Rowan Williams: The Study Of Christian History

The study of history is a complex endeavor and the study of Christian history is no exception. Rowan Williams takes a theological approach to history to open our eyes to understanding the history of the church in context. Williams advocates for studying the past as a means of understanding who we are in the present. The following will show the effectiveness of Williams' examination of the origin of church history including the identity of the early church, the effects of the Reformation and the meaning for the Church today encourages the careful consideration and study of Christian history. In the opening chapter Williams points out that our expectations of the past and Christian history must be tempered by our understanding of the purpose of why history was written. Even our reading of the Bible needs to be tempered by our understanding that this was a collection of stories in an attempt to tell of the historically disruptive event of Christ coming into the world and changing the course of human history. Williams briefly chronicles how the …show more content…
Here Williams shows that the Reformation was a consideration and reflection on the history of the Church up to that point and an attempt to more faithfully understand the identity Church. This is especially significant in the present state of the Church as there are struggles over the identity of the Church in an increasingly foreign culture. As the Church looks back it can see the faithfulness of God at work throughout its history as reassurance of God's continued work in the future. As Williams concludes, “A Church that reflects more systematically on why it should be grateful for its existence is a more effective witness to revelation than one that has ceased to be surprised by itself.”2 May the Church be faithful to the call to reflect on its past to be more faithful in the