The More Excellent Way: 2000 Years of Jesus' New Way of LifeThis book investigates why, unlike in the early centuries, the ethical behavior of Christians today is so little different from that of non-Christians. It does this by first reviewing the teachings of Jesus about how Christians are to live and the positive response of early Christians to these teachings. The major portion of the book then documents how the rise of asceticism and the proliferation of church law came to eclipse Jesus' teachings of serving others through unselfish love. It reviews how Chrysostom, Augustine, Luther, and others tried to return the church to the New Testament way of life. The book reaches two conclusions: Christians today prefer to live by only avoiding the gross evils forbidden by the Ten Commandments rather than by Jesus' all-inclusive New Commandment of loving one another as he loved us. They are also willing to offer God the piety of churchly activity, but what God also asks, a life of goodness serving one's fellowman, they feel is just asking too much. |
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"The More Excellent Way" shares profound yet simple insight into the Christian faith and into Christianity's 2000 plus years of attempting to understand the life and teachings of Jesus. One needs only to read "The More Excellent Way" to realize that God has, indeed, spelled out a plan for our earthly walk as well as prepared a place with Him in eternal life. That our walk should be closer to "The Way" of our early brethren is what must surely have been on the heart and mind of Harold as he sought to expound on his earlier book “The God Who Cares". In The God Who Cares, he established a unified and holistic vision of the acts of God through time in the form of a narrative of God at work in the origin of the universe, at work in history, and at work now. "The More Excellent Way" continues this exploration.
Both Books are a must read for anyone concerned with the questions the inevitably come to mind when we attempt to insert ourselves into the narrative of God, Man and Universe.
I personally knew Harold Roellig, and I can tell you that he did indeed understand and embrace Jesus and all of His ways. Harold sought to share his love of science and faith within the writing of his first book "The God Who Cares" and now "The More Excellent Way". Harold walked in humility and grace working tirelessly to share his understanding and knowledge of God and our Earth. Harold was a wonderful Teacher, Preacher, Husband, Father and Friend. I will miss him. He went to his final rest to be with Our Lord November 25th, 2008. I will always remember the lessons he taught me.
Dawn Foster ("Foster Child" of Harold and Ruth Roellig)
"Come; accept the forgiveness and reconciliation that your God offers you. Enter into The Kingdom of God. Be baptized into his glorious realm." --Harold Roellig
Contents
To Walk with God | 10 |
Christs Way of Life in Hebrews James and Peter | 135 |
The Early Growth of Asceticism and Church Law | 187 |
Church Law | 289 |
Luther and the Return to Jesus Way of Life | 340 |
Luther and the Return to Christian Freedom | 380 |
John Calvin and the Christian Ethic | 430 |
Jesus Way of Life in the World Today | 453 |
Appendix One | 507 |