Roman Catholic Church A Brief History part 2

The Growing Power of the Papacy   Pope Gregory the Great – 590-604

  First monk to become a pope

  Under his reign, the power of the Roman Church and it’s wealth grew dramatically.

  After the invasion of central Italy by the Lombards, The Roman Church stepped in to provide structure and controlled welfare and taxation.

  Advanced Roman Catholic doctrine

Roman Catholic Doctrine   Adam’s fall affected all men but only weakening not destroying their ability to

do good. Righteousness is by joint product of divine grace and human will.

  God grants forgiving grace in baptism. Grace is forfeited by sin and must be restored.

  Penance is the means by which one can restore that grace.

  Appealing to the Saints for help – Treasury of Merit

Behold, the severe judge Jesus is about to come; the terror of that mighty council of angels and archangels is at hand. In that

assembly our case will be tried and yet we are not seeking patrons who will come to our defense. Our holy martyrs are ready to be your advocates; they desire to be asked, indeed if I may say so they entreat that they may be entreated. Seek them as helpers of your prayer; turn to them that they may protect

you in your guilt.”

Pope Gregory the Great – 590-604

Roman Catholic Doctrine   Adam’s fall affected all men but only weakening not destroying their ability to

do good. Righteousness is by joint product of divine grace and human will.

  God grants forgiving grace in baptism. Grace is forfeited by sin and must be restored.

  Penance is the means by which one can restore that grace.

  Appealing to the Saints for help – Treasury of Merit

  Purgatory and prayer for the dead – Venial vs Mortal

  Collection and veneration of Holy Relics

Roman Catholic Doctrine   The Eucharist (Mass)

  The Priest is making sacrifice for the sins of the people   You must be present at Mass with a penitent heart for Christ’s penance to be

applied for your sins   Eucharist can be offered / received on behalf of those in purgatory

2 Forged Documents – 7th–8th Century   The Donation of Constantine (Claims to be 4th c. but is actually 8th c.)

  Pope Sylvester healed Constantine of Leprosy   In gratitude, Constantine granted the Pope supreme authority over every church

in the world.   Constantine moved east to Constantinople was to avoid interference with the

imperial rights of the Pope   Granted “temporal supremacy” in all matters of of earth and state.   Shown to be a fake in 15th century by Lorenzo Valla and Nicholas of Cusa

2 Forged Documents – 7th - 8th Century Isadorian Decretals   Isadore of Seville (Bishop of Spain) allegedly collected decision and declarations

by past Bishops/Popes from Clement of Rome (1st c.) to Gregory II (8th c.)

  These declarations supposedly strengthened the rights of bishops to appeal directly to the Pope and were not subject to the control of secular authority.

  The idea was to prove the papal claim to authority in the middle ages was simply a continuation of the authority established from the founding of the Church in Rome.

  Shown to be a fake in 15th century by Lorenzo Valla and Nicholas of Cusa

The Growing Power of the Papacy   Hildebrand (1073) becomes Pope Gregory VII

  Envisioned a Christian empire under Papal control.

  He insisted that the spiritual power was supreme over the temporal

  He formally prohibited lay investiture and threatened excommunication of any secular leader who rebelled.

  Struggle for power came to a head with the emperor, Henry IV.

  Dressed as a penitent, standing barefoot in the snow for 3 days, Henry publically begged for forgiveness from Gregory

  “We loosed the chain of anathema and at length received him…into the lap of the Holy Mother Church.”

  Lay investiture was finally ended at the Concordat of Worms in 1122. The church maintained the right to elect the pope, but in the presence of the emperor.

The Growing Power of the Papacy   Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)

  Marked the pentacle of Papal power and prestige   Innocent III claimed universal rule and authority over not just the church but

the entire world. - Arbiter Mundi “arbiter of the world”

“Princes have power in earth, priest over the soul. As much as the soul is worthier than the body, so much worthier is the priesthood

than the monarchy”

Pope Innocent III

The Growing Power of the Papacy   Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)

  Marked the pentacle of Papal power and prestige   Innocent III claimed universal rule and authority over not just the church but

the entire world. - Arbiter Mundi “arbiter of the world”

  Wielded two weapons of the church: Excommunication and Interdiction   Convened the 4th Lateran Council of 1215

  Solidified the dogma of Transubstantiation

  Authorized the the Inquisition to deal with heretics

Papal Overreach 1073-1294   Crusades (1095-1291)

  1st Crusade, initiated by Urban II began in 1095 to ensure access to the the Holy Land for pilgrims and unite the church against Islam’s advance

  They were a miserable failure. Driven by reaching for power and wealth, many injustices were committed against Muslims, Jews and Christians.

  Cathedrals – Between 1170 and 1270, 500 great churches were built, Attempt to bring heaven to earth.

  Scholasticism and Canon Law – the church sought to formulate a body of Canon Law to govern all conduct of all men; every priests, prince and layman.

  Beyond the Grave – the church continued to teach it could dispense grace beyond death freeing the suffering from purgatory

Medieval Reform Movements   A number of men attempted reform of the Church during the middle ages.

Monasitc Reform movement   The Waldenses formed by Peter Waldo in Eastern France (12th and 13th c.)

  John Wycliffe (late 14th c.) – Oxford professor, Translated the NT (1382) and the OT (1384) into English

  John Hus (15th Century) – Influenced by Wycliffe’s views and sought to implement Wycliffe’s reforms. He was eventually burned at the stake in 1415.

  Savonarola (1452 – 1498) Dominican Monk in Florence fought for reform within the church. Eventually arrested, tortured, hung to death then burned.

  Martin Luther and the 95 Theses (A.D. 1517) – “We are all Hussites!”

Martin Luther   “St. Anne, save me! And I’ll become a monk.”

  Luther had a hyper scrupulousness regarding his sin. Racked with guilt he spent long hours in the confessional and in penance.

  Assigned to the chair of Biblical Studies at Wittenberg University

  “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” How could perfect Jesus be forsaken by God?

  Romans 1:17 – “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, for it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which though grace and

sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.”

Martin Luther, 1515

Martin Luther   “St. Anne, save me! And I’ll become a monk.”

  Luther had a hyper scrupulousness regarding his sin. Racked with guilt he spent long hours in the confessional and in penance.

  Assigned to the chair of Biblical Studies at Wittenberg University

  “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” How could perfect Jesus be forsaken by God?

  Romans 1:17 – “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, for it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

  If salvation is by faith alone, no monk, no masses, no prayers to the saints. No mediating Church of Rome.

The Protestant Reformation   John Tetzel – Dominican Priest selling indulgences to finance St. Peter’s

basilica.

  ”As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.”

  Luther believed that this practice of selling indulgences was dangerous because it gave individuals false hope.

  Following a university custom Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church to begin a debate.

  Tetzel denounced him as a man guilty of preaching dangerous doctrine

  Luther began to insist on Scriptural proof of his theological error. The Reformation fire was lit.

The Protestant Reformation

  Salvation was by grace alone through faith in Christ alone – Sola Gratia / Sola Fide

  By calling on the name of Christ alone – Solus Christus

  The Scriptures alone, not popes nor councils, are the standard for Christian faith – Sola Scriputura

  All for the glory of God alone – Soli Deo Gloria

We Hold in Common   One Bible in Two Testaments (66 books -39 OT and 27 NT)

  Three Creeds   Apostles Creed (A.D. 150) Against Gnosticism & Marcionism

  Nicene Creed (A.D. 326) Deity of Christ

Nicene Creed

  We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

  We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God, begotten, not made,

of one being with the Father.

  Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,

and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

  We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]. With the Father and the Son

he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of

sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

We Hold in Common   One Bible in Two Testaments (66 books -39 OT and 27 NT)

  Three Creeds   Apostles Creed (A.D. 150) Against Gnosticism & Marcionism   Nicene Creed (A.D. 326) Deity of Christ   Athanasian Creed (A.D. 428) Trinity and Incarnation

  Four Councils   First Nicea (A.D. 325) Jesus is one substance with the Father   First Constantinople (A.D. 381) Affirmed the divinity of the Holy Spirit   Ephesus (A.D. 431) Jesus is divine AND born of a woman (theotokos)

“bearer of God”   Chalcedon (A.D. 451) Two Natures in Christ: divine and human

  Five centuries of faith from the Apostolic era to the end of the 5th Century (Leo I identifies himself as supreme authority in the Church)

Doctrinal Agreement   Revelation: God made himself knowable and known

  General Revelation – Nature (Rom 1:19-20; 2:14-15)

  Special Revelation – Scripture (1 Tim 3:16-17)

  God (Theology Proper)   God as Trinity

  God as Creator

  Gods Attributes (Incommunicable and Communicable)

  Humanity (Anthropology)   Origin – Adam and Eve are not myth or allegory

  Sin (Though differences exist regarding the extent of the effects of sin)

Doctrinal Agreement   Christ (Christology)

  His deity

  His humanity

  His bodily resurrection

  Salvation (Soteriology) – with some exceptions   God acted in history through Jesus Christ to save man.

  Through Jesus we are delivered from sin and its consequences.

  We hope for our future glorification with Jesus Christ in his coming kingdom

  Initial justification by God’s grace. Catholic and Reformed individuals mean different things by “grace alone.” Reformed theology teaches sola gratia & sola fide.