Sometime last year, I was spending time at a fellow author’s home. I noticed that he had many commentaries in his library. Most of them I owned. I then asked which commentary he found the most helpful. His answer: The Sacra Pagina.
So I bought a set.
Most of my commentaries are written by mainstream evangelicals, neo-evangelicals, Reformed, or post-evangelicals.
The Sacra Pagina is written by Catholic scholars.
Sacra Pagina means “sacred page,” and it originally referred to the text of Scripture in the Middle Ages.
After reading through the volumes, I’ve got a feel for this commentary series. Like every other commentary I own, I don’t agree with all of the exegesis. However, Catholic theology is very strong on many of the values that I’m passionate about. Namely, the reality that the church is part of Christ and that God’s intention is centered on Christian community over against the individual believer (a mark of Protestantism).
Because this series offers a perspective outside the typical evangelical or mainline Protestant pale, many of the insights into Scripture are fresh. Luke Timothy Johnson, who is respected among evangelicals, is one of the contributors.
Interestingly, the commentary set draws from many evangelical, neo-evangelical, and post-evangelical scholars. They are mentioned in the text and listed in the notes and bibliographies. While the Catholic perspective is present, it doesn’t dominate.
If you’re someone who is theologically savvy and already owns an evangelical commentary set, you will find The Sacra Pagina to be of value and a nice addition to your library.
Order from Amazon.com (scroll down to see all the volumes)
Just came across this post today and after reading all the dialogue was glad to see your comment below. May we each be careful to discern between a system and our Lord; for one is temporal, the other eternal. And only One is life giving.
[QUOTE] Nope, never said “The Catholic Church is part of the body of Christ.” And I’ve never said the same about “the Protestant Church.” Those are systems and organizations. The body of Christ is made up of all who have the life of Christ.[FV]
Frank, I am again impressed with your humble boldness in handling such difficult discussions. Blessings to you.
I must admit I was surprised to see you encourage Catholic commentaries. But on reading the exchange of comments following it I was more surprised. Have I made a mistake in understanding that you think the Roman Catholic Church is a part of the Bride of Christ? This does not seem to be the opinion of Evangelicals throughout the centuries. Having read Pagan Christianity and hearing you raise issue over many various forms and practices I cannot really understand why you think they are more dangerous or harmful than the official Catholic teaching of salvation by works, worship of Mary, and other very basic things connected to salvation.
First: As has been stated numerous times on this blog and elsewhere, “Pagan Christianity” is not a stand alone book. People who read it without the sequels will easily miss the nuance and come to a wrong conclusion. Your comment is an example. Please view the sequels at http://www.ReimaginingChurch.org
Second: There is an enormous difference between the “Roman Catholic Church” as a system and writers who are Roman Catholic. The same is true for the Protestant Church as a system or evangelicalism itself, which I’m sure you are aware has problems as well. ANY commentary has problems with it, but these are much better than MOST Protestant commentaries I’ve read. The blog post states the reasons. If you’ve read my post, “Beyond Evngelical” Part I, you’ll better understand where I’m coming from.
In short, there are parts of Roman Catholic teaching that is correct and other parts that are not. The same is true for Protestant teaching. Each individual work of an individual author must be tested on its own merits. Broad-brushing a whole group of people or movement always leads us away from Jesus Christ, who is Truth.
Yes I have read your other books. But you do seem to state above that the Catholic Church is a part of the Body of Christ. While I understand that there are Catholics who love Jesus Christ, walk with Him and who hold to the Bible above the teachings of man the basic teachings of Catholicism contradict the simple Gospel of Christ and the message of the early Church. I have multitudes of friends who were born and who lived in devout Catholic enviroments but who never once heard a clear Gospel message pointing them to salvation in Christ through His sacrifice on the Cross. If you ask them if Catholicism is to be generally accepted as Christian or as the Body of Christ they would say a clear no due to the fact that they were held in such darkness and recieved no light from the main voices of the church – not one. This cannot be said of Protestant and Evangelical churches as a whole or in their basic belief concerning salvation. Once the clear message of salvation becomes obscured or confused with works and error in a way that hinders people from finding salvation can we call such systems the church? Of course I would say the same about Evangelicalism or any Protestant movement.
Nope, never said “The Catholic Church is part of the body of Christ.” And I’ve never said the same about “the Protestant Church.” Those are systems and organizations. The body of Christ is made up of all who have the life of Christ. I have met many Catholics and many Protestants who have His life. We agree that there are problems with official RCC teaching, but there is about as much diversity among Catholics today as there are among Protestants. And some Protestant teaching is also off on the subject of salvation. Many Protestants, for instance, teach that the gospel is simply saying a prayer, giving mental assent to a few theological statements, and then voila, you get your ticket to heaven. That idea is just as unbiblical as is some of the teachings of the RCC. So it’s not as clear cut as you seem to suggest. There are problems with both organizations and there is much good in both as well. By the way, all of this is off the point of the post. The point of the blog post was not to argue RCC doctrine. It was to endorse some commentaries as being, not infallible, but helpful. I hope that clears it up for you. I’m out of time, I’m afraid.
Thanks for that. I appreciate the reply.
Puritan thought and writing is not monolithic.
T
Several wonderful writers from the RC tradition have already been noted. I’d add a couple more.
Richard John Neuhaus has been very formative in my thinking, especially Freedom For Ministry.
I’ve been engaged for the past 3 years reading and studying Thomas Merton. Father Louis was very able to make the distinction between the essence of the church and the supportive “scaffolding” –as he put it.
Tom
Goodday Frank,
Please what’s your opinion on puritan books.
Thank you.
Wole: Which Puritan book?
Thanks, Frank. I might get a copy some time.
Frank: Have you read Spiritual Man by Nee? It was recommended to me a couple of years ago, but haven’t cracked it open yet. It seems daunting.
Ant: Yes. Read it a few times when I was in my 20s. I wouldn’t recommend it today. Nee himself critic”ed it when he was older (he wrote it when he was 26!). Nee has written tons of books. But the ones I recommend to people can be found here: http://www.ptmin.org/library – they are his very best. So instead of spending time reading “The Spiritual Man,” a better use of that time would be to read the other volumes on that list.
I have a few commentaries by James Montgomery Boice that are very good. Watchman Nee. I’m saving up for The Early Church Fathers, a 38 volume set, edited by Roberts, Donaldson, Schaff & Wace.
Has anyone seen this set before or have an opinion?
Shane: The set is fine, but the “fathers” are a *very* mixed bag. Read “Pagan Christianity” to see some of the mixture. Mixture with a capital M . . . so one must read them discerningly and not take them as a standard for anything. They didn’t represent the churches in their day either.
Shane: The best stuff by Nee can be found here: http://www.ptmin.org/library
Thanks, Frank. I didn’t know there was another translation.
Out of interest, what makes it a better translation?
Chris: It’s more accurate to what she actually wrote. Also very easy to read in English.
@Chris-Lovie Tyler – Jeanne Guyon, amazing woman martyr. My favorite “Catholic” authors though happen to be “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lawrence and “Imitation of Christ” by Thomas a Kempis. Brother Lawrence gets me every time.
One of my most valued books is Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ, by the Catholic mystic Jeanne Guyon. I don’t agree with everything she says—some of it’s difficult to support biblically—but I love how passionate she is about Jesus; and that book opened me up to the possibility of a much deeper intimacy with him.
I’ve read other Catholic writings, too, and often found a depth and richness in them that is lacking in Protestant works.
Chris: The better translation of that work by Guyon is called EXPERIENCING GOD THROUGH PRAYER (published by Whitaker House). People can order it at a great discount here: http://amzn.to/hxxMeg – I recommend it.
I may be wrong, but I believe that the Orthodox church also believes that the community is is for Christ, not just the individual. They believe you need to live the faith out in community.
I’m finding thier writings utterly amazing. ancientfaith is a great website on how they believe.
It’s such a different paradigm when you’ve grown up in the US as a Protestant. Like someone taking your head up off your shoulders and setting it on backwards.
Justamouse: Yes, the Orthodox teaching is, if you please, “orthodox.” However, the *practical outworking* of it in that tradition is completely different matter. I address this in my talk at George Fox Seminary. You’ll find it of interest.
Frank,
I had asked this earlier but I know you are very busy writing and tweeting and such.
Do you have a personal list on your favorite commentaries on the books of the Bible?
If that is to much to compile what about the NT.
My stuff is highly recommended by the evangelical type crowd. I had often wondered about the “Sacra Pagina?”
Michael: Good question. I’m afraid I don’t have such a list. Maybe in the future.
Garyq,
I hear what you are saying I for a long time avoided catholic books and reference books.
I wouldn’t pick up heavily Roman Catholic dogma books such as apologetics on the Virgin Mary for example. But general scholarly stuff is quite good. I would love to be let loose in the Vatican library for instance. It is the largest christian library on the planet by far.
I have read couple of books by Catholic writers that have had a profound affect on me. I have read more but I suggest these two because they will illustrate very powerfully that there are really fine christians within the RC system.
“The Practice of the Presence of God”, by Brother Lawrence, Spire books, isbn 0-8007-8599-1.
“The Way of the Heart”, by Henri J. Nouwen, Ballantine Books, isbn 0-345-46335-8.
You will get a whole new appreciation for christians within the Roman Catholic Church system.
A few points on catholic scholars. They are single and don’t have families to support so they spend more hours on their research and craft. They have access to the Vatican Library which is huge, vast, and very complete with scholarly tomes from all the various religions. They pump scholarly stuff out at an astonishing rate.
I have learned much from out Catholic brother (especially Chrysostom!) and in fact my newest blog series is about the Biblical verses that question the typical protestant mindset in lieu of the Catholic one. While other men are addicted to buying electronics, I buy good Christian books! My wife will KILL me now that I’ve added 4 books from the Sacred Pagina collection! She may even delete my Amazon queue! 🙂 (The book in question with the verses I’m referring to about the Catholic texts is Catholic Verses by Dave Armstrong. Thanks again!
If I may, please forgive me for sounding caustic and in attack mode. I truly did not intend to!! Yes, your books are being read! In fact I have spiral bound one of them because I am constantly going back are re-reading it. I am very attune to your stance of remaining open to all brethren in the Body of Christ and understand that Catholics can be and are part of the Body of believers Christ has redeemed. I’m not sure I can explain further my inital comment of being surprized without writing a book here and possibly creating more misunderstanding but a couple points of clarification.
I believe I have read that you have not been wounded by the institutional church like many of us. The wounds, in my case, came from submission to strong dictitorial and hierarchal mindsets. In my case, I will be very cautious in my pursuit of learning about community when opening myself to systems of theological thought that heartily embrace what I have had to recover from. If a person has not had to overcome emotional trauma, it’s easier to learn from those that have had a part in the upheaval.
Again, please accept my apology for using cults and gangs in trying to illustrate. It wasn’t the best choice of examples. My wife and I have met are friends with some wonderful Catholic believers. We have learned from them. At this point in my own life, I don’t know if I want to learn about structure and community from them. That may be a shortcoming of mine and that is maybe why the surprize.
Gary: Appreciate the reply. No worries. Just to be clear (to quote Obama): I didn’t recommend these commentaries to learn about systems or hierarchy. The theology of the church being one with Christ is what I highlighted, as I recall. And that is something that many Protestants do not grasp. Protestant commentaries and books embrace top-down leadership also. Just as much as most Catholics do. Kevin Giles, who is an Anglican, has written several superb books denouncing the top-down, hierarchical leadership model. But again, that’s all off topic. In any commentary one reads, look for Christ and discard the rest. Blessings, fv.
I’m surprized by this review! It seems that the Catholic tradition is so entrenched with hierarchal authority and legalism that it would be a challenge even for “savvy theologians” to wade through their commentary for golden nuggets. I guess we can learn from anyone, but going down that path of thinking, one should maybe take up studying gangs and cults too. The military also has ” community”! But their often tight knit communities are based upon paradigms of authority that the Body of Christ should never emulate.
Somewhat confused,
Gary
Gary: Have you not read “Jesus Manifesto”? Or part II of “From Eternity to Here” where I discuss the vessels of the temple?
If a person cuts themselves off from others members of the body of Christ (which has been around for the last 2,000 years) just because some of them may disagree with a piece of his or her theology, that person will be very poor in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
As for me, I’ve learned from many people in the institutional church world past and present, including Anglicans, Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants, while standing my ground on where I disagree. Anyone who has regularly read this blog or my body of work (http://www.ptmin.org/books) is well aware of this. I’ve been very vocal on my hatred of sectarianism, exlusivism, and elitism. Yet it stands to reason that those who aren’t carefully familiar with my full body of work or understand the spirit behind it would be surprised by the above.
In short: It’s ridiculous that a person would compare Catholics like Luke Timothy Johnson, not to mention Augustine, Chesterton, Guyon, Nouwen, etc. with “cults” and “gangs.” We have not so learned Jesus Christ.