Pagan Christianity

By: Frank Viola

Narrated by: Lloyd James

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and seminaries? This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles.

Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence in the first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices. Many Christians take for granted that their churchs practices are rooted in Scripture. Yet those practices look very different from those of the first-century church. The New Testament is not silent on how the early church freely expressed the reality of Christs indwelling in ways that rocked the first-century world.Times have changed.

Pagan Christianity leads us on a fascinating tour through church history, revealing this startling and unsettling truth: Many cherished church traditions embraced today originated not out of the New Testament, but out of pagan practices. One of the most troubling outcomes has been the effect on average believers: turning them from living expressions of Christs glory and power to passive observers. If you want to see that trend reversed, turn to Pagan Christianity...a book that examines and challenges every aspect of our contemporary church experience.

©2008 Frank Viola and George Barna (P)2008 christianaudio.com

Over all worth reading

Over all worth reading, I’ve found myself at times feeling like Frank was reaching, ultimately the way this book closes out though in the last two chapters I agree with. Churches today are not what God intended His Church To be. I would recommend it to be read but not without discernment. We can’t just throw the baby out with the bath water. Church today needs correction, the lengths this book goes to (what feels like) demonizing the current state of the church and church building/gathering are in my personal opinion over board. We need to give God our best, including the efforts to correct where we’ve gotten off track. Church is too much about us and not enough about God in general and this book has helpful input to offer. Just use discernment.

Don’t agree on every point but thought provoking

This man has done his homework and I respect him. I quit giving money to the Church 3-4 years ago. I give almost all of my gifts to global mission.

What the Modern day Church wishes you didn't read.

This book shook me to my core. I have been going to church for more than 30 years and I feel now, after reading this book, that I need to unlearn all the customs and traditions that I have been lead to believe were the standard for Christianity. We as followers of Christ need to be unshackled from the traditions of the corporate church, and become the church that Jesus Christ initially laid the foundations for. This book showed me that as Christians need need to get back to basics of being the Church not just going to a building, that we call church, to be entertained.

Outstanding Book!

There is not a part of this book I did not enjoy. As a Christian, I have always been drawn to how the early church practiced their faith. This book brings us back to the origins of Christianity, and exposes the pagan rituals we have brought in willingly by misinterpreting scripture.

This will make Church Lady verrrry mad...

I will try to not set off some entrenched church member out there with my review. Some people pan this book as foolishness. I have read the book and I will say that it gives a pretty clear understanding of why American church culture is ineffective today. This book (I have read the hard copy version of it) has footnotes that are exhaustive, pointing to the exact documents or historical manuscripts that prove the "why" of formal, organized church. All I can say is this: Give it an honest go, refraining from listening to attackers of the author and/or the topic matter. You can form your own conclusion, but it can't be a genuine conclusion (for your own sake) unless you finish the book and reflect upon what you see in church today and contrast it with what the first Christian worshippers experienced. This topic is very touchy, but I felt the author did a great job of trying to refrain from "church bashing," even though many detractors will claim otherwise. Someone once said that a mature person has the ability to listen to an idea without the fear that the idea will pollute his current thinking. I would also say that we don't have to throw a wrecking ball at everything we disagree with. Let us submit ourselves to the process of listening far more than we talk, for when we DO talk...our words will be meaningful when they are spoken.

I would like to hear or read more religious books!

I liked it and thought it was very informative 5stars does not do this book justice I want to hear and read more religious books because of this one!

Thought Provoking

compelling. I listened to it in one sitting and am going to do so again immediately. thank you!

Ouch

I have recently started a house Church. Before reading this we had eliminated many “traditions “ in favor of a simple spiritual family. We haven’t gone far enough. I have not made Jesus the center of our gatherings. We will change.

Irritatingly eye-opening

This book is compelling. As an ordained minister of 40 years, the book irritates me. The research shared and premises presented in this book the have a steak fry filled with alot of meat take from my (and the organized churches in general) sacred cows. Do not read this if you want to keep a peaceful life as to your views and methods of the church in general. I am prayerfully processing this revolutionary treatise.

Revealing!

Great info which is sure to blow some minds. While I don't agree with all of the conclusions or even all of the reasoning processes which led to those conclusions, I'm giving it 5 * because of the importance of its content. One glaring omission when addressing the intrusion/inclusion of pagan traditions into Christianity is the practice of observing Sunday (pagan sun worship) in place of Sabbath (the only day God blessed). There is no scriptural support for that. Overall, though, the book is well written and a necessary read any honest-hearted Christian.