Book Notice: Standing on Their Shoulders

Book Notice: Standing on Their Shoulders May 22, 2015

Rhys Bezzant

Standing on Their Shoulders: Heroes of the Faith for Today
Melbourne: Acorn, 2015.
Available at Amazon.com or Acorn Press.

By Chris Porter

We live in an age where many people in the church will know more about the heroes from Marvel or DC, than the historical heroes of the Christian faith. This small book from Rhys Bezzant seeks to redress at least some of this lack of knowledge. Standing on Their Shoulders consists of brief vignettes of Christians who have greatly impacted upon our modern faith. Tracing from the Church fathers with Athanasius and Augustine, through the Reformation era of Luther and Calvin and finally ending up in the 20th century considering the impact of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Billy Graham. These twelve vignettes provide a short and succinct overview of their life, along with the biblical and social impetus that underpinned their ministry. Each vignette helpfully focuses on a relatively narrow aspect of their ministry, while remaining historically broad. Concluding each chapter are a series of reflective questions that help the reader to draw connections from history to their life. These questions also enable the book to be used in a teaching setting, as indeed the vignettes found their origin.

While some attempts at this form of historical reflection end up in hagiographic territory, Bezzant here helpfully gives a rounded picture of each figure. The vignettes do not shy away from seeing the failings and troubles of each character, and even for some highlights how God used them despite these. However, two gentle critiques may be made. Firstly, the book focuses primarily on Reformation and post-Reformation figures, with Luther being presented in chapter 3. The thousand years of history between Augustine and Luther provides several other characters whose various profiles would also serve to edify the church, and the book feels slightly lopsided as a result. Secondly, the book is relatively heavy upon Anglo-Saxon males, with Ramabai being the only female majority world figure to be profiled in the later sections of the book. But both of these critiques are likely a product of the original setting for these chapters: as conference and training talks and studies. Perhaps a second volume of the book could be expanded here.

Throughout this book Bezzant’s complementary passions for teaching Church History and edifying the saints shine through. The book is written in a pleasant and emotive style that assists in the absorption and understanding of the material. Throughout it seeks to challenge, encourage and edify modern Christians as we realise we are standing on the shoulders of giants to see further. This book is highly recommended for individuals, small groups and churches; indeed the whole body of saints.


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