Review of Pagan Christianity?
by Frank Viola and George Barna

The Book and its Topic

Oops… Here comes trouble! Pagan Christianity? by Frank Viola and George Barna is going to cause a stir. In fact, anyone frequenting the blogosphere will be well aware of the ripples it has caused already.

So, what is the big problem? Frank and George are taking on the institutional church. Much like Martin Luther did. In England a good couple of centuries ago, these two would have been facing execution for their claims.

Like many Christians today, Frank and George are tired of going to church, and sitting passively in the pews, watching “a show”. They realize that disciples of Jesus are the Church, and they want to be the Church the way they were meant to. They are not crazy rebels spreading rumors in order to do the Body of Jesus harm….

They are revolutionaries trying to change the future and trying to get Jesus’ idea of Church and our idea of Church on the same page.

Pagan Christianity? was first released by Frank Viola in 2003. This 2nd version is revised and updated, and this time the book sports the name of Christian research heavyweight George Barna. Barna is a respected and influential voice in church conversation, and author of Revolution to which this edition of Pagan Christianity is a sequel. All good news for Viola, and for the Church at large, since Barna’s name promises to get the truths communicated here spread faster and wider than before.

Viola and Barna claim that many of the things that go on in what we consider to be “church” have their roots in pagan traditions. In fact, they back up their claims with irrefutable research and proof.

These two show how the following (amongst other things) originated from pagan traditions:

As you can see, all pretty controversial claims. As I said earlier, they do back their claims up by proper research and an indication of the origins of these aspects of the institutional church from church history. And, yes, it is very hard to argue with.

Pagan Christianity? will be an especially bitter pill to swallow for many pastors and other “professional” Christians. There is, however, (as is quoted in the book) nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder only to realize that you are against the wrong wall. For that reason, I think that pastors should be more eager and willing to consider the message communicated here.

I am thoroughly convinced that we need to make a shift if we want to get back in line with what Jesus and the earliest disciples and apostles had in mind for the gathering of Christians, the Church.

Consider it a dare… I dare you to read this book. It will be difficult. But I think very necessary if we want to move deeper toward the passion of Jesus for his Church.

BookDisciple.com Power Quote

“… the Protestant liturgy that you quietly sit through every Sunday, year after year, actually hinders spiritual transformation. It does so because (1) it encourages passivity, (2) it limits functioning, and (3) it implies that putting in one hour per week is the key to the victorious Christian Life.

“Every Sunday you attend the service to be bandaged and recharged, like all other wounded soldiers. Far too often, however, the bandaging and the recharging never takes place. The reason is quite simple. The New Testament never links sitting through an ossified ritual that we mislabel “church” as having anything to do with spiritual transformation. We grow by functioning, not by passively watching and listening.”
– Pagan Christianity? p.77.

So, how does it read?

I found it an extremely frustrating read. One of the reasons why George Barna is alleged to have become involved with this book, is to make a very academic work more readable and accessible to the Church at large instead of only scholars.

If this is true, and the second edition is an improvement in terms of readability, then I am glad I didn’t read that first work.

It is a thick book and I think the authors could be tried for assault with the intention of causing grievous bodily harm by means of footnotes. Yes, yes… I realize the importance of these footnotes in their mission for proving their case.

It’s just that I am a very thorough person and I could not resist reading most of the footnotes, and this is painful. Still very academic and full of difficult words and concepts for such a simple mind as mine.

I would still ask every Christian I meet to read this book in spite of the difficult read it is. It is such an important case, put forth so thoroughly, that it simply cannot be ignored!

What did this book mean to me personally?

Huge implications… No! Sorry… HUGE IMPLICATIONS!!!

I believe what Viola and Barna are saying here. And, unfortunately in my quest to be authentic (and not a hypocrite) this means that my road with the institutional church has now officially come to an end.

My wife is still absorbing the shock of this and seriously considering reading the book (shame, absolute torture for a person that does not enjoy reading) to be able to understand my radical reaction to the book.

The problem is, I am a close friend of both pastors of my (soon to be ex-) institutional church. I have also been very involved with the activities of this church in the past.

I hope they will still be my friends after I have properly communicated my new convictions. But… if exclusion is my destiny, then so be it. I am sure it will be worth it in the long run.

Proper first century styled, organic community of disciples of Jesus, with Him at the head of meetings, sounds to good not to pursue wholeheartedly!

Conclusion

If you are at all concerned with restoring Jesus back to being the only Leader of his Church, his Body, then Pagan Christianity? is for you. It takes courage to read. It will shake your beliefs and challenge you to think hard, and carefully consider your next steps. It will, in short, shake your peaceful little world. Exciting stuff indeed!

I am afraid that the effect Pagan Christianity? will have on my life and ministry is only starting. It will not always be easy to implement what I now know is necessary, but since when have disciples of Jesus been afraid of persecution, exclusion and the loss of friends. We are on a narrow difficult road, right?

The important thing to remember here is that it is a quest to move closer to the Bible and to restore Jesus as the head of His Church. I hope those planning on excluding me can realize this…

I know there is more to church than what I have grown up with and experienced up to now. I will not rest until I am at home in an authentic, organic community of Jesus followers, members of his Body, where we can sense his headship and presence in a real way.

I believe this is what our Lord is calling me, and you, to pursue. And we are to go ahead despite the possible exclusion this might cause in the short run.

Oh yes, and if you do decide to read Pagan Christianity?… Be strong!

To find out more about the book, or to buy it, visit the official Pagan Christianity? website.

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