Product Description

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and seminaries? This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Coauthors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence in the first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1045 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

From the Publisher
"Most contemporary Christians are massively ignorant as to how the church got to where it is today and of how much current church practice is due simply to accumulated tradition, with little or no roots in Scripture. This book provides a useful service in peeling back the layers of tradition, showing the origins of much that we today call "church." Christians who want to be biblically faithful, regardless of their particular tradition or church form, can learn and benefit from the book."
Howard Snyder, Professor of History and Theology of Mission, Asbury Theological Seminary, author of "The Problem of Wineskins" and "The Community of the King."

"PAGAN CHRISTIANITY is a landmark, a true milestone in the overall task of bringing in a new style of responsible, interactive Christianity to replace the old, severely paganized ecclesiastical forms. Frank has done us a great favor, drawing together revealing tidbits from hundreds of sources to create a continuous picture of the formation of today's institutional church. There's nothing like it in print. It is now THE book on church history from the point of view of the underground, open church."
James Rutz, author of "Megashift" and "The Open Church."

"PAGAN CHRISTIANITY contains a wide variety of interesting and helpful historical information of which most Christians - or non-Christians - will be completely unaware. The book identifies - in part or in whole - the pagan roots of many of our current church practices, as well as indicates some borrowed from earlier Jewish or, occasionally, more recent Customs."
Robert Banks, New Testament scholar, author of "Paul's Idea of Community" and "The Church Comes Home."

"This feisty book attacks the incipient paganism that has been absorbed into historic Christianity over the years. It exposes the syncretistic weak spots in what we assume to be basic in our way of doing church. Thoroughly iconoclastic, it is also at the same time a good apologetic for the house church movement which has strong restorationist impulses. My guess is that it will anger some readers and thrill others. I am one of the latter. Whatever, it won't be too easy to dismiss as it is really well researched and substantiated. I think it is definitely worth the read even if I do think it is a tad purist in tone. Just don't drop it-it is likely to explode."
Alan Hirsch, author of "The Forgotten Ways" and "The Shaping of Things to Come."

"Driving out demons is easy - compared with changing habits and traditions of man that develop into idols, to give us what only God should give us: identity, security, destiny. As in a child, the original God-given conscience is clean and clear. Many new born Christians feel the same and have an automatic feel for what is right. But in the case of organized Evangelicalism in the West, they are swiftly taken into a religious system that basically believes everything that Mom and Pap says -- and happily embrace "church practices" that are not in the Bible. Many just "know" at some point something is terribly wrong with Church-as-they-know-it. PAGAN CHRISTIANITY not only substantiates these ill feelings in millions of Christians with hard facts, but it provides us with a road map for the journey ahead. Once we know where we went wrong, repentance and finding the right way forward comes much easier."
Wolfgang Simpson, author of "Houses That Change the World."

"Anyone interested in the worship of the New Testament church and how that was altered through the centuries will find Frank Viola's PAGAN CHRISTIANITY very useful. The authors' position is clear and quite well documented."
Graydon F. Snyder, Professor of New Testament, Chicago Theological Seminary, author of "Ante Pacem: Church Life Before Constantine."

"As a Christian Artist/Musician I've had a chance to experience many different kinds of churches all over the world, from huge cathedral services to bizarre charismatics and strange Third World stuff to stiff denominationals-- and good and bad "house churches". For nearly 35 years in North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia I've been involved with almost every conceivable kind of Christian expression. I've even served on staff as Worship Pastor at a large church here in the U.S. The result? I've already learned from study and experience what Frank Viola and George Barna have proven by historical documentation in PAGAN CHRISTIANITY: The traditional model of how we "do church" is very wrong -- and it's strangling Christ's Body. No matter where you are in your Christian journey, you need to read this book. It's truth whose time has come. Those who have never experienced His tangible presence as a regular occurrence when they meet will find it hard to believe that there is something more than what they know: It's very hard to walk away from what you've invested your life in when you don't know anything else. And the very grace of God Himself can be confusing: He'll fill whatever cup we lift to Him, no matter how small."
Don Francisco, Christian musician/songwriter.

