The Vernard Eller Collection

We are very pleased to offer several of the writings of the late Vernard Eller (1927-2007) on the House Church Central web site. Dr. Eller was a member of the Church of the Brethren, one of the many traditions descended from the Protestant Radical Reformation that is the seat of house church theology. He published over twenty books, many articles in scholarly journals, and was a frequent guest preacher or teacher in pulpits and lecture halls all over the country. He was an expert on Kierkegaard, and has spoken especially frequently on such topics as radical discipleship and the Christian life.

Dr. Eller received his B.A. from LaVerne College in 1949, a B.D. from Bethany Theological Seminary, an M.A. from Northwestern University, and a Th. D. from the Pacific School of Religion. He joined the faculty of LaVerne College in 1958 and was Professor of Religion there for many years.

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PDF Available on this site, but in Adobe's Portable Document Format. Get free reader at www.adobe.com/reader.
HTML Document available as a web page on this site.
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Books

Unpublished Book	Could the Church Have it All Wrong? Exclusively available on House Church Central, Dr. Eller regarded this as his most important work and was very disappointed that he could not find an ink-on-paper publisher for it. It examines the theology and purpose of Baptism and the Lord‘s Supper, finding that most modern expressions miss the point entirely. This will transform your thinking on these important ordinances and bring new life to your fellowship.	HTML
	Kierkegaard and Radical Discipleship: A New Perspective. Forget whatever you may have heard about Kierkegaard. Eller shows here that he was far closer to the Protestant sectarianism of his day than to philosophy, sociology, or physchology. This began as Eller's Ph. D. dissertation, but has been greatly expanded. It is the most academic of all his books, establishing that Kierkegaard belonged in the tradition of the Radical Reformation.	New/Used HTML
	The Mad Morality: Or, the Ten Commandments Revisited The 1967 article in The Christian Century (see below) received so much favorable comment that Dr. Eller forged an alliance with the people of Mad Magazine. Can you imagine the wit of Vernard Eller filtering the 10 Commandments through Alfred E. Newman and Mad Magazine? The result was The Mad Morality.	1970 ed. 1972 ed.
	The Sex Manual for Puritans. Eller's "The Mad Morality, above, sparked this Sex Manual project, which was to be illustrated by the Mad staff. This did not work out as planned, but the text was published anyway--in a plain paper wrapper (so to speak). Forward by Richard Armour.	New/Used HTML
	The Simple Life: The Christian Stance Toward Possessions. This is about the Christian simple life, not the popular variety so many seek today. Thoroughly biblical, Dr. Eller adds the parables of Kierkegaard to his own analysis to derive the doctrine of the simple life from the New Testament witness.	New/Used HTML
	The Most Revealing Book of the Bible. This is a lay-person's commentary with a difference. First, it might well have been subtitled "the non-calendarizer's handbook to Revelation," leaving no quarter for those who seek to compare the events and charcters in that book with those in modern society and politics. Second, it is theological in its treatment, refusing to engage in any interpretation that violates the balance of New (or Old) Testament theology while remaining solidly exegetical every step of the way. Third, it presents a strong case that Revelation is a vital book for our own age--a well crafted presentation of the gospel message and an encouragement for the faithfulness of the saints.	New/Used HTML
	The Outward Bound: Caravaning as a Style of the Church. A strong challenge to the institutional church that sees itself as a "commissary," Dr. Eller presents the case for the outward bound community that sees itself as a "caravan" on its way to a celestial destination. Should the church be successful or faithful? And why can't it have it both ways? Should a church see itself as the Royal Vienna String Quartet, or as a barbershop foursome?	New/Used HTML
	Thy Kingdom Come: A Blumhardt Reader A wonderful introduction to the writings of this father and son team who's writings greatly influenced Barth, Bonhoeffer, and many others others who have helped shape House Church theology, Dr. Eller has compiled, translated, and organized this collection.	New/Used HTML
	The Language of Canaan and the Grammar of Feminism House Church Central is an "inclulsive language" website, but the astute believer needs to be aware of the important concept of gender in the Scriptures because inclusive language can obscure some aspects of God‘s revelation. This is a book about language--both the Bible's (the language of Canaan) and our own.	New/Used HTML
	A Pearl of Christian Counsel for the Brokenhearted Dr. Eller brings us a delightful 14th century anonymous poem, having translated it from Middle English and adding a commentary. A devotional look at suffering, grieving, and loss from a Christian perspective.	New/Used HTML
	The Beloved Disciple: His Name, His Story, His Thought Is John Son of Zebedee really the author of the Fourth Gospel? Prof. Eller puts on his Sherlock Holmes hat and discovers a much more likely candidate. The book goes on to locate the Eucharist in that book, which was skipped over in its treatment of the Last Supper.	New/Used HTML
	Christian Anarchy: Jesus‘ Primacy over the Powers If you're wondering what Christians should do about politics, the Christian Right, tax withholding, civil disobedience, etc., etc., you will need to read this book.	New/Used HTML
	Proclaim Good Tidings: Evangelism for the Faith Community Where is the house church on evangelism? Eller himself regards this short book as the one most centered in the house church community. But you won't see him handing out tracts or preaching on street corners here. Foreword by Vernon C. Grounds.	New/Used HTML
	War and Peace from Genesis to Revelation Eller presents a theology of pacifism.	New/Used
	Towering Babble: God‘s People without God‘s Word Eller's call to the church to return to the Bible as their authority.	New/Used
	In Place of Sacraments: A Study of Baptism and the Lord's Supper Baptism and the Lord‘ Supper examined in the light of the believers‘ church. Dr. Eller updated this book in a more recent publication, Could the Church Have It All Wrong."	New/Used
	His End Up: Getting God into the New Theology How modern theology has lost the art of dialectic and needs to relearn the teachings of men like Kierkegaard.	New/Used

Articles in The Christian Century

Vernard Eller was a frequent witness of radical discipleship to the subscribers of The Christian Century, which has graciously permitted their republication here for the benefit of House Church Central visitors.

Brothers in Ebullience. Browning, Pippa, and Kierkegaard.
Depravity or Sin? (in the context of modern literature).
Baptism and Rebaptism. An ecumenical controversy.
COCU: Self-Defeating?. A study of demoninations and ecumenism.
A Theology of Nonresistance. Can the ultimate liberty of humanity be gained by war?
The Nude Morality. The New Morality film critics, themselves, are wearing no clothes.
Protestant Radicalism. The eschatological essence of House Church Theology.
The 'MAD' [Magazine] Morality: An Exposé A magazine with a rabbinic heart?
Theology of Promise vs. Theology of Hope. A letter.
The Ethic of Promise. Ethical thinking in the eschatological mode.
Christmas and Luke's Theology of Hope. Looking back, looking ahead.
Who Are These Blumhardt Characters Anyhow? A genealogy of theological thought.
Sex Power and the Revolution. Sexual permissiveness is incompatible with real social revolution.
How Jacques Ellul Reads the Bible. Keeping the forest and trees in balance.

Articles in Other Publications

PEACE: Not as the World Gives. A short essay on Christian activism.
Why the First Commandment Must Be First. Why we are to love God first, our neighbor second.
Jesus and the Farmworkers. Being good farmworkers in the fields of the Lord.
Covenantal Sex and Marriage. A biblical approach to marriage, fornication, divorce, adultery.
So You See Yourself as a Prophet: An AMOS or a JONAH? A call to Christian activists: back to the scriptures.
On the Risks and Dangers of WORSHIP. In the note accompanying this article, Dr. Eller wrote, "God says that what HE wants is not temple but HOUSE-CHURCH."
On [Contemporary] Worship.
Humanity's Referandum on GOD--by Vote of the Constituents.

Previously unpublished essays submitted to House Church Central

Dr. Eller submitted quite a number of essays in 1997, only recently discovered. It will take some time to OCR and proof them; some are being withheld because of permission issues, but those that are deemed okay are presented here.

From The Church of the Brethren Newsline, Remembrance of Vernard Eller
Tribute to Vernard Eller in Christianity Today.