Deserted Island, Church Fathers Edition: Augustine & Cyril of Alexandria

Writings by the church fathers could offer hours of enriching study on a desert island. Today, special guest Dr. Michael Reeves shares why he would bring works by Augustine and Cyril of Alexandria to his literary oasis.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: Welcome back to another episode of 5 Minutes in Church History. Again, we’re at the National Conference and this is part two of Deserted Island: Church Father’s Edition with Dr. Michael Reeves. Well, Dr. Reeves, you’ve already got two books. You’ve got three more, so go ahead, number three.

Dr. Michael Reeves: My next book, my third book would be by Cyril of Alexandria, and I would pick his commentary on the Gospel of John. People often look at the early church and say, “Well, they were talking about Christological debates and Trinitarian debates, and they never really got onto things like justification.” And what Cyril shows is it’s all one in his head.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: Interesting.

Dr. Michael Reeves: He’s saying, “Get Christ right and you get the gospel right.”

Dr. Stephen Nichols: That’s true.

Dr. Michael Reeves: And so, what Cyril was doing is he was taking out a theological Nestorianism, which imagined that the eternal son comes alongside the man Jesus to help him out. And so that’s what salvation is. It’s being helped along to do a better job by grace. Grace is just a Red Bull for you to just energize you to do better. And what Cyril wanted to show, and he shows so beautifully is, no, In Scripture, we have one Lord Jesus Christ. God becomes incarnate and takes flesh, not merely coming alongside us to help us along a bit. He accomplishes salvation in Himself and therefore because we have one Lord Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, therefore salvation in Christ is completely achieved. He is an all-sufficient Savior.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: So, how about number four?

Dr. Michael Reeves: I would move along the African coast now to Augustine.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: I was wondering when he would show up.

Dr. Michael Reeves: Yeah, and I feel spoiled for choice as to where to go. If I have to pick one though, I’m going to pick his anti-Pelagian writing, particularly On the Spirit and the Letter. And what Augustine does so brilliantly there is show how Pelagianism misunderstands God. And he says that “Pelagius, your problem is that you are using God.” So, Pelagius, by a salvation by works is seeking to buy God off, so God is not enjoyed as the treasurer of the gospel. He’s the gatekeeper who you pay to get the real reward, which is paradise for yourself. And Augustine says, “Well, that’s not loving God. Therefore, you can’t be fulfilling the law.” It’s a beautiful take-down of salvation by works along lines we’re not quite used to.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: Right.

Dr. Michael Reeves: It’s really fresh.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: Quite a strategy. Fascinating. And number five.

Dr. Michael Reeves: I think I’m going to have to go for another work by Augustine because he’s so good, so I’m going to go for Augustine’s Confessions.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: Ah, how can you not?

Dr. Michael Reeves: And in the Confessions you get to see so brilliantly laid out nothing will satisfy like God.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: Except God. I find myself dipping into_ Confessions_ all the time.

Dr. Michael Reeves: Yes.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: There’s favorite episodes in there that I just enjoy.

Dr. Michael Reeves: And what he does is he shows brilliantly how the gospel diagnoses us. His descriptions of sin are so poignant. He’s not merely telling you off, but as he describes his own sin, you recognize it and think, “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m like.”

Dr. Stephen Nichols: It’s a perennial and gets right to the human condition. Well, I want you to enjoy those five theological works, but I’m going to give you a bonus.

Dr. Michael Reeves: Oh, good.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: How about your favorite British novel? You can take it along as well.

Dr. Michael Reeves: Okay. It’s Winston Churchill’s History of the English-Speaking People. Churchill, if you’ve never actually read anything by him, he was the most stunningly articulate and gripping writer, absolutely fantastic. To read his My Early Life, for example, it’s like reading P.G. Wodehouse. You’ll be roaring with laughter. It’s so funny. He wanted to be able to tell the story of the English-speaking peoples on both sides of the Atlantic as one story, and it’s just a great story, brilliantly told.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: Well, thank you for joining us. I’m going to leave you be now on your deserted island-

Dr. Michael Reeves: I’ll be happy.

Dr. Stephen Nichols: - with your books, and I know you’ll be happy. You’ve been listening to Dr. Michael Reeves, and I’m Steve Nichols, and thanks for listening to 5 Minutes in Church History.