Review: Four Witnesses, by Rod Bennett

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Four Witnesses: Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyons, by Rod Bennett, Ignatius Press, 2002.

I must have had this book on my shelf for half of the five years since it was published, without reading it from the beginning. What a mistake.

This book is a ‘must read’ for any Christian, for Catholics and those who are thinkiing about being Catholic, and best for those who hate the Catholic Church.

This is a good glimpse of the early church, and an apologetic for the Catholic Church and faith as a whole.

These Christians are remarkably articulate and eloquent about the Catholic Faith. The book has a strong theme of how each of these bishops had to oppose heresy in those early days. Thereby, their writings serve to clarify the orthodox beliefs of the time.

And, then, deeper in that, then as now, is the appeal to the origin and enduring connection of the Catholic Church to Jesus Christ and His apostles. Amidst so many heresies, the apostolic nature of the Church was its guarantee to authentic doctrine, even hundreds of years before the canon of the Bible was established.

In several posts I have previously stated my own conviction, that the Catholic Church is the best place to learn about the Bible. Bennett summarizes the “rule” in the early church in even a more expressive way: “God’s word read by God’s people – But read in God’s church God’s way.” Thank you Rod Bennett and Thank You Jesus.

Read John Henry Newman declare " …the history of the early Church is not the history of Protestantism…"

Read convert Steve Ray explain that the extensive writings against heresies in the early centuries ARE SILENT about the Real Presence of the Eucharist, reflecting the universal acceptance of this belief in the early Church.

Read convert Rod Bennett explain that he had long accepted the arguments against the Catholic Church, which he discovered later were based on lies from its enemies, and not based on the teaching of the Church itself, even from early post-apostolic times.

A very readable book. Don’t procrastinate as I did
 
I saw his appearance on “The Journey Home”. It impressed me enough that I purchased the book. However, I’m sorry to say, I have not read it cover-to-cover. Your post has persuaded me not to put off reading the entire book any longer. Thanks.

PS - I just recalled that about two years ago he was doing research in preparation for another book. I think it was to center on the first Council of Nicea. Do you know anything about it?
 
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A very readable book. Don’t procrastinate as I did

a friend lent me that book,and I couldnt put it down .you really see what the early church fathers had to put up with,Rome and heretics…good read for anyone.
 
(no, I wasn’t even looking for another book from Bennett).

Another theme in the book that may make some squeamish is the frequent accounts of martyrdom in the early Church.

That is the basis for the saying that 'the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."

Bennett didn’t make sense of that, that why would people want to accept this religion, when it made its adherents liable to torture and death. Yes, the martyrdom shows how deeply they believed and loved the Lord.

But, that is the same today, as even more Christians are persecuted every year than even in the early years of the Church. On the average day, I’m not ready or even thinking about the possibility of dying for my faith.

It makes me reflect on how much more effort I need to put into resisting temptation, foregoing the temporary pleasure of x, y, or z. There’s a mental portion of martyrdom, that one needs to accept, to be ready to undergo the persecution that our Lord predicted for His followers.
 
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