A People’s History of Christianity

 

I’m about halfway through this gem of a book which I picked up after reading Mikes post about it.

It’s really good so far. It’s incredibly interesting to see the variations and similarities in how Christians, over the years, interpreted and expressed their faith in Christ.

From chapter eight;  Devotion: Speaking of Faith  author Diana Butler Bass gives an account of one Katharina Schütz (ca. 1498-1562) which reads as following:

“She believed that speaking out is necessary for Christian devotion, that proclaiming truth demonstrates love of God and neighbor– especially if ones neighbor is spreading falsehoods.

 ’To keep silence is not patience. To suffer is patience,’

…she wrote.

‘By keeping silence I give him grounds to continue in his trumped up lies, and that, in my judgement, is against brotherly love.’ 

 For Katharina, not to speak the truth was to support error.”

So very true, Katharina, so very, very true.