Foreword by Dr. Rick Warren
In the eighteenth century, Irish philosopher, author, and statesman Edmund Burke famously stated, “Those who ignore history are destined to repeat it.” That’s why this book is so invaluable. Written by another great Irish philosopher, author, and theologian—my friend Alister McGrath—this volume brilliantly shows us why we cannot afford to ignore the lessons of church history.
One hundred and fifty years after Burke, George Santayana restated Burke’s aphorism in his book Reason in Common Sense: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Nowhere else is this principle more obvious than in the historic heresies of the Christian faith. Because most believers have little or no knowledge of church history, they fail to recognize old errors that reappear on the scene after being refuted and rejected by previous generations of orthodox Christians.
We know that truth is unchanging and eternal. If it’s true, it’s not new. But many lies are not new either. In Ecclesiastes 1:9, Solomon noted, “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new” (New Living Translation).
What goes around in one generation eventually comes back around again in another generation. The name or label of the heresy may change, but the error is likely one that has been proven wrong repeatedly over the past two thousand years.
For instance, there’s nothing at all new about New Age philosophy. The New Age is just Old Lies repackaged. The belief that you are God (or can be) is as old as Eden. It was the first temptation.
This is an extremely important book for our day, especially since the media do not consider orthodoxy worthy of coverage. We must equip our people with the historical knowledge they need to discern that fad theologies and current challenges to our faith are merely regurgitated heresies from the past.
I thank God for Alister McGrath. You will too when you’ve finished this book. His insights and his writing are clear, compelling, and comprehensive.
Don’t just read this book. Strengthen the church by giving copies to others.
Dr. Rick Warren
Saddleback Church
Lake Forest, California