church history in plain languagechurch history in plain

Church History in Plain LanguageChurch History in Plain LanguageFrom the Apostles to the Present

Approximately 8 weeks

Beginning Wednesday

January 23, 2008 at 6:00 p.m.

Church History in Plain Language

30-70 Jesus and the Apostles70-312 Catholic Christianity312-590 Christian Empire590-1517 Middle Ages1517-1648 Reformation1648-1789 Reason and Revival1789 1914 P1789-1914 Progress1914-2008 Ideologies

AD 30-70 Jesus and the ApostlesAD 30-70 Jesus and the Apostles

Jerusalem JerusalemJesus’ Birth

Jerusalem Council

Jerusalem Destroyed

BC 0 32 49 64 70 AD 100

Pentecost Fire in Rome

The Beginning of the RomanThe Beginning of the RomanThe Beginning of the Roman Persecutions—AD 64

The Beginning of the Roman Persecutions—AD 64

• The fire in Rome Nero blamed on the• The fire in Rome Nero blamed on theThe fire in Rome Nero blamed on the Christians.

• Peter and Paul died in the persecution

The fire in Rome Nero blamed on the Christians.

• Peter and Paul died in the persecution• Peter and Paul died in the persecution that followed.

• Peter and Paul died in the persecution that followed.

The Destruction of theThe Destruction of theThe Destruction of the Jewish Temple—AD 70The Destruction of the Jewish Temple—AD 70

• On August 5, AD 70, Titus destroyed the Jewish temple

• On August 5, AD 70, Titus destroyed the Jewish templedestroyed the Jewish temple.destroyed the Jewish temple.

Church History in Plain Language

30-70 Jesus and the Apostles70-312 Catholic Christianity312-590 Christian Empire590-1517 Middle Ages1517-1648 Reformation1648-1789 Reason and Revival1789 1914 P1789-1914 Progress1914-2008 Ideologies

AD 70-312 Catholic ChristianityAD 70-312 Catholic Christianity

T t lli

Ignatius Irenaeus Origen

JustinTertullian

Constantine

Clement

AD 100 200 300

Marcion Diocletian

Polycarp

Gnosticism Crisis

Extent of Christian communities by the 1st century CEExtent of Christian communities by 185 CE (the time of Irenaeus)Early centers of ChristianityEarly centers of Christianity, with a link to more informationBoundary of the Roman Empire for most of the 1st and 2nd centuries CE

Orthodox

• Orthodox = Good Theology– Theo = GodTheo God– Logos = word or rational thought

• Theology = rational thought about Godgy g

Gnosticism

• The word “Gnosticism” comes from gnosis, a Greek word that means g ,“knowledge.”

© 2003 Timothy Paul Jones http://www.timothypauljones.com

GnosticismGnosticism

• The basic beliefs of Gnosticism were:1 Certain people can achieve “secret – 1. Certain people can achieve “secret knowledge” about God.

– 2. This “secret knowledge” included 2. This secret knowledge included acknowledging that everything physical is evil.

– 3. The Father of Jesus was not the sameGod as the God of the Old Testament, who created the physical worldwho created the physical world

– 4. Nothing physical could be holy; so, Jesus Christ was not truly human.J y


Christianity and GnosticismChristianity and Gnosticism

• Marcion of Pontus (died, AD 160)

j O• Rejected the Old Testament and the God of the JewsGod of the Jews

• Regarded an edited version of Luke and ten of Paul’s letters as the authoritative texts for Christian texts for Christian beliefs


Christianity and Gnosticism

• How did Christians respond to Gnosticism?

i f i i i i (

• How did Christians respond to Gnosticism?

i f i i i i (– 1. A list of authoritative writings (a “canon”) for Christians to follow.

– 1. A list of authoritative writings (a “canon”) for Christians to follow.

• “Canon” was a Greek word that meant “measuring stick.”

• “Canon” was a Greek word that meant “measuring stick.”gg


• Christians asked three questionsChristians asked three questionsabout Christian writings that could have been included in the canon: have been included in the canon: – (a) Is the book connected to an apostle?– (b) Do churches throughout the world– (b) Do churches throughout the world

use the book? – (c) Does the book agree with what we (c) Does the book agree with what we

already know about God?


• Christians included the Old Testament in their list because Testament in their list because they believed the God of the Jews was also the God of Jesus Jews was also the God of Jesus Christ.


Although questions persisted into the 300s about Hebrews James the 300s about Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude, by AD 200 Christians by AD 200, Christians throughout the world had agreed on a basic canon.

The CanonThe CanonAD 313

Th N T t t b k ll t d

The CanonThe Canon3 3

The New Testament books are collected and circulated throughout the Mediterranean about the time of Constantine, the Roman Emperor, who legalizes Christianity in AD 313.y

Constantine

1500 BC 500 BC AD 1 AD 500 AD 1000 AD 1500 AD 1900 AD 20001500 BC 500 BC AD 1 AD 500 AD 1000 AD 1500 AD 1900 AD 2000

The CanonThe CanonAD 397

The 27 books of the

The CanonThe Canon39

The 27 books of the New Testament are formally confirmed asformally confirmed as canonical by the Synod of Carthage in AD 397,of Carthage in AD 397, thus recognizing three centuries of use by yfollowers of Christ.


AD 400 The CanonThe CanonBy AD 400, the standard of 27 New

00 The CanonThe CanonBy AD 400, the standard of 27 New Testament books is accepted in the East and West as confirmed by:and West as confirmed by:

AthanasiusJ Jerome

AugustineTh h h il Three church councils

Augustine



• How did Christians respond to Gnosticism?– 1. A list of authoritative writings (a “canon”)

f Ch i ti t f llfor Christians to follow.– 2. The Rule of Faith

• To help new Christians to understand how • To help new Christians to understand how their faith differed from Marcion’s false teachings, a longer statement of faith

d “ h R l f F i h ”emerged—“the Rule of Faith.”


• How did Christians respond to Gnosticism?– 1. A list of authoritative writings (a

“canon”) for Christians to follow.– 2. The Rule of Faith

– 3. More powerful overseersp

More Powerful Overseers

–Leading pastors—known as “overseers” or “bishops”—overseers or bishopswere viewed as the trustees of the apostles’ teachingsthe apostles’ teachings.

–During the Gnostic controversies, these overseers gained more authority.g e o e o y

More Powerful Overseers

– In cities where apostles had lived and died, the overseer was viewed as having a unique measure of authority.

– Because Peter and Paul died in Rome and because Rome was an i t t it th R important city, the Roman overseer became especially esteemedesteemed.

1. Great Persecutions• Local persecutions

had affected Christians sinceChristians since AD 64.

• Emperor DeciusEmperor Decius launched an empire-wide

ti fpersecution of Christians around AD 249.9

1. Great Persecutions

• Anyone without a “sacrifice certificate” could be imprisoned and executedexecuted.

St. Valentine was St. Valentine was martyred in AD 269martyred in AD 269martyred in AD 269 martyred in AD 269 because he did not because he did not possess a sacrifice possess a sacrifice

certificate.certificate.

SACRIFICE CERTIFICATESACRIFICE CERTIFICATE

To: The Sacrifice CommissionFrom: Diogenesg

In obedience to the emperor, I’ve sacrificed againsacrificed again. …

Please certify this below.I Syrus saw Diogenes and hisI, Syrus, saw Diogenes and his

son sacrificing

1. Great Persecutions• Some churchSome church

members obtained fake certificates to

id t tavoid torture.• When the

persecution endedpersecution ended, many of these church members

dwanted to return to their churches’ fellowship.fellowship.

1. Great Persecutions• Cyprian ofCyprian of

Carthage allowed church members

h bt i d f kwho obtained fake certificates to reenter their churches, but …

• … he required them dto demonstrate

their penitence through prayer andthrough prayer and fasting.

1. Great Persecutions• When DiocletianWhen Diocletian

became emperor in AD 284, Christians ,experienced severe empire-wide

ipersecution.• The persecution

d dSt. Nicholas of MyraSt. Nicholas of Myra——

better known as “Santabetter known as “Santaworsened under the next emperor, Galerius

better known as “Santa better known as “Santa Claus”Claus”——was imprisoned was imprisoned during Diocletian’s reign.during Diocletian’s reign.Galerius.

1. Great Persecutions• On his deathbed Emperor GaleriusOn his deathbed, Emperor Galerius

legalized Christianity, as long as …

“… they don’t disturb the public order. May they ask their deity for our well-May they ask their deity for our well-

being and for that of the state.”

Next Week:The Legalization of ChristianityNext Week:The Legalization of Christianityg yg y

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