What do you think about David Berçot and his writings, especially Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up? -- Alvin Gumiran (Manila)

I enjoy David Berçot's writings enormously. They make me think. Heretics was the first book I read by this author, and I was so inspired by it that I phoned him up immediately (autumn 1995). That was the beginning of a friendship that has led to many notes and phone calls, two visits on my part to David's home, and my purchasing all of his books and nearly all of his audio messages. In fact, I listened to five of his messages just last week!

Some say that the book "stops short" -- and perhaps the conclusion needed more punch -- but still overall this is an excellent volume. David is an expert in the early Church Fathers (Patristics). He has done a superb job bringing them to light by rewording them in contemporary English.

I would have only one word of caution: Although it is certainly true that the purity of the pristine Christian faith degenerated through the centuries into a religious system both humanistic and unbiblical, it doesn't necessarily follow that writers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries have captured the apostolic truth on every doctrine they deal with. The gap between the final books of the New Testament and most of the Patristic writers is at least a generation or two and in most cases five generations or more. That s a lot of time -- plenty of time for error to breed and doctrine to become distorted. Anyway that is my only caveat.

To learn more about David Berçot his ministry and his products, see www.scrollpublishing.com. If you are not familiar with the early Church Fathers, may I encourage you to begin studying them now? The benefits are several:

* You will be inspired by the faith, conviction, and commitment of the early Christians.
* You will be led to think doctrinally and theologically for yourself rather than simply letting someone else do your thinking for you (which is the only real alternative).
* You will develop an appreciation for how the early church began to deviate from the apostolic truth. Error throws truth into sharp relief.
* You will begin to see much of your own culture for what it is -- worldly and at odds with biblical standards. This means we will all be called to a holier life.

This article is copyrighted and is for private use and study only. © 2005. Reprints or public distribution is prohibited without the express consent of Douglas Jacoby.