[4] Lucas: An Evangelical History Review, no.2, Feb-Mar 1988

Editorial Introduction:

It is our pleasure to be able to print this paper by Male Anderson, who has given so much to the EH A, and who here reflects on the nature of Evangelicalism as presented in historical debate over the last century or so. It is an important discussion, demonstrating the problems of leaving the writing of evangelical history in the hands of non-evangelicals. It stresses the need for such groups as the Historian's Study Group, the Conference on Faith and History, and EHA, and implies the call for a re-writing of a past so often misrepresented and warped by political and ideological considerations. We are reminded of CS Lewis's exhortation about apologetics to a group of church leaders in Wales, where he suggested:

It is not books written in direct defence of Materialism that make the modern man a materialist: it is the materialist assumptions in all the other books. In the same way, it is not books on Christianity that will trouble him. But he would be troubled if, whenever he wanted a cheap, popular introduction to some science, the best work on the market was always by a Christian.¹

He could have gone on to say that it is not the books attacking Christianity which have done the major damage, but the assumptions which flow through the historiography. Closer to home, Anderson here identifies a major stream of interpretation hostile to evangelical Christianity. The response, we feel, must be just as Lewis suggests: rewriting that history such that "the best book on the market" is always from more a broadly Christian perspective.²

[5] Lucas: An Evangelical History Review, no.2, Feb-Mar 1988

Continuing the discussion on the role of prophecy in history, we also republish Phillip Newman's recent leader from Praise! magazine for benefit of those that may not have seen it. With the contributions made in the last issue of Lucas by Stuart Piggin and Brian Dickey, and the articles already received for Lucas No.3, we feel that this is a debate worth keeping alive, and we would appreciate any correspondence on the papers.

Notes:

1. C.S. Lewis, "Christian Apologetics", Timeless at Heart: Essays on Theology, W. Hooper (ed.), Fount Paperbacks/Collins, Glasgow, 1987, p.18

2. The paper given by Professor Robert Linder at the last EHA meeting will not appear in this issue, as he wishes to incorporate changes suggested at that meeting, and the results of further research. Professor Linder has offered the paper for a later issue.

 

© Southern Cross College and the Evangelical History Association of Australia, 2004