118-The Change 08

9 Comments

1. 

   Matěj Cepl on January 3, 2016 at 1:22 pm

   Rise of the middle class because of the Christianity …

   Sir, I really enjoyed your podcasts while it was more or less plain re-narration of the established history of Christianity. However, now you have switched to the Christian apologetic and it is painfully obvious that you are completely out of your depth. First of all, “middle class” is a term which makes sense only in the eighteenth century earliest. Before that you can talk about bourgeoisie, but even that is not possible before the widespread establishment of cities, which happened in the Middle Ages (11th-12th century earliest). How did it happen that so direct causal link between Christianity and middle class as you suggest lied dormant for almost thousand years (since the Christianity turned into the state religion of the Roman Empire) is something which makes your explanation rather short on evidence.

   Please, understand me correctly. I am a big fan of the middle class, bourgeoisie values, etc., I am unhappy with the current turn of both European and American society more and more towards leftist ideas, and yes it is possible that this turn has something to do with the rejection of faith by the modern society. However, if you want to engage in the Christian apologetic you must be able to do it on the level which is not laughed out by any person with at least average education in social sciences or history.

   Please, return back to the historiography. It was an interesting and valuable source of education sorely needed by our mostly ignorant Christian community. (BTW, if this episode was hard to swallow, the following one was for me even more difficult as I have two legal degrees).

   Reply
   • 

     Lance on January 3, 2016 at 3:28 pm

     Matej,
     Wow. Really?
     I guess we’ll just have to disagree on this.
     I stand by everything I said in both episodes.
     You can choose to disagree since this might well be put down to difference in INTERPRETING history.
     But I’m not going to capitulate to your view, just because you differ, as strongly as you may think you are right.
     As “off” as The Church may have gone in the Middle Ages, (in my & many other opinions) there is simply no denying that the Christian worldview (among other salient factors) contributed to a radical altering of culture, the results of which were the things The Change series of podcasts mentions. Disagree if you will. But that doesn’t negate the validity of the argument.

     Respectfully, Lance

     Reply
     • 

       Matěj Cepl on January 8, 2016 at 3:32 pm

       I am not saying that the faith didn’t cause many changes in behavior, culture, etc. However, to use it as an apologetic and be able to persuade somebody who is not Christian in the first place, you would have to in my opinion go a way way deeper and be a way more thorough and persuasive than you are.

       Please, return to the history, I am eagerly waiting whether you get to my beloved Unitas Fratrum (I am a Czech Protestant ;)).

       Blessings.

       Reply
       • 

         Lance on January 12, 2016 at 3:17 pm

         On that we can TOTALLY agree.
         Matej – it would take a LOT more work to PERSUADE someone who didn’t start out agreeing.
         It wasn’t my intent to “persuade” in The Change Series.
         As with the entire tone & style of CS, this is a brief review of Church History.
         I thought a series identifying how the Faith has effected the course of larger history & culture was entirely within the scope of what we’re doing with the podcast. To be frank, I’m glad we’re back to our narrative.
         All the best – Lance

         Reply
2. 

   Roy Amaducci on January 9, 2016 at 5:43 am

   Hello Pastor,

   your podcast is awesome and very informative. I was wondering if you offer transcripts of your episodes. I want to use the citations in your podcasts in my apologetics sunday school class. in episode 116 you cite an “E Schmidt”?? great quote but can’t find it anywhere. is it Erich Schmidt?
   Good work, love the podcast!

   Reply
   • 

     Lance on January 12, 2016 at 3:12 pm

     Roy, Look for an e-vite to Google drive for the transcripts.
     It was Charles Schmidt – here’s a link – http://tinyurl.com/jbcyr2t

     Reply
3. 

   Tiffany Broadwater on February 6, 2016 at 7:22 pm

   Would there be a way for me to access the transcripts as well? Thank you in advance.

   Reply
   • 

     Lance on February 9, 2016 at 4:33 pm

     Tiffany, just sent you an e-vite to the Google drive folder
     Lance

     Reply
     • 

       Tiffany on February 9, 2016 at 9:34 pm

       Lance, I received your e-vite, thank you!

       Reply

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