Does history teach us anything?

George Wilhelm Hegel, a 19th century philosopher, wrote, "What experience and history teach is this - that people and governments never have learned anything from history or acted on principles."

Is this true in the Christian church?  Possibly for at times the same heresies pop up their heads and large sections of society accept them.  It is at these times that God raises up reformers in order to proclaim the faith again.  In Israel's history this is the position of the judges and the prophets, in church history it was the place of the great councils like Nicea and Chalcedon.  In the 16th and 17th century its was Martin Luther, John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards and others.  But yet again, there are heresies arising in the churches: pluralism, salvation by works and others.

Has history not taught us that Christ alone is our salvation and no other faith can save, for no other faith proclaims a salvation by faith apart from works.  Yet, there is a fascination these days with proclaiming that in order to be saved one must be a social justice advocate, or an accepter of other faith traditions or willing to compromise the exclusivity and divinity of Christ.  Yet, historic Christian faith has always denied these.  Why then is the church turning away from it's foundations in Christ?

Maybe Hegel was right, maybe we don't learn from history.  Then again, maybe he is wrong, maybe we don't know our history and therefore we are unable to learn from it.  I urge you to read about the history of the church.  A great way to start with is InterVarsity Press' Pocket Histories of the Christianity.  There are a number of great titles like: 

 

Augustine and His World (paperback) 

Christianity and the Celts (paperback) 

The Expansion of Christianity (paperback) 

Faith in the Age of Reason (paperback) 

Faith in the Medieval World (paperback) 

Francis of Assisi and His World (paperback) 

Luther and His World (paperback)