Remembering the Christian Past

by Robert L. Wilken

Prompting readers to reacquaint themselves with forgotten aspects of Christian tradition, this collection of essays points out the importance of remembering the enduring truths of the faith.

Genres: Church History, Theology

189 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1995

Reviews

[Kendall Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great, accessible collection of Wilken's essays. I especially appreciate that Wilken approaches issues of church history not merely as a historian, but truly as a theologian who is interested in what Christians today can learn from the spiritual insights of our forefathers in the faith. This comes through beautifully in this collection.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a re-read for me of an old favourite. I first encountered Remembering the Christian Past in the early 2000s, after I left my PhD program in Classics and was reading pretty much what I wanted to read (a luxury at the time- grad school can be like that). Wilken was a breath of fresh air as a Christian, who was also a clear-sighted historian/theologians. My re-read of him over ten years later has reinforced that impression.

Remembering the Christian Past is a collection of essays, focused on questions of historical theology of the patristic age. It starts with a passionate defence of the place of the religious traditions in contemporary academe. That, itself, is worth the price of admission because it looks critically at the tendency of scholars to want to talk about religions from an outside/allegedly objective point of view and the tendency of the same scholars to critique attempts from speaking from within a tradition. That means what we see is a critique of the Enlightenment assumptions behind the former position. Wilkin's point is that the study of religion which seeks to forget the traditions of wisdom they study is one that has lost credibility. It is an interesting argument and worth reviewing for anyone who belongs to any religious tradition.

The remaining essays deal with specific issues in patristic/mediaeval historical theology which is Wilkin's area of study. The articles are excellent, as one might expect, and elucidate issues such as monotheism, the trinity, Jewish-Christian relations, virtue and the Christian intellectual life. Wilkin's scholarship is extensive and he writes in an eminently reasonable manner. He has a real talent in translating the theology of his periods to the concerns of today, making the Christian intellectual life both relevant and realizable. That is something that I have found appealing and, in my own small way, something that I try to practice in the little time that I get for study. He is an admirable guide to any Christian who wishes to grapple with the intellectual life.