David Bercot
Encyclopedia
David W. Bercot is an attorney
,author
, and international speaker. He has written various books and magazine articles about early Christianity
and Christian discipleship. His two best-known works are Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?, and the Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs. Bercot is a conservative
American
Christian
and lives in Pennsylvania
, United States
.
education. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University
summa cum laude, and he obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree cum laude from Baylor University
School of Law.
In 1985, Bercot began an in-depth study of the early Christians who lived before the Council of Nicaea
in A.D. 325. His studies started him on a spiritual pilgrimage. In 1989, he wrote the book, Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up, which sets forth some of the teachings and lifestyle of the early Christians. That same year, he joined with an Assembly of God pastor to establish Scroll Publishing Company for the purpose of publishing various writings of the pre-Nicene Christians, as well as to publish other Christian books.
Bercot’s studies of the early Christians brought him into contact and dialogue with three different branches of Christianity
: the Anabaptists (Mennonites, Amish
, Brethren), the Anglican Church, and the churches of the Restoration Movement
(Church of Christ
, Disciples of Christ, International Church of Christ). In 1985, after completing his religious studies through Cambridge University, Bercot was ordained as an Anglican priest. However, he eventually left the Anglican Church and began fellowshipping with various Anabaptist
churches.
. After the publication of A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, the Evangelical Review of Theology stated: “David Bercot has done the church a great service in providing an accessible point of entry into the extant writings of the pre-Nicene church.” The Conservative Theological Journal stated: “This is a must text for everyone interested in theology
in general and especially historical studies.”
Other popular books that Bercot has written are Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up (1989), The Kingdom That Turned the World Upside Down (2005), and Will the Theologians Please Sit Down (2009).
Critiques of Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?
On Patristics and the Development of Christian Doctrine
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
,author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and international speaker. He has written various books and magazine articles about early Christianity
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
and Christian discipleship. His two best-known works are Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?, and the Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs. Bercot is a conservative
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and lives in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Biography
David Bercot was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. After leaving Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1976, he began his universityUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
education. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University
Stephen F. Austin State University is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States. Founded as a teachers' college in 1923, the university was named after one of Texas' founding fathers, Stephen F. Austin. Its campus resides on part of the homestead of another Texas founding...
summa cum laude, and he obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree cum laude from Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
School of Law.
In 1985, Bercot began an in-depth study of the early Christians who lived before the Council of Nicaea
Council of Nicaea
Council of Nicaea can refer to:* First Council of Nicaea in AD 325* Second Council of Nicaea in AD 787* The Council of Nicaea * The Council of Nicaea...
in A.D. 325. His studies started him on a spiritual pilgrimage. In 1989, he wrote the book, Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up, which sets forth some of the teachings and lifestyle of the early Christians. That same year, he joined with an Assembly of God pastor to establish Scroll Publishing Company for the purpose of publishing various writings of the pre-Nicene Christians, as well as to publish other Christian books.
Bercot’s studies of the early Christians brought him into contact and dialogue with three different branches of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
: the Anabaptists (Mennonites, Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
, Brethren), the Anglican Church, and the churches of the Restoration Movement
Restoration Movement
The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century...
(Church of Christ
Church of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
, Disciples of Christ, International Church of Christ). In 1985, after completing his religious studies through Cambridge University, Bercot was ordained as an Anglican priest. However, he eventually left the Anglican Church and began fellowshipping with various Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
churches.
Writings
Bercot’s most widely read work is A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, published in 1998. It is a scholarly work that collects together over 7000 quotations from the writings of the early Christians, arranged alphabetically by topic. Before the publication of this work, the only practical way to determine what the early Christians believed about any given topic was to read the ten-volume set of the Ante-Nicene FathersAnte-Nicene Fathers
The Ante-Nicene Fathers, subtitled "The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325", is a collection of books in 10 volumes containing English translations of the majority of Early Christian writings. The period covers the beginning of Christianity until before the promulgation of the Nicene Creed...
. After the publication of A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, the Evangelical Review of Theology stated: “David Bercot has done the church a great service in providing an accessible point of entry into the extant writings of the pre-Nicene church.” The Conservative Theological Journal stated: “This is a must text for everyone interested in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
in general and especially historical studies.”
Other popular books that Bercot has written are Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up (1989), The Kingdom That Turned the World Upside Down (2005), and Will the Theologians Please Sit Down (2009).
External links
Critiques of Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?
- http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/bercot.aspx
- http://pages.google.com/edit/thepalmhq/ReviewofDavidBercotRealHeretics.doc
On Patristics and the Development of Christian Doctrine
- http://www.newmanreader.org/works/development/index.html