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Dear Carol,

Please study your paper and the grading rubric. Study my comments throughout.
Then compare this rubric with the rubric for your research paper. You will notice
some similarities and differences, but I am always amazed that some students make
mistakes on the book review only to repeat those same mistakes on their research
papers. "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you" (Hebrews 6:9 KVJ).

The rubric asks you to establish your intentions in the review in the introduction.
Then it checks to see at the end whether you have fulfilled your promise to your
readers. This allows you to establish your own method of working. You are one of
the few who has followed the rubric.

Your writing is clear, properly punctuated, and grammatically correct with rare
exceptions. Pay careful attention to the details of announcement 15, "Finishing Your
Research Paper." I'm looking forward to seeing your research paper.

Blessings,

John Landers

BOOK REVIEW RUBRIC


Points
Criteria

Earne
d

Points
Possib
le

20

20

20

20

100

100

Introduction:

Is there a clear thesis


statement? 10
What are your intentions in
this review? 10

Structure:

Are the transitions between


paragraphs and sections
clear? 10
Is the review logically
oriented? 10

Content:

Are the issues raised in the


review properly treated? 35
Are differing viewpoints
considered, analyzed, and
treated? 35
Does the conclusion offer a
good summary of issues
treated in the paper? Did
you accomplish what you
set out to do? 30

Style:

Is the paper without


spelling and grammatical
errors? 20
Does the paper properly
use Turabian style? 20
Does the paper reflect a
graduate level of
vocabulary? 20

TOTAL

60

200

60

200

Instructors Comments

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

WORSHIPING WITH THE CHURCH FATHERS


BY
CHRISTOPHER HALL

BOOK REVIEW SUBMMITED TO DR. JOHN LANDERS

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR


THE COURSE CHHI 520
LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
BY

CAROL H. MONTGOMERY

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA
SEPTEMBER 22, 2013
Worshiping with the Church Fathers: Christopher Hall, Downers Grove, IL, IVP, 2010, 279pp,
$14.88 Paperback
After reading the book Worshiping with the Church Fathers by author, Christopher Hall I
would like to share what I believe are some of the highpoints This is your intention in this
review. described as the reasons for which we are called: According to (1 Peter 2:9, NLT), " But
you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, and Gods
very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out
of the darkness into his wonderful light. We're missing a succinct statement of the author's thesis.
In Worship with the Church Fathers part of a four-part series on patristic teachings,
Eastern University chancellor Christopher Hall digs into the writings of early Christian leaders
(Ambrose, Athanasius, Augustine, Clement, Cyril, Irenaeus, John Chrysostom, John of
Damascus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and others) to lay out something of an "Early Church
Theology of Worship," drawing important themes and principles that modern believers would do
well to understand and apply. (p. 13-15)
He is also associate editor of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture and has
written a very well renowned and well-versed book that looks at the early practices of worship
among the early church fathers, "Worshiping with the Church Fathers." Worshiping with the
Church Fathers is one of a series of four books by Hall which convey the church founders to us
in the most convenient form.
He (Christopher Hall) is an intelligent, knowledgeable leader in addition to the twists and
opportunities of this frequently eccentric and unaccustomed region.

This manuscript offers a comprehensible, clear account of information to us some of the


greatest beginning church fathers wisdom about baptism, communion, supplication and spiritual
disciplines which is divided into three subdivisions, Sacraments: Entering the Worshiping
Community, and Eucharist: Feasting with the Worshiping Community, Prayer: The Basics of
Prayer, the Challenge of Unceasing Prayer, Further Coaching on Prayer the Lord's Prayer and
Discipline: The Transforming Call to the Desert, and a Space to Draw Close to God. (p.21) But
by this point we clearly see what his thesis is.
A strong point of this manuscript is that Hall enlightens the biblical and spiritual intellect
used by the fathers as they established there methodologies. This manuscript is important for all
who would be interested in gaining more knowledge of a reliable introduction to spirituality of
the early church. To my surprise sacraments is at the front since sacraments receive a diverse
response in the Protestant world. (p22)
Hall narrows his exploration to the two sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist as he
presents the theological views and practices of the early church through the eyes of the church
fathers. (p46) Hall, who worships at an Evangelical Episcopal church, Yes, one wonders! goes
beyond a mere recital of information to push his audience to consider that there might well be
much more to the sacraments than many denominations have considered.(p.60)
Toward the end of this section, Hall comments, I have learned to see the world through a
sacramental lens. Getting to know the church fathers through reading the manuscript has helped
me to understand and embrace a sacramental worldview, as have other worthies such as Aquinas,
Luther and Calvin (p 78).
In addition, I feel that Christopher Hall has not just written a manuscript about the early
fathers' views on worship and prayer. Therefore, with cleverness and meekness, Hall asks us to a

continue conversation with Christian siblings who centuries ago reflected on distractions in
prayer, self-deception, passions and other concerns central to the Christian life.
Christopher has mined the ancient resources, uncovered the gems, and set them in a
context that makes them highly accessible for consideration by Protestant evangelicals of which
he is one and all others in the Christian family who want to deepen their understanding and
practice of worship and prayer. The second section on prayer was far more fascinating than I
expected. I especially appreciated Halls treatment of the challenge of unceasing prayer and the
Lords Prayer.
Under the discussion about intercession, he makes the point that it should be based on
fervent charity (p. 102), and that holiness never compromises, but it is never divorced from
love (p. 103). The fiery prayer mentioned in the list above is the silent groaning of Romans 8.
Hall then provides an extended discussion of Isaacs ideas on pp. 105-107.
I appreciate Halls comparison of praying and not ceasing to handwriting and how we can
get to a place where we can transcribe while intellectual thinking of other things. The indication
is that we can improve our prayer life to the point where it can function in the background. Even
while we do other things we can be mindful of God. I would like to mention one early source,
Hall quotes: prayer is not just an activity of mind; it is a state of mind (p 127).
The final unit on discipline emphasizes greatly on persons like St. Antony who separated
into the desert for isolation to develop spiritual discipline. Ive never related to this concept and
thought I would likely skim this last part of the book. Instead, I found myself thoroughly
captivated. I developed a much more accurate picture of the desert fathers and the purpose of

their withdrawal, and I was inspired by their example. (pp. 228-229) Yes, Antony makes an
excellent research paper, but very few choose that.
Worshiping with the Church Fathers is one of those wonderful books that both teaches
and inspires. Each section touched me in an entirely different and vital way. I have noticed that
the Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic churches drawing closer, with many thoughtful and
intelligent members of each finding a tremendous amount of common ground.
It is also evidence that the explosion of interest in the church fathers in the Protestant
world which has led many to revisit many Protestant assumptions that eliminate liturgy,
sacraments, memorized prayers, veneration of saints, and other things embraced by Catholics,
Orthodox, and some high church Protestants.
In conclusion, Hall grounds his discussion on worship in the early Church's
understanding of sacramentalism that is, the use of physical elements to represent spiritual
realities. He points out that the church fathers used the Latin word "sacramentum" to translate the
Greek word mysterion, which the New Testament writers used to describe the deep truths of the
faith that transcend comprehension.
The fathers, Hall states, passionately pursued the sacraments, seeing them as the opposite
of dualism and Gnostic heresy. They saw them as reminders that God's creation was important to
Him, and viewed the symbolism of worship as a crucial continuation of the principle of the
incarnation.
Hall devotes particular attention to the practice and significance of baptism in which the
water represents the cleansing and life-giving of the Spirit, the Eucharist, prayer, and spiritual
discipline (i.e. fasting, silence, etc.)

His chapters on prayer are a powerful reminder of the centrality of prayer to the
Christian life and show an interesting perspective on the character of God, but his discussion of
the Eucharist, while helpful in articulating a Christ centric view of communion, goes too far
toward the Catholic/Eastern Orthodox position of transubstantiation to be wholeheartedly
recommended. On balance, Worship with the Church Fathers provides evangelicalism with a
needed viewpoint that worship is neither wholly intellectual nor wholly emotional but grounded
in the spiritual and physical reality of God's presence. While Hall's biases lie with the more
liturgical traditions, his faithful study of the first generations after Christ is informative and
instructive (p.226). Hall uses main sources in the book, so the person who reads can see what
the Fathers really said. This also inspires readers to do further study. I would recommend this
manuscript but would advise all readers to discern and form their own opinion.
________________________
Christopher A. Hall, Worshiping with the Church Fathers, (Inter Varsity, 2010).

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