Francis Schaeffer's Son Speaks Out
In a book called Dancing Alone; The Quest for Orthodox Faith in the Age of False Religion Francis's Schaeffer's son, Frank Schaeffer, writes about his journey from Protestantism to Orthodoxy. The book thus far, though written from a laymen's perspective and though at some points it digresses into unnecessary tirades, is a very well written and fascinating read that resonates well with my own thoughts and beliefs concerning Protestantism.
In a chapter that primarily discusses the error of schism inherrant in the acts of the "Reformation" he quotes some church fathers with biting poignancy.
You ought to have been ready to suffer anything whatever rather than split the Church of God, and martyrdom to avoid schism woud have brought you as much honor as martyrdom to escape idolatry-- I should say more. For in the latter case a man is martyred to save his own single soul, in the former to save the whole Church. ~~ Dionysius (Bishop of Alexandria) writing a reprimand to Novatus (Circa A.D. 166).St. Cyprian of Carthage wrote in A.D. 251:
If someone does not hold fast to this unity of the Church, can he imagine he still hold to the faith? If he resists and withstands the Church, can he be confident that he is in the Church, when the blessed Apostle Paul teaches this very thing and displays the sacred sign of unity when he says: 'One Body and One Spirit, One hope of your calling, One Lord, One faith, One Baptism, One God?'...The Episcopate is one, of which each bishop holds his part within the undivided structure...the Church is also one.To demontrate the contrast between the church father's insistance upon church unity and the Protestant break, Frank Schaeffer makes the following point:
Barely eighty years after the beginning of the so-called Reformation, the various Protestant sects had already split into more than 280 denominations. Even the most committed Protestant must have been grieved to see the one thousand five hundred years of essential sacramental unity, destroyed in less than eighty.Keep in mind that literally just after the Reformation had begun there was intense debate between Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli over the presence of Christ in the Eucharist: a topic which for 1500 years was not called into question by virtually anyone.
In 1989 the U.S. government released a staggering statistic: there are some 23,000 Protestant denominations claiming to be Christian. Hm. Lord have mercy on us all.
Posted by jeremy stock at October 22, 2002 07:53 PMFor what it's worth-- It's interesting to point out that the reason Schaeffer uses the word "Reformation" in quotes is because of the historical reality that the Protestant Reformation did little to reform Rome. Instead the Reformation created a new church (some would say it immediately created new churches), which lead to the creation of thousands of new churches with more and more popping into existence seemingly every week.
In light of that I want to make it clear to my Protestant friends that pointing out the Reformation as the "so-called" Reformation is not abusive speech, but rather a commentary on the appropriateness of the title.
Posted by: jeremy at October 23, 2002 10:05 AMReformation? Yea, whatever floats your boat. You make it sound like new churches popping up everywhere is a bad thing. I'm glad to see more churches!
BTW, the only thing I ever read by Frank Schaffer was "Sham Pearls Before Real Swine." It informed my view of Christians and culture tremendeously. I still think about the stuff I read there sometimes.
Posted by: Tim at October 25, 2002 09:32 PMOf course, equivocating on the term "new churches" I am glad to see "new churches" popping up everywhere as well. On the meaning of the term used in this post, however, this sort of phenomenon is a bad, bad thing. And yes, even sinful...
Back to my hole...
Posted by: Toshikazu at October 27, 2002 01:32 PMInteresting site. I'm a Catholic who has recently been investigating "Holy Orthodoxy" and have been extremely edified and gratified by what I've discovered.
St. Cyprian & Dyonisius cut to the quick. I think it's near time for another Ecumenical council to draw the apostolic churches back into harmony with one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Culture and theological disputes cannot divide Christ. It's time for Rome, Constantinople and Moscow and everyone else to repent of their pride and imperialstic claims and seek accord with one another. The Church is local and universal, orthodox and catholic, in both time and space.
Just a quibble with your language on the Eucharist- He's not merely "present" but actually there, in the flesh, incarnate.
Posted by: Charlie at October 27, 2002 01:59 PMI must agree with Wayne (Mr. Toshikazu): The growth of The Orthodox Church (of which I wrote in my post) is a wonderful thing, hence in that understanding "new churches" are a blessing of God.
However, dividing over doctrinal disputes-- "dividers" are exactly what new denominations are (albeit well-intentioned)--(Presbyterians vs. Lutherans vs. Zwinglians vs. Weslians vs. Puritans vs. Methodists vs. Congregationalists vs. Baptists vs. Anabaptists....and on and on); dividing to have a church that accords with your convictions (Orthodox Presbyterian Church or Presbyterian Church of America-- which do YOU like better?); dividing to re-invent the wheel (Four-Square/Calvary Chapel); dividing from the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church (Anglicanism/Evangelical Protestantism); these divisions resulting in "new churches" are the sin that Wayne speaks of; and he is absolutely correct.
Let me make it clear that the point is not that Protestant denominations are in gross, explicit sin in the creation of new churches, for I accept that their intentions are good-- there are many Christ-following believers who "create" new churches. But this well-intentioned error cannot be overstated as to its destructive force against the Kingdom of God.
Charlie,
It was nice for you to post; I appreciate your words. I whole-heartedly look forward to a re-unification of the Church, and it is a prayer of my heart-- may it be the prayer of all Christians.
BTW, I do agree with your words on "presence;" I was merely being quick in speech.
God be with His people.
Posted by: jeremy at October 27, 2002 07:09 PM