of the [Roman Catholic] practice of infant sprinking lays them open to the charge of teaching 'Baptismal regeneration'... Does this not attach some spiritual efficacy to the baptismal water?'
Uh, no. The writer's failure even to engage with the teachings of paedo-baptist Protestants on this issue is disappointing, to say the least.
He further claims that baptism by sprinkling is an error, which ironically brings us back to the issue of the efficacy of the baptismal water. If the water itself is not efficacious, then why should immersion be the only mode of baptism?
I think, for the purpose of this tract, the writer should have steered clear of the doctrine of baptism. Halfway through, the tract became a little missive advancing an exclusive Baptist position. That does not well suit the stated purpose of standing against heresies. And, as it is a book on heresies, is the author saying all infant baptism is heresy? He certainly seems to be.
In his conclusion, the writer displays disappointing ignorance about the Reformers' conception of the relationship of church and state. (In my opinion, if someone publishes a tract like this and makes ignorant claims, it amounts anyway to lying.) While he is more or less correct about the views of Luther, he fails to accurately assess Calvin's views on church and state. In fact, it can be said that it is to Calvin's project in Geneva that we owe much of the modern concept of the division of church and state. In Geneva, it was far from perfect, but I do think the author might have done better in addressing this.
To conclude, I think that the first chapters are an acceptable introduction to early church heresies (which are still relevant today), and while I do not think the writer was so unbalanced towards the Roman Catholic church, I cannot recommend this book because of the misconceptions and outright falsehoods that it promotes in matters of baptism and some church history. There are surely better books than this tract by Hayes Press.
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An Introduction to Common Heresies edition by Tom Hyland Hayes Press Religion Spirituality eBooks Reviews
This is a journeyman work of apologetics on behalf of "low-church Protestantism."
The author runs through a number of historical - but now essentially defunct - heresies, such as Arianism, Nestorianism, and Pelagianism, devoting one chapter a piece to these historical heresies, before sinking his teeth into his real object, Catholicism. After, that there are five chapters devoted to various Catholic themes, e.g., the Church and the State, the Papacy, Baptismal Regeneration, and Transubstantiation. However, even in the earlier chapters, the anti-Catholic agenda is clear, such as this passage about Nestorianism
"One criticism levelled at the Definition of Chalcedon is the sanction `it gives to the use of the term Mother of God (Greek, Theotokos) as a description of the virgin Mary. While theologically it may be argued that the term is sound, meaning no more than that Mary's child was God, yet its inclusion here has given support to a devotional use of the title tending to make Mary an object of worship, which developed into the terrible error of Mariolatry in the Roman Church. This illustrates the danger of departing from Scriptural phraseology when combating heresy or defining doctrine."
Likewise, from the same chapter, there is this bit of planted assumption
'This brief survey of the doctrinal deviations of the early centuries has followed the mainstream of the history of Christendom. It does not take into account the minority of genuine Christians in dissident movements who were aloof from these controversies but who, nevertheless, retained in substantial purity the true Scriptural doctrine of our Lord's Person without recourse to the Creeds and Confessions of Christendom."
Whoever those people, unknown to history, leaving not a trace of record behind, may have been.
The author includes a section on Judaism, that is a nice bit of supercessionism directed at both mother religions - Judaism and Catholicism
"Later chapters will deal with the rapid departure from the Christian Faith which took place in the early centuries following the apostolic age, and culminated in the union of Church and State and the beginning of Christendom. It was not only that there was serious departure from the simplicity and purity of apostolic teaching in the matter of church constitution and practice, there was also the abandonment of Scripture as the supreme authority for Christian doctrine, and the enthronement of an apostate Church claiming the monopoly to dispense favours from heaven through a mediating priesthood. The glorious doctrines of grace for which the apostles fought so valiantly were discarded. Priestly power dominated, and those who sought deliverance from the bondage of sin were shackled with numerous observances and ordinances - "beggarly elements", as Paul described them - many of which were accretions of heathenism. Such was the tragedy of the relapse into the error of Judaism - salvation by works."
So, this is a pretty cliche and journeyman book that identifies its bias on every page and does not attempt to justify its biases, except by identifying them as not being Jewish or Catholic or heretical. It is not a book that one might rely on for a rigorous study of history or theology.
On the other hand, it does present that Baptist/low-church Protestant position quite competently. Thus, it is, in essence, a creedal statement for that position, whatever name it runs under. Likewise, these are the arguments that any Catholic apologist is going to have to deal with, so this is a useful text in its brevity. Finally, for people who adhere to the Baptist/Anabaptist tradition, this is a source for apologetical arguments, although I would recommend checking out the responses before committing too strongly to the statements made in this book.
Having read this little book from cover to cover, I can say that the first chapters are a good enough introduction to the early heresies of the church. The writer addresses Judaism, Gnosticism, Arianism, Nestorianism and Pelagianism. I agree with the writer that these are important to study, as they and variations upon them tend to crop up throughout church history.
The writer quickly made clear that he is quite skeptical of creeds and confessions. He acknowledges, though, that some readers will disagree.
The problems really start with the chapter on the heresy of baptismal regeneration. I can agree that baptismal regeneration is a heretical teaching, and does not cohere with the doctrine of justification by faith. This writer goes further, however, so resolutely advancing his credo-baptist position that he actually plainly lies about the history. He shamefully misrepresents Tertullian's views on infant baptism. Tertullian believed infant baptism to be an error. But Tertullian did not address it as a novelty, as the writer says he did, but rather as an established practice with which he happened to disagree (on the principle that children once baptised will fall into sin and be forever damned–something our writer does not address).
It is not fitting for a Christian tract to misrepresent opposing views. That amounts to dishonesty. But then this tract states that any who practice infant baptism are (somehow) guilty of the heresy of baptismal regeneration. The writer says, '...[T]he retention of the [Roman Catholic] practice of infant sprinking lays them open to the charge of teaching 'Baptismal regeneration'... Does this not attach some spiritual efficacy to the baptismal water?'
Uh, no. The writer's failure even to engage with the teachings of paedo-baptist Protestants on this issue is disappointing, to say the least.
He further claims that baptism by sprinkling is an error, which ironically brings us back to the issue of the efficacy of the baptismal water. If the water itself is not efficacious, then why should immersion be the only mode of baptism?
I think, for the purpose of this tract, the writer should have steered clear of the doctrine of baptism. Halfway through, the tract became a little missive advancing an exclusive Baptist position. That does not well suit the stated purpose of standing against heresies. And, as it is a book on heresies, is the author saying all infant baptism is heresy? He certainly seems to be.
In his conclusion, the writer displays disappointing ignorance about the Reformers' conception of the relationship of church and state. (In my opinion, if someone publishes a tract like this and makes ignorant claims, it amounts anyway to lying.) While he is more or less correct about the views of Luther, he fails to accurately assess Calvin's views on church and state. In fact, it can be said that it is to Calvin's project in Geneva that we owe much of the modern concept of the division of church and state. In Geneva, it was far from perfect, but I do think the author might have done better in addressing this.
To conclude, I think that the first chapters are an acceptable introduction to early church heresies (which are still relevant today), and while I do not think the writer was so unbalanced towards the Roman Catholic church, I cannot recommend this book because of the misconceptions and outright falsehoods that it promotes in matters of baptism and some church history. There are surely better books than this tract by Hayes Press.
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