Retrieving Catholicity in American Protestantism

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Retrieving Catholicity in American Protestantism

Essays in Church History

Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church Protestantism and Protestant Churches

Author: John Williamson Nevin

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Collection: Mercersburg Theology Study Series

Language: English

Published by: Wipf and Stock

Published on: 25th April 2024

Format: LCP-protected ePub

ISBN: 9781532699306


About the Volume

This volume is a collection of essays on church history by John Williamson Nevin (1803-86), the theological creator of Mercersburg Theology. Nevin and his colleague Philip Schaff were attempting to reorient American ecclesial thought to be more historical.

Historical Context

Most American theologians of the period posited a period of spiritual decline soon after the New Testament, lasting until the Protestant Reformation. They believed the ongoing task of the children of the Reformation was to remake the church in the mold of the apostolic faith.

Nevin's Perspective

In these essays, Nevin was seeking to establish a more unified historical narrative that saw the Reformation as an essential outgrowth of the medieval Catholic church. Nevin's search for an answer to the church question--what is the church?--demanded a focus on history as an unfolding, teleological journey.

The Larger Search

Nevin's search for history is part of his larger search for catholicity in the American Protestant church. These writings are an important part of the larger theological project that is known as Mercersburg Theology, which is being explored in the volumes of this series.

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