Pagan Christianity, by Frank Viola

Wow. This book, Pagan Christianity, had my head reeling. Frank Viola has written a number of well-researched books. Basically, he is saying that we modern-day Christians have the church thing ALL WRONG.

He gives chapter after chapter of the history of how all our churching came to be, and how it’s all based on paganism that was established all around the Jews and the early church after Jesus resurrected. Over the centuries it has morphed and evolved, but our church traditions are basically pagan-based. Emperor Constantine had a lot to do with it (sort of the inventor of Roman Catholicism) but there were many others. Martin Luther lead the reformation, but he really scratched the surface of reforming.

I was thinking: you’re born at a certain time, and you come to accept things/traditions as the way they are without questioning anything (like Christmas, Easter, church in general). You’re also taught to respect your parents/grandparents so you hang onto the same traditions they pass down to you without investigating if they are GOOD traditions or the REAL thing (because hey, millions of people through the generations can’t be wrong, right?). You just live your life compartmentalizing traditions in your mind as, “that’s the way it is”. And then you read a book like this one.

For example, do you know how most traditional/denominational church buildings got their design? There is a reason behind everything and it’s based on pagan worship buildings.

He doesn’t believe in pastors, tithing, seminaries, your “Sunday best” clothing, and on and on. While there are a few things I don’t agree with, I would say 90% of what he says makes a lot of sense, IF you use the scriptures and NOT tradition as your measuring stick.

Read this book if you like truth.