Book Review: Christianity At The Crossroads by Michael J Kruger

History is a very important subject because it shows us who we once were. Hopefully, people will learn not to make the same mistakes as people did in ages past. Church History is very important to the body of Christ because it shows how the church became what it is today. Many think Christianity was a huge phenomenon as it is today, but that wasn't the case in the second century as Michael J Kruger points out in his book, Christianity At The Crossroads.

According to Kruger, Christianity was still in its infancy during the second century. It was still considered a new thing. It did not have any cultural influence. It was weak and even finding itself fighting for life, which does sound like a lot of new things that start off in our day and age.

In this book, Kruger takes a look at the world of the second century and how the church was living in it during that time. As mentioned earlier, they were still trying to crawl like infant. They were still trying to figure things out as far as what their worship looked like. They did not even have Bibles like we have them in the 21st century. Kruger points out that everything that was taught in the church and what the people believed was only by hearing. They did not follow the preacher with a Bible or an app like we have today. The church of the second century had to listen to the words being preached. This is also true with any writings that Christians did in the second century.

Speaking of writings, we also see the beginning of discussions in the church about what are the appropriate books to be placed in the Canon. Of course, this wasn't finalized until the third century. We also see the rise of false teachers which is nothing new for Christians in the second century or the 21st century. One particular false teacher that Kruger talks about is Marcion. He is the one who does not believe in the authority of the Old Testament and that the God of the Old Testament and New Testament are two different beings. Marcion wanted Christians to unhitch the Old Testament from their faith. Does this sound familiar with a popular pastor's teaching today? I think some of you know who I am speaking of.

Church History is an important topic because we see what the church dealt with in days of long ago and how it affects Christians today. We see that Christianity today may face new challenges which is no different than centuries past. Christianity At The Crossroads is an excellent book to look at crucial time in the history of the Christian church.

Thanks InterVarsity Press for letting me review this book.

Common Misconceptions About The Christmas Story

No matter who you talk to, people have some misconceptions when it comes to the birth of Christ. I was recently watching "The Nativity Story," which was a good attempt by Hollywood on making a decent film about Jesus's birth. The film had a lot of freedom when it came to the drama of the story and even showed some misconceptions that have been passed down generation after generation.

Michael Kruger recently addressed 5 popular misconceptions of the Christmas Story:

1. There Was a Star the Night Jesus Was Born

It’s difficult to find a nativity scene (or Christmas play) without a star over the manger. Indeed, this might be the quintessential symbol of the birth of Jesus.

The problem is there’s no indication the star hovered over the manger on the night Jesus was born. On the contrary, when the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds watching their flocks by night (Luke 2:8–11), they weren’t told to look for a star. They were told to look for something else: “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12).

The star was given not to the shepherds but to the Magi (Matt. 2:2), who appear to be visiting Jesus at a later time period. How much later is unclear, but the fact that Herod commands all the babies in the region younger than 2 years old to be killed suggests Jesus may have been in Bethlehem for some time.

2. There Were Three Wise Men

Speaking of the wise men, in both art and in song (“We Three Kings”) we get the undeniable impression there were three of them (also called “Magi”). The problem, however, is that this number is found nowhere in the biblical accounts.

Matthew simply tells us, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem” (Matt. 2:1).

The idea of three wise men likely came from the fact that Matthew mentions three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matt. 2:11).

3. There Was No Room for Them in the Inn

Another staple of modern nativity plays is the scene at the inn. Joseph and his wife, Mary—who is on the verge of giving birth—are cruelly turned away by the innkeeper who shows them no compassion.

Here is another popular misconception. The Bible never mentions an innkeeper. In fact, it’s possible there was never even an “inn” at all.

A recent study by Stephen Carlson makes the case (a compelling one, I think) that the Greek word normally translated as “inn” (καταλύματι) in Luke 2:7 is best translated as “place to stay.” So the passage isn’t saying there was no room in the inn, but rather there was no room for baby Jesus in the place they stayed. In what place were they staying? Carlson argues it was probably in the home of Joseph’s family in Bethlehem, perhaps in an adjacent guest room (which would have been small).

4. Jesus Was Born in a Barn or Stable

Since Joseph could find no spot in the inn, the reasoning goes, he must have been forced to stay in the stable. Indeed, every nativity scene ever created places Jesus in a barn of sorts.

But the text doesn’t say he was born in a barn. It only says Mary “laid in him in a manger” (Luke 2:7). Although that might seem to suggest a barn, it was common for mangers to be kept in the main room of village houses during this time period. Why? Because the animals were often housed just a few feet away in an adjacent room.

It seems likely, then, that Mary gave birth to Jesus while they were staying at the home of Joseph’s relatives in Bethlehem. But the room in which they stayed—likely a tight guest room or hastily added chamber—couldn’t accommodate a birth. So, Mary had to give birth in the larger family room and lay Jesus in the nearby manger.

5. Jesus Was Born on December 25

If we celebrate Jesus’s birthday on December 25, it’s logical to think this was the day on which he was born. But the precise date of Jesus’s birth is uncertain. A variety of options have been suggested throughout church history, including March 21, April 15, and May 20.

So how did December 25 become the date? It’s commonly thought Christians took over the pagan holiday of Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Son”), which was on December 25. But there’s little evidence to back this up.

Instead it seems early Christians may have reasoned from the supposed date of Mary’s conception, which was thought to be March 25—the same day Jesus was thought to be crucified. Fast forward nine months and you land on December 25 for his birth.

Kruger concludes by reminding us what the Christmas story is about:

These five misconceptions remind us that sometimes our picture of scriptural stories is shaped more by popular perceptions and modern retellings than by the text itself. But when we take a closer look at the biblical clues, a wonderful—and hopefully more accurate—picture emerges of what happened that night nearly 2,000 years ago.

And what happened that night still stands as one of the most monumental events in human history. God became a man and entered our dark, cold world to redeem a sinful people.

And that is a story that makes Christmas worthy of being “Merry.”