Miller's Church History
by Andrew Miller
Show me a person who enjoys reading "church history" and I'll show you a rare breed of human being! Why? If you have to ask then it's obvious you haven't read much on the subject. If it doesn't lull you into a good sound sleep it nauseates you with its incessant droning about the miserable failures and awful atrocities of so many who claimed the name of Christ!
Well, if after reading this introduction, you're ready to give up the search for a high quality, God exalting history - DON'T ! You've just found one; it's entitled Miller's Church History. It was formerly known as Short Pagers on Church History (my 1977 edition is 58 chapters, 1089 pages long) because of the way each chapter is broken up into shorter segments for ease of reading and meditation. From the outset, I was impressed with the spiritual character of this "history" when I read in the preface these words:
"I have aimed at more than mere history. It has been my desire to connect with it Christ and His Word, so that the reader may receive the truth and blessing, through grace, to his soul."
Most histories tend to be overly preoccupied with all the evils, controversies, abuses, and heresies of the past. Without ignoring the reality of these, Andrew Miller, in striking contrast, focuses his effort on tracing out, even in the darkest hour, "the silver line of God's grace in true Christians." How refreshing!
The author's approach to presenting this material is unique. The first six chapters start with the Biblical record of the early church in its pristine beauty and moves on to the letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor recorded in Revelations 2 and 3. He then uses these letters as a broad outline in developing the historical record up to the twentieth century. In chapter 4, there is an interesting attempt to sketch out the life of all twelve apostles, moving from scripture to extra-biblical tradition regarding their later years. The latter is handled judiciously and is never treated with the same confidence as scripture itself. As I traveled through time with Mr. Miller, I was deeply impressed with God's sovereign control and tender care of His own in every place and at all times. The light of God's testimony at times appears to almost go out when suddenly the winds of His mercy fan into a flame fresh faith, courage and obedience. This whole volume illustrates, repeatedly, the truth of the saying "the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church."
The author is obviously well read, yet his prayerful approach makes him a true student. He does not write to entertain nor does he record history for its own sake. Instead, he skillfully weaves key people, places and events into more direct statement of history to brings home the relevant moral and spiritual lessons.
Several unique features of this book include:
- a look at how quickly the apostolic church departed from the New Testament practices; a warning to those who like to quote the so-called "church fathers".
- the origin of the clergy/laity distinction; including its more subtle Protestant form.
- the origin of "the world church".
- the root causes of many evil doctrines and how the truth was preserved in conflict.
The layout of the book is also very helpful with key subjects offset by darker print. This along with three indices (General, Persons, and Places) help facilitate the reader's research.
I am happy to report that the original last chapter written by Mr. Miller, which had been removed with one by a Mr. Kingsley G. Rendell in a previous edition, has been reinstated. If there is one weakness to this book, it's that our writer is not as through in more recent church history as he is up to and throughout the Reformation period. If there are any aspiring historians out there, here is an opportunity to continue the godly tradition established in these pages.
If you consider yourself a student of history then your education is incomplete without this volume. If you've never read a book on Church history, then get this one and see for yourself the awesome wonder of God's sustaining grace in vessels of clay! Who said Church History wasn't interesting?
George Cofresi