A HISTORY OF
CHRISTIANITY
notes
prepared by Larry Brown
Reasons for Christians to
study our history
·
These are not dead names
from the distant past, but many are our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,
with whom we will spend eternity. We need to get to know them better.
Noll intro, Turning Points:
·
reminds us of the
historical character of Christian faith
·
provides perspective on the
interpretation of scripture
·
reassures us that most of
our problems have been faced before: “Believers, guided by scripture, church
authority, and the Spirit, have often acted wisely in such matters. Even when
in retrospect Christians have made mistakes, the Lord has not abandoned them to
their folly.”
·
helps to see our problems
at a distance: “It is often easier in reviewing the past to discriminate
between matters that are essential to Christian faith and those that are of
relative importance or none at all.”
·
warns us of abuses:
Throughout the entire history of Christianity, problems have arisen when
believers equate the human acts of the church with the acts of God, when
Christians use the name of God to justify their own desired actions. Studying
Christian history can be an eye-opener. Heroes of the faith often have feet of
clay. A Golden Age turns out to be tarnished. Oftentimes the church looks no
better than the world around it. In all this disillusionment, we are reminded
of “a divine patience broader than any human impatience, and a divine
forgiveness more powerful than any human offense.”
Further challenges for
Churches of Christ (Allen and Hughes, Discovering
our Roots: the Ancestry of Churches of Christ. 1988)
·
“We often assume that our
roots are simply in the NT and that we really have not been shaped in any
significant way by the intervening history. We assume our churches are simply
NT churches, nothing more or less. The sects and denominations of Protestantism
may be products of history, but our origins come entirely from the Bible.”
·
“The conscious rejection of
tradition leads only to the development of unconscious ones … We can deny
tradition and its effects on us but we cannot escape them.” We are either
“conscious participants or unconscious victims.”
·
“Without a sense of
history, we are not aware of tradition. It is just when we think ourselves
entirely immune from tradition and culture that we are most susceptible to
their influences.”
·
“Tradition is the living
faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.”
·
“A church that imagines it
stands beyond history, beyond conformity to culture … has little to offer the
world. But a church that owns up to its blunders and compromises – its
humanness – is a church that can both receive and reflect the love and grace of
God to the world around it.”
Part 1: Early Church Period
Three major transitions:
·
From Jewish to Gentile
environment: Jews had different presuppositions about monotheism, ethics
(especially sexual), the concept of history progressing toward the final
judgement of God, and the authority of OT scripture.
·
From Apostolic age to
Church Fathers: raising questions of continuity (are we the same church as the
1st century), authority of NT scripture (formation of the NT canon),
and selection of leadership.
·
From persecuted sect to official
religion of the Empire: challenges of Christianity having and abusing political
power, and the church becoming too comfortable with the dominant culture.
FIRST CENTURY
Acts ends probably about 6
Persecution in
Jewish wars and fall of
John’s gospel, his letters,
Revelation (90-95); limited persecution during this time under Domitian
Clement's Letter to the Corinthians
Author: by early tradition
Clement was the third bishop of
Occasion for letter: Clement
writes primarily to warn of the sin of pride (3), disunity, and rebellion
against leaders/bishops (44)
·
Clement writes that, before
the church at
·
Using the example of the
saints’ humble faith, he mentions Rahab who let down a scarlet ribbon from her
house, “thereby typifying the redemption which would flow through the blood of
the Lord to all those who believe and hope in God.” (1
·
Quotes Isaiah 53 as example
of humility; Christ-centered ethics (similar to Paul): “You see, beloved, what
is the example which has been given us; for if the Lord thus humbled Himself,
what shall we do who have through Him come under the yoke of His grace?” (16)
·
Clement refers to the
mythical phoenix, who builds a nest and sets itself on fire, and from the ashes
rises a new phoenix. He treats this story as fact, testifying to the marvels of
God’s creation (
·
“And we, too, being called
by His will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own
wisdom, or understanding, or godliness, or works which we have done in holiness
of heart; but by that faith through which, from the beginning, Almighty God has
justified all men; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (3
·
Christ brought illumination
and knowledge of God: “Through him we can look up to the highest heaven and see
as in a glass the peerless perfection of the face of God.” In him “we taste the
wisdom of eternity” (36). “…Jesus Christ, by whom He has called us out of
darkness to light and from ignorance to the clear knowledge of the glory of his
name” (59). Similarly, the Didache
thanks God for life and knowledge.
·
“Let him who has love in
Christ keep the commandments of Christ. Who can describe the [blessed] bond of
the love of God? What man is able to tell the excellence of its beauty, as it
ought to be told? The height to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love unites
us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love bears all things, is
long-suffering in all things. There is nothing base, nothing arrogant in love.
