Is Church History Important?

Many will claim that the study of Church History leads people to becoming Roman Catholic, I disagree. I think the study of Church History gives you a much more rounded understanding of the Christian faith. It demonstrates that all the heresies that you see now, including progressive Christianity and political Christianity have all been tried and found wanting. That faithful men and women have went forth in the world declaring the message of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. The very message that in some small way connects your very hearing of the Gospel. The study of church history can of course be overwhelming and at times confusing. As with any great amount of information it’s wise to take it slowly, get it from well informed sources, and study to show oneself approved. It’s easy to jump to conclusions or wrong implications from one’s study or the reading of particular texts. It’s also easy to push back against difficult or hard texts that we, as modern believers, are so far removed from. The goal, as always, is to read and understand what is being said. Weighing it against scripture and letting that be the true measure of authority. Everything you believe as a Christian has been shaped by those that have come before you in some way. Either by the heretics that were fought against or the faithful that persevered. Knowing these stories is important.