ILLUSTRATION ONE FROM CHURCH HISTORY
Subject/Theme Possibilities:
The grip of sin, the need to evangelize
Text of the Illustration:
Augustine of Hippo is considered the most influential theologian outside of the Apostles. His writings on free will and grace simmered for one thousand years until they boiled over in Protestant Reformation.
"A man's free choice avails only to lead him to sin, if the way of truth be hidden from him." De spiritu et littera (412 AD), 5
Historical Context of the Illustration:
Augustine was the Bishop of Hippo around 400 AD. His doctrines of grace, faith and original sin are foundational to both Catholic and Protestant belief. These doctrines were crystallized in his refutation of Pelagius. The heresy of the Pelagians denied the sinful nature of humanity and contended that free will allowed men to live sinless lives and attain salvation outside of grace. Augustine countered that "the sinner can will nothing but sin". It is this view of Augustine that has become orthodox. Sin has such a grip on our unregenerate lives that we cannot but help to sin. Only the truth of the gospel can lead us out from the bondage of sin. Only God's grace can save us. Only by hearing the gospel can others find salvation.
Source of the Illustration:
Henry Bettenson and Chris Mauder, eds. Documents of the Christian Church, 3d.
ed.. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), 59.
Analysis:
This illustration comes from a primary source.
ILLUSTRATION TWO FROM CHURCH HISTORY
Subject/Theme Possibilities:
Environmentalism, ingratitude, renouncing of worldliness
Text of the Illustration:
In this Sermon to the Birds, Francis of Assisi, demonstrates a Christian attitude toward his fellow creatures. As he chides the birds, he chides us against the sin of ingratitude.
"My little sisters, the birds, much bound are you unto God, your creator, and always in every place you ought to praise Him, for He has given you liberty to fly about everywhere and has given you double and triple raiment. … your Creator loves you much, seeing that He has bestowed on you so many benefits; and therefore, my little sisters, beware of he sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praises unto God."
Historical Context of the Illustration:
St Francis of Assisi [1182-1226] was born into a corrupt age and a corrupt church. He transformed both with his renunciation of all worldliness, an embrace of the poor, and a life of simplicity and religious devotion. Believing in the brotherhood of all men and all nature, he preached the gospel to all-to rich and poor, to criminals and lepers, and even to birds. St. Francis is founder of the Franciscan Order and probably the popular of post-biblical saints. He can be an antidote for those who believe that Christianity is antithetical to nature. Francis can bridge us back to Christ who constantly spoke of the environment in his parables and pointed to a bird as he said "behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?"
Source of the Illustration:
Louis Copeland and Lawrence W. Lamm, eds. The World's Great Speeches, 3d. ed. (New York; Dover Publications Inc., 1972), 64.
Analysis:
This illustration comes from a primary source.
ILLUSTRATION THREE FROM CHURCH HISTORY
Subject/Theme Possibilities:
Modesty and genius, encouragement to seminarians
Text of the Illustration:
Thomas Aquinas was an ordinary and modest student in seminary. His fellow seminarians ridiculed him, but his teacher recognized his brilliance.
"He (Albert the Great) was too good a school-master not to know that the dunce is not always a dunce. He learned with amusement that this dunce had been nicknamed the Dumb Ox by his school-fellows. All this is natural enough; but it does not take away the savour of something rather strange and symbolic, about the extraordinary emphasis with which he spoke at last. For Aquinas was still generally known only as one obscure and obstinately unresponsive pupil, among many more brilliant and promising pupils, when the great Albert broke silence with his famous cry and prophecy; "You call him a Dumb Ox; It tell you this Dumb Ox shall bellow so loud that his bellowings will fill the world"
Historical Context of the Illustration:
In 1248, Thomas Aquinas was studying to become a Dominican friar. He was not a promising student. He was quiet and reserved and fellow students ridiculed him. Eventually his genius was recognized and he went on to become the most famous professor in Paris. His Summa Theologica forms the philosophical foundation of the Catholic Church. He set up the relationship between faith and reason that most Christians follow to this day.
Source of the Illustration:
G.K. Chesterton, Saint Thomas Aquinas, "The Dumb Ox",
(Garden City, NY, Image Books, 1956), 71.
Analysis:
This illustration comes from a secondary source.
ILLUSTRATION FOUR FROM CHURCH HISTORY
Subject/Theme Possibilities:
Importance of Scripture, seeking understanding, joy in Bible study
Text of the Illustration:
John Scotus Eriugena was a scholar of 9th century France. His philosophy is a result of faith seeking understanding.
"The reward of those who labor in Sacred Scripture is pure and perfect understanding. Oh Lord Jesus, no other reward, no other happiness, no other joy do I ask of you except to understand your words which were inspired by the Holy Ghost, purely and without error due to false speculation. For this is my supreme felicity. It is the goal of perfect contemplation, because even the purest soul will not discover anything beyond this, for there is nothing beyond it."
Historical Context of the Illustration:
Source of the Illustration:
John F. Wippel and Allan B. Wolter, O.F.M, eds. Medieval Philosophy, from St. Augustine to Nicholas of Cusa, (New York, The Free Press, 1969), 114.
Analysis:
This illustration comes from a primary source.
ILLUSTRATION FIVE FROM CHURCH HISTORY
Subject/Theme Possibilities:
Persecution, the cost of following Christ, the easy life of modern Christians
Text of the Illustration:
Eusebius of Caeserea witnessed a great persecution during the reigns of Emperors Diocletian and Galerius.
"But words cannot describe the outrageous agonies endured by the martyrs in the Thebais. They were torn to bits from head to foot with potsherds like claws till death released them. Women were tied by one foot and hoisted high in the air, head downwards, their bodies completely naked without a morsel of clothing, presenting thus the most shameful, brutal, and inhuman of all spectacles to everyone watching; Others again were tied to threes and stumps and died horribly; for with the aid of machinery they drew together the very stoutest tree limbs, fastened one of the martyr's legs to each, and then let the tree limbs fly back to their normal position; thus they managed to tear apart the bodies of their victims in a moment. In this way they carried on, not for a few days or weeks, but year after year. Sometimes ten or more, sometimes over twenty were put to death, at other times at least thirty. .. I was in these places, and saw many of the executions for myself. So many were killed on a single day that the axe, blunted and wore out by the slaughter, was broken in pieces, while the exhausted executioners had to be periodically relieved."
Historical Context of the Illustration:
Eusebius of Caeserea lived during the great persecution of Christians under the Emperors Diocletian and Galerius. He was an eye witness to this final imperial attempt to wipe out Christianity in the years between 295 and 310. The illustration above is but one of 146 martyr accounts that Eusebius chronicles in his History of the Church. Eusebius survived the persecution and lived long enough to write of Constantine and "the victory of God's beloved emperors". Without his work we would know little of the progress of the early Church and its rapid expansion.
Source of the Illustration:
Eusebius, The History of the Church from Christ to Constantine, translated by G.A. Williamson, (New York, Dorset Press, 1965), 337.
Analysis:
This illustration comes from a primary source.
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