o f Christianity Part 1 The Primitive Church Where Were Going Acts to 313 The Primitive Church 313 to 1000 The Conciliar Period 1000 to 1517 Divisions Emerge 1517 to 1700 Western ID: 751567
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AnAbsurdlyShortHistoryofChristianityPart 1The Primitive ChurchSlide2
Where We’re Going
Acts to
313
The Primitive
Church
313 to
1000
The Conciliar
Period
1000 to
1517
Divisions
Emerge
1517 to
1700
Western
Reformation
1700 to1980Enthusiasmand Doubt
1980 to
2016
Contraction
and Renewal Slide3
The Church begins hereSlide4Slide5
Matthew 80-90Mark 68-70Luke 80-90John 90-110Acts 95-100Romans 57I&II Corinthians 56Galatians 55Ephesians 80-90Philippians 54-55I&II Thessalonians 51-70
I&II Timothy 100Titus 100
Philemon 54-55Hebrews 80-90James 65-85
I&II Peter 65-110I/II/III John 90-110Jude ???
Revelation 95
Speculated dates of composition of NT booksSlide6
Matthew 80-90Mark 68-70Luke 80-90John 90-110Acts 95-100Romans 57I&II Corinthians 56Galatians 55Ephesians 80-90Philippians 54-55I&II Thessalonians 51-70
I&II Timothy 100Titus 100
Philemon 54-55Hebrews 80-90James 65-85
I&II Peter 65-110I/II/III John 90-110Jude ???
Revelation 95
Speculated dates of composition of NT booksSlide7
But back to the story…No formal “succession plan”Did Jesus think hismovement wouldlast?What organizationalmodels did they have?Slide8
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever
you loose on earth will be loosed
in heaven.
Who should lead?Matthew 16:18-19 seems to favor PeterSlide9
Who should lead?Other sources favor JamesMentioned in Acts & elsewherePaul’s choice to meet with when hemakes peace with the ChurchSlide10
Where, by tradition, the Apostles diedSlide11
But who were they?Were they Jews, or something else?Slide12
Acts 2:46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous heartsActs 5:42 And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
Acts 21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day, having
purified himself, he entered the temple with them, making public the completion of the days of
purification when the sacrifice would be made for
each of them. Slide13
Friction in the synagogueSlide14
Zeal risesStephenPaulJamesSlide15
70 CE – An identity crisis for all……and the decline of the Jerusalem churchSlide16
Ebionites PaulJudaizingMay have held on until
almost 1000Slide17Slide18
Gentile ChurchJewish ChurchSlide19
Outside Palestine, others decideJewish identity as a shieldSlide20
PersecutionUsually local and short-livedEven official persecutions often ignoredby local authoritiesRoman authorities usually more interestedin making apostates than martyrsSlide21
~33CE313CE
Persecