The Changing Shape of Church History

Rating:
Summary: Change as a constant...
Review: Justo Gonzalez is a major figure in the field of church history, part of the first generation to break free of the European/North American dominance in terms of methodology as well as person - Gonzalez, himself the author of seventy books, used to be the 'translator' for his seminary classes, being the only English-speaking member. He would read the books and translate freely as he read aloud. He had discussions and debates with his professors over the nature and method of church history, which sowed the seeds for the changes he would later implement himself in his works, which have gradually become standard works in their own right.

I was fortunate enough to hear lectures by Gonzalez recently which dealt with the issues in this text - how have our perspectives changed over the past generation with regard to history generally, church history in particular, and the theological understandings that come out of these perspectives? One of Gonzalez's primary concerns is how the changing perspectives affect students in seminary and thus ministers in the parishes. Gonzalez highlights the recent events of September 11, 2001 as indicative of the change - the West is no longer monolithic and impregnable in any regard; the world is not as secular as it might have seemed, and shifting patterns of power and loyalty around the world will make the third millennium much different.

Gonzalez book divides the text into two primary tasks - the first, to look at the changing 'geography' of church history. This is a metaphor, for if history is a drama, geography is the stage, according to Gonzalez. He explores issues in terms of boundaries and horizontal boundaries, topographical features, and contrasts maps old and new. The second primary task is to look at the changing history of church history. Gonzalez sees these issues in terms of struggles - struggles over interpretation and understanding of pieces such as the history of Israel, the history of the Greco-Roman world, and more. How one uses history, and how one practices historical understanding, is of great importance in how history will be perceived.

In his final chapter, Gonzalez clarifies that absolute, objective history is impossible regardless of the care taken in making the history as bias-free as possible. For many historians, the future is as important as the past, and how one draws history helps define how one will project the future. Gonzalez identifies several main points for how church history should be studied - first, one should recognise the new catholicity, that church history and understanding is now drawn from perspectives all over the world, not just the dominant Western academy. These perspectives also include inclusivity on various bases, such as race, gender, class and culture.

This is not really a book of church history as much as it is a book about church history. How the future will see and shape history is of vital importance to the community, and Gonzalez has provided useful and insightful tools for the task.