"It's a great read and my copy has already been STOLEN by my neighbor who is probably just as fascinated in its contents as I was. PAGAN CHRISTIANITY by house church guru Frank Viola and researcher/author George Barna who have teamed up to give us the most thorough treatment yet of the pagan origins of many of our most cherished Sunday church traditions. Actually, Jim Rutz nailed a few of these in his book "Open Church," but Viola and Barna have gone far beyond Rutz, or anyone I know, in exposing more elements of Protestant church traditions to the scrutiny of historical research. Like dressing up for church. Pulpits and 3 point sermons. Clerical dog collars. Church steeples and seminary training. PAGAN CHRISTIANITY lets George Barna unpack his argument why the new Revolutionaries mentioned in his previous book are not rebelling against God by setting up organic house communities. And it gives Frank Viola the chance to put forward his best thinking yet in a series that has already assisted thousands of people in dealing biblically and historically with accusations of "lack of covering" or "neglecting church" or more recently, of adopting "pagan" practices in starting emerging churches. Ha! Watch as Franky and Georgy turn the tables! Controversial? Yes . . . DUH! . . and the backlash has already started.
Andrew Jones, tallskinnykiwi

"Why do we 'do church' the way we do? Most folks seem to assume that our Christian religious trappings can be traced all the way back to the first century. But they can't. The things we hold dear-sacred buildings to meet in, pulpits, sacramental tables, clergy, liturgies, etc.-were unknown among Paul's assemblies. PAGAN CHRISTIANITY looks at our major church traditions and documents when and how they appeared in the ages long after the apostles. Haven't you ever wondered why people dress up in their best clothes for the Sunday morning service? PAGAN CHRISTIANITY unfolds the answer to this and numerous other questions looming in the back of many folks' minds. Reading PAGAN CHRISTIANITY will open your eyes to the fact that the ecclesiastical emperor really has no clothes on."
Jon Zens, editor of "Searching Together."

"In recent years, an increasing number of us pastors have recognized a major blind spot in the living out of our commitment to a Biblical lifestyle. That blind spot is ecclesiology (the doctrine of the church). As a former Presbyterian pastor, I believe PAGAN CHRISTIANITY will play a vital role in shaping the growing conversation on this subject now and in the future. Well researched and well written, this book is accessible to both church leaders and those formerly known as the laity."
John White, former Evangelical Presbyterian pastor; Community Facilitator for LUKE TEN: A Community of Practice for Church Planters.

"PAGAN CHRISTIANITY documents specific areas where contemporary church life violates Biblical principles. It is painful to read because it requires taking a journey beyond the comfort zone of our present paradigms. Whether you agree with all the conclusions the author draws or not, you will have no argument with his documentation. It is a scholarly work with an explosive conclusion. Particularly for those of us in the modern cell church movement, this is a valuable tool to force rethinking the meaning of the word "ecclesia." The Holy Spirit is not pleased with churchianity as we practice it, nor is the watching unchurched world."
Ralph W. Neighbour, Jr., author of "Where Do We Go From Here?" and founder of the Cell Church Movement.

"Frank Viola and George Barna have teamed up to create an intelligent, readable, and yet challenging work about the historical roots of the many unbiblical modern church practices that hinder Christian growth in quality and church growth in quantity. Anyone who reads Pagan Christianity with an open mind and heart will never see the church the same way again. May those with newly-gained spiritual eyes not stop there, but go on to do something about it."
Rad Zdero, Ph.D., Author of "The Global House Church Movement" and Editor of "Nexus: The World House Church Movement Reader."

"Frank has done a masterful job both researching and then weaving together the threads that have made modern church practices what they are - pagan substitutes for authentic church life. One nice thing about PAGAN CHRISTIANITY is that it provides the history behind a perception that many of us Christians share: The way the modern Western church does things has little to do with the organic life we see in the New Testament. The difference is so great sometimes that one wonders how one could possibly have transmuted into the other."
Hal Miller, author of "Christian Community: Biblical or Optional?"

"This is an important book which demonstrates that many of the practical aspects of contemporary church life, ministry and structure have little or no biblical basis and are, in fact, inspired by a wide variety of non Christian patterns and ideas most of which are inimical to Christian life and growth. Many readers will find this book challenging in the extreme but all who are concerned with the future of the church should read it."
Dave Norrington, Lecturer of religious studies at Blackpool and the Fylde College, author of "To Preach or Not to Preach."

From the Inside Flap

Many Christians take for granted that their church's practices are rooted in Scripture. Yet those practices look very different from those of the first-century church. The New Testament is not silent on how the early church freely expressed the reality of Christ's indwelling in ways that rocked the first-century world.

Times have changed. Pagan Christianity leads us on a fascinating tour through church history, revealing this startling and unsettling truth: Many cherished church traditions embraced today originated not out of the New Testament, but out of pagan practices. One of the most troubling outcomes has been the effect on average believers: turning them from living expressions of Christ's glory and power to passive observers. If you want to see that trend reversed, turn to Pagan Christianity . . . a book that examines and challenges every aspect of our contemporary church experience.

From the Back Cover

Are we really doing church "by the Book?"

Why does the pastor preach a sermon at every service?
Why do our church services seem so similar week after week?
Why does the congregation sit passively in pews?

Not sure? Pagan Christianity makes an unsettling proposal: Most of what present-day Christians do in church each Sunday is rooted not in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Authors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence and extensive footnotes that document the origins of our modern Christian church practices.

In the process, the authors uncover the problems that emerge when the church functions like a business organization rather than the living organism it was created to be. As you reconsider Christ's revolutionary plan for His church--to be the head of a fully functioning body in which all believers play an active role--you'll be challenged to decide whether you can ever do church the same way again.

Customer Reviews

Interesting information poor conclusions
The fact that George Barna is the co-author should be an indicator that this book is going to have problems. He was the one who wrote the book (as I remember it) "Marketing the Church". He seems to flip-flop his views quite often. He's a statistician, so his views are often more shaped by polls and statistics than Scripture.

Viola's view is that virtually the entire way that church is done is both secular and pagan and fights against church fellowship. He does bring about a few points worth looking at, but mixed in with that are proof-texts out of context to prove his points (interesting that he devotes a section of the book to the danger of prooftexting).

All in all, although a few points worth meditation were brought out, I was very turned off by the way Scriptures were poorly quoted, for example, Viola quotes 1Co 14:26 as proof that a church meeting should be everyone teaching each other, everyone getting to lead in song (this person leads this song, that person that one), everyone speaking in a tongue. But the obvious context of the passage is Paul is rebuking the church for functioning in this way and so it actually works against his point rather than prove it, but taken out of context, it becomes a proof-text. That says to me that there is greater concern in making a point than keeping the full integrity of Scripture.

Would I recommend this book? No. Although it did make me think about some things and ask myself why I do certain things, for the most part my conclusions about body life are pretty much the same as before. I appreciate the fact that Viola wants to see the church engage more as a body than an event, and I don't mind him doing church the way he does, but he suggests Scripture is on his side (which again I cannot see any real support for this) and that if we don't see the church functioning the way he does church, we are caught up in Greek/Roman thought and paganism.

Pagan Christianity: changing the mindset of how we do church
Pagan Christianity has got to be one of the most important books for right now! As people are coming out of structured, organized religion and church, realizing that there has to be something more than what has gone before, this book sets out to totally shift our minds into a new paradigm.

The realization that EVERYTHING that we do, and have done, in church is man made, man created and man developed, ought to tell us something about why it isn't working, why the church doesn't have any influence in the cities where they are, why there is so much abuse of authority and why there is so much false doctrine being taught in the church today.

I say ...Hurray!! ..and a big HALLELUJAH!!! to Frank Viola and George Barna for not only approaching the subject, but delving into it head on and in depth. After reading this, there is no question that the way we have been doing things is not from God. The only question I have is....How is God going to do it? How is He going to change the face of the way we do church in this moment in time.

Things are definately shifting into a Kingdom mindset. The Bride is being readied for His glorious return. People get ready...Jesus is coming!!

Astounding Eye Opener!
I am a factual person. I have many times become very frustrated with persons when they present something as biblical fact and cannot back it up scripturally. This is what I love about this book.

Not only are you presented with history but you are given the evidence yourself to research and make your determination with. It is a very Berean concept and I love it.

Scriptures tell us to test the spirits and that men should be proven. This is what I think Mr. Viola & Mr. Barna have accomplished here. They have proven that this is not just the ramblings of some renegade group of wayward believers stuck in a house, hating on the institutional church. These are true men of faith who are wanting to walk with their Lord and Savior in the fullest measure of truth and their hearts desire is to see the rest of the Body Of Messiah accomplish the same. It provides us with the opportunity to make an informed, factual decision about the IC (institutional church) as it is today and whether or not we are willing to settle or come out of our comfort zones and reach for more.

I came upon this book by accident. I had felt in my spirit for a long time that something was "not right" with the IC. Through the leading of the spirit, I was moved to spend some time alone in prayer with the Lord and try and figure out what was happening to me. In the course of this time, I received an email stating that George Barna had a new book out with a link. I thought, "Wow, George Barna. My pastor loved his Revolution Book! He used it in some of his teachings. Maybe I should check it out and let him know about it" Little did I know that my pastor had taken some things from Mr. Barna's "Revolution" out of context in the purpose of using it to strengthen his point in his teaching and neglected to mention what the rest of the book said. Why? Because it is not something he wanted his congregation to know!

After clicking on the link and reading a small excerpt, I was stunned! It confirmed everything I had been feeling in my spirit for years! I ran to Borders to buy it and never looked back.

I never mentioned the book to my pastor. He would never approve of this book and would never want the congregants to read it!

Over the next few weeks, I received confirmation in so many other ways that this was truth. Not to mention my own research that I did based on the facts provided in the book, internet & library research and simply things the Lord placed in my path that I wasn't even seeking. It is truth.

I highly recommend this book & say that it will force you to do one of two things: 1) Face the facts and move forward or 2) Ignore the facts, quench the Spirit and stagnate. It's your choice. Don't read it unless you really want the truth and are prepared to get rid of your "boxes".

I pray that He will give you eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart open and ready to receive His truth.