Reflection #1

 Love for studying history has grown in me over the years and having this subject this semester is a good thing. Among the many things I have chosen two lessons that I've really come to think all through out the week. First, studying church history is valuable.Because if it's not, then we should not study this subject. We learn from church history how God's plan of redemption has been working out from the beginning. Through history we have the opportunity to see how God has protected and preserved His people. That is just amazing. Hstory demonstrate the truth of Christianity. For me, this is mind blowing. Without it, Christian theology remains in the head. Second, ignorance of church history has unwanted consequences. I believe that one of the consequences is poor knowledge of the richness of Church History. Ignorance of church history costs one's understanding that the Christian faith is historical and not just something new. Because of that there will be limitation in grasping how Christianity has thrived from then and now. If a person has not studied Christian history thoroughly, he will not be able to understand the roots of his faith. That limitation would eventually result to false assumption of what had happened in the past as well as ignorance in the works of the early Christians. He/she will miss the opportunity to be amazed on what God has done to His church and how He has sustained His people from the past up to the present. For me, that is just an awful lot of loses. Sadly, many Christians forfeit this privilege of education.

As I was sitting in class these two keeps ringing in my head. Though it was not a foreign concept to me, it was something I did not really take seriouly or religiously. I should dig down deeper of the historical Christianity we hold on to in order to save myself and my hearers from historical amnesia. Upon evaluation, I realized that I need to choose which path to take. Whether I would love history and take it seriously or miss my opportunity. My assessment is that I need to change the way I think about dates and people. They are important in history. Instead of thinking negatively, I think I should encourage myself that I can learn them. :)

 In application, I will read my books on church history faithfully. I will also share the information that I have learned to other people. During our chit chats in the dorm or outside the campus, I will share to others that learning church history is valuable. It should be fun learning history. Most of all, after my studies I pledge to continue learning about history because I know that I will also teach this someday when I'm in the ministry. So help me God!