Love admits of no divisions: love gives rise to no discord: love does all
things in harmony. By love have all the elect of God been made perfect; without
love nothing is well-pleasing to God. In love has the Lord taken us to Himself.
On account of the Love he bore us, Jesus Christ our Lord gave His blood for us
by the will of God; His flesh for our flesh, and His soul for our souls.” (49)
·
Clement mentions the deaths
of Peter and Paul (5). Eusebius says they were killed during Nero’s time.
Didache “teaching” (c 80-1
·
“And concerning baptism,
baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living [running] water.
But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do
so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three
times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before
the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whoever else can; but
you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before.”
·
“Now concerning the
Eucharist, give thanks this way [“eucharist” means thanksgiving]. First,
concerning the cup: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David your
servant, which You made known to us through Jesus your Servant; to you be the
glory for ever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank you, our Father, for
the life and knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus your Servant;
to you be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the
hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let your Church be gathered
together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom; for yours is the glory
and the power through Jesus Christ for ever. But let no one eat or drink of
your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for
concerning this also the Lord has said, "Give not that which is holy to
the dogs.”
·
Note no mention in
communion prayer of Christ's death, blood, sacrifice; instead, key themes are
unity and eschatology.
·
“Concerning the apostles
and prophets, act according to the decree of the Gospel. Let every apostle who
comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain more than one
day; or two days, if there's a need. But if he remains three days, he is a
false prophet. And when the apostle goes away, let him take nothing but bread
until he lodges. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet. And every prophet
who speaks in the Spirit you shall neither try nor judge; for every sin shall
be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. But not every one who speaks
in the Spirit is a prophet; but only if he holds the ways of the Lord.
Therefore from their ways shall the false prophet and the prophet be known. And
every prophet who orders a meal in the Spirit does not eat it, unless he is
indeed a false prophet. And every prophet who teaches the truth, but does not
do what he teaches, is a false prophet.”
·
“Then shall appear the
world-deceiver as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth
shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do iniquitous things which have
never yet come to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come
into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but
those who endure in their faith shall be saved from under the curse itself. And
then shall appear the signs of the truth: first, the sign of an outspreading in
heaven, then the sign of the sound of the trumpet. And third, the resurrection
of the dead -- yet not of all, but as it is said: The Lord shall come and all
His saints with Him. Then shall the world see the Lord coming upon the clouds
of heaven.”
·
"
SECOND CENTURY
Letters of Ignatius (107 AD)
·
Bishop of
·
Three crucial themes:
authority of the bishop, glory of martyrdom, and problems with heresy and
division:
1. Docetism
("appears") was an attempt to rationalize faith, using current
philosophy of materialistic dualism (spirit = good, body = evil). They claimed
Jesus’ physical body was a phantom, he only appeared to be human. Ignatius’
dogmatic affirmations of the virgin birth, suffering under Pilate, etc. challenging
docetism are early forms of the Creed. Docetism can be found in late NT
letters: Cerinthus (100 AD) is possibly the subject of controversy in 1 John
(story of John running out of the bath). Problem in letters to Tralles,
·
Ephesians: Ignatius looks
forward to martyrdom, considering it the means to becoming a “true disciple”
(1). He calls his chains a necklace of spiritual pearls (11). He emphasizes the
importance of the bishop in each congregation; church in harmony like a choir
under his direction (4). Christians carry the Name (in
·
Magnesians: describes three
tiers of leaders (bishop, elders, deacons). Mentions worship on Sunday, not the
Jewish Sabbath (9). Earliest use in Greek of noun "Christianity" (10).
·
Romans: he calls Christ “my
God.” Martyrdom described as "an intelligible utterance of God" (2) He
asks them not to pray for his release: “I am truly in earnest about dying for
God, if only you put no obstacles in the way. I must implore you to do me no
such untimely kindness; pray leave me to be a meal for the beasts, for it is
they who can provide my way to God. I am His wheat, ground fine by the lions’
teeth to be made purest bread for Christ. Better still, incite the creatures to
become my sepulcher, so that I need not be a burden to anyone after I fall
asleep. When there is no trace of my body left for the world to see, then I shall
truly be Jesus’ disciple” (4).
·
Philadelphians: unity found
in one Eucharist administered by one bishop
·
Smyrneans: Docetic heresy:
“And He suffered truly, even as also He truly raised up Himself, not, as
certain unbelievers maintain, that He only seemed to suffer, as they themselves
only seem to be [Christians].” One day they will become phantoms without
substance themselves (2). These heretics rejected the Lord’s supper as a
material substance. Ignatius says the Eucharist is the same body as the Lord
Jesus, perhaps the earliest evidence suggesting to some the idea of
transubstantiation (7). First use of "catholic" church, meaning
universal. Polycarp their bishop; Ignatius wrote a separate letter to him as
well (8).
Martyrdom of Polycarp
·
Pupil of John in
·
The martyrs “displayed such
heroism that not a cry or a groan escaped from any of them; which seemed a
clear proof to us all that in that hour of anguish those martyr-heroes of
Christ were not present in the body at all, or better still, that the Lord was
standing at their side … they made light of the cruelties of this world and at
the cost of a single hour purchased life everlasting. For them the fires of
their barbarous tormentors had a grateful coolness, for they held ever before
their eyes their escape from the unquenchable flames of eternity.” (
·
Polycarp was betrayed by a
servant, like Christ in the middle of the night.
·
When ordered to “revile
your Christ,” Polycarp responded, “86 years have I served him, and he has done
me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
·
Reports of miracles: the
fire would not burn him but surrounded him like sails of a ship in the wind. Then
when they stabbed him with a sword, a dove flew out of his breast, and enough
blood flowed to extinguish the flames.
·
His bones were gathered and
buried, where Christians assembled to celebrate the “birthday of his
martyrdom.”
Letter to Diognetus
·
Anonymous apology addressed
to pagan reader, a reasoned defense of Christianity. Diognetus means
"heaven-born" and may indicate royal reader. No certain date but
probably mid 2nd c. Written to an unbeliever, contains few scripture quotes,
concentrates rather on first principles about God from nature and reason,
refutes idolatry and Judaism.
·
foolishness of idolatry,
appeals to reason (2)
·
compares Jewish sacrifices
to idol worship: “When they boast that a bodily mutilation is evidence of their
inclusion among the elect, what does this deserve but to be laughed out of
court?” (4). This is the first sign of anti-Jewish sentiments in early Christian
writings (although understandable in light of Jewish opposition, and
involvement in Polycarp's death). Paul's arguments were against legalistic
Judaizers who wanted to circumcise Gentiles (3).
·
Similarities to Marcion
(his Antitheses contrasts OT / NT)
but different; in Diognetus the God of Creation = God of Love, God of
Judgement = God of Redemption
·
Christians are decent,
moral citizens, rational, peaceful, loyal, no secret society of rebels or
eccentrics (as Jews are); he refutes common rumors that love feasts are
orgies--wordplay: common table (koinein)
not bed (koitein); irony that
persecuted Christians increase in numbers (5).
·
In the classical world,
ancient religions were respected as truth; Christians had to defend their
"new" religion as a mystery hidden by God but now revealed in Christ.
Logos as God's Truth/Wisdom and Logos as Creative Power proceeding from God. Difference
again is incarnation, not just revelation of timeless truth but historical act
(7).
·
Christ as substitution and ransom:
“He took our sins upon himself and gave his own Son as a ransom for us” (9)
·
Curious absence of key terms:
cross, resurrection, clergy, sacraments
Early Christian Anti-Semitism
·
After the fall of
·
“Epistle of Barnabas”
(70-13
·
“Do not be like some and
heap up your sins by saying that the covenant is theirs [Jews] and ours
[Christians]. It is ours! They lost it completely when Moses had barely
received it.” (4)
·
Referring to events in 70
AD: “how mistaken these miserable folk were in pinning their hopes to the
building itself … after their armed rebellion it was demolished by their
enemies … it has been revealed that the city, temple and Jewish people are all
alike doomed to perish one day.” (16)
·
“Barnabas” gives many examples
of how the OT was appropriated as Christian allegory using bizarre rules of
interpretation. The writer misquotes Gen 14:14, saying Abraham circumcised 318
servants; ignoring that it was written in Hebrew, he takes the Greek letters
which stand for that number “I E T” and interprets this as “IE(sus)” and T as
the sign of the cross. (13)
·
The Didaskalia (3rd c) distinguished between the moral law
of the OT which Christians still follow and the secondary laws that applied
only to
Gnosticism (those “in the know”)
·
Discovery of Gnostic Nag
Hammadi library of about 50 texts (1947); before this find, most of what we
knew came from their critics.
·
Justin and Irenaeus claim
that Simon Magus (Acts 8) started the Gnostic traditions, declaring himself a god.
He consorted with a prostitute named Helena, whom he claimed was the first
creation of his mind, the first mother, who had lived in many different women
including Helen of
·
Irenaeus repeats a story by
Polycarp about John running from a bathhouse in
·
The ultimate Transcendent
Being could not be the source of creation, nor could It interact with the world
in any way. There are many gods, emanations, generations of spirit beings,
finally descending to the level of the material world. A demiurge (divine
artisan, discussed by Plato) who created the world was the God of OT, not the
same as the God of NT, the father of Jesus. [see details under Irenaeus]