You’ve probably heard the phrase, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” That may be the case, but often modernity slaps a new coat of paint on something that looks and feels eerily similar to something that has happened before. 

As a lover of history, I am fascinated by our forebearers’ life, times, and circumstances, recognizing that we are still the same kind of human beings filled with emotions, impulses, and desires for all our advancements and achievements. But, unfortunately, more often than not, we do not always learn from the past in a way that changes our future. As a result, it can feel like we are doomed to make the same mistakes again and again. 

The church is not immune from this conversation. For all our complexities, people of faith continue to have eras of theological divided, politically charged compromises, ethical dilemmas, and uneasy tension with culture. 

Maybe the church is a pivotal crossroads by which looking back might serve us in moving forward. 

We sat down with historian Dr. Jennifer Woodruff Tait, the managing editor of Christian History magazine, to discuss her new book, “Christian History in Seven Sentences.” 

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Andy Hale is the creator and host of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Podcast. Hale is the senior pastor of University Baptist Church of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, following eight years as the founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Clayton and five years as CBF’s church start specialist. Follow on Twitter @haleandy