Some evangelical churches appear to be uninterested in their historical roots, and so can be liturgically and doctrinally unstable. Perceiving this disconnection between their Protestant faith and ancient Christianity, a number of evangelicals have abandoned Protestantism for traditions that seem to be clearly rooted in the early church.  
  
Ken Stewart argues that the evangelical tradition's track record of interaction with Christian antiquity is far healthier than is often assumed. He surveys five centuries of Protestant engagement with the ancient church, showing that Christians belonging to the evangelical churches of the Reformation consistently see their faith as connected to early Christianity. Stewart explores areas of positive engagement, including the Lord's Supper and biblical interpretation, as well as areas that raise concerns, such as monasticism.  
  
In Search of Ancient Roots shows that Christian antiquity is the heritage of all orthodox Christians, and that evangelicals have the resources in their history to claim their place at the ecumenical table.  
  
'A must-read for every person struggling with the question, "What does evangelicalism have to do with history?"'  
Leonardo De Chirico, Director of Reformanda Initiative

Kenneth J. Stewart

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Some evangelical churches appear to be uninterested in their historical roots, and so can be liturgically and doctrinally unstable. Perceiving this disconnection between their Protestant faith and ancient Christianity, a number of evangelicals have abandoned Protestantism for traditions that seem to be clearly rooted in the early church.  
  
Ken Stewart argues that the evangelical tradition’s track record of interaction with Christian antiquity is far healthier than is often assumed. He surveys five centuries of Protestant engagement with the ancient church, showing that Christians belonging to the evangelical churches of the Reformation consistently see their faith as connected to early Christianity. Stewart explores areas of positive engagement, including the Lord’s Supper and biblical interpretation, as well as areas that raise concerns, such as monasticism.  
  
In Search of Ancient Roots shows that Christian antiquity is the heritage of all orthodox Christians, and that evangelicals have the resources in their history to claim their place at the ecumenical table.  
  
‘A must-read for every person struggling with the question, “What does evangelicalism have to do with history?”’  
Leonardo De Chirico, Director of Reformanda Initiative

An exploration of evangelicalism's relationship with, and roots in, ancient Christianity.

Today it is increasingly difficult for Protestants to identify what counts as distinctively Protestant, much less what counts as evangelical. As evangelicals lose contact with the churches and traditions descending from the Reformation, and as relations with Roman Catholicism continue to thaw, it becomes harder to explain why one should remain committed to the Reformation in the face of perceived deficits and theological challenges with the Protestant tradition. A common complaint about Protestant evangelicalism is its apparent disconnection from ancient Christianity. The antiquity and catholicity of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy seem to outshine the relative novelty of the Reformation. Some evangelical churches appear to be uninterested in the ancient historical roots of their faith as well as being liturgically and doctrinally unstable. Some within evangelicalism seem to have accepted at face value the suggestion that the evangelical faith is no more than a threadbare descendant of ancient Christianity. The result is that a number of younger Protestants in recent years have abandoned evangelicalism, turning instead to practices and traditions that appear more rooted in the early church. In Search of Ancient Roots examines this phenomenon and places it within a wider historical context. Ken Stewart argues that the evangelical tradition in fact has a much healthier track record of interacting with Christian antiquity than it is usually given credit for. He surveys five centuries of Protestant engagement with the ancient church, showing that Christians belonging to the evangelical churches of the Reformation have consistently seen their faith as connected to early Christianity. Stewart explores areas of positive engagement, such as the Lord's Supper and biblical interpretation, as well as areas that raise concerns, such as monasticism. In Search of Ancient Roots shows that evangelicals need not view their tradition as impoverished or lacking deep roots in the tradition. Christian antiquity is the heritage of all orthodox Christians, and evangelicals have the resources in their history to claim their place at the ecumenical table.

Written by an expert in the history of Protestant Christianity Explores key ecumenical disputes, including baptism, the Lord's Supper, papal authority, and justification.

Kenneth J. Stewart (PhD, Univeristy of Edinburgh) is professor of theological studies and former chair of the department of biblical and theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. His books include Ten Myths About Calvinism, Restoring the Reformation, and The Emergence of Evangelicalism. Stewart is a specialist in the history of Christianity from the Reformation to the present with special interest in the development of the evangelical Protestant tradition. He has contributed to reference works such as the Dictionary of Scottish Church History and Theology, The Blackwell Dictionary of Evangelical Biography, and the Encyclopedia of the Reformed Faith.

\["Want to get back to the valuiable identity of Protestantism?","In Search Of Ancient Roots takes you back to why the Protestant Reformation is key today","You'll find yourself reaffirmed in your faith"\]

A calling to examine the vital roots of Protestantism, this insightful book will reaffirm the present Evangelical faith by looking back to its forebears.

In Search of Ancient Roots

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In Search of Ancient Roots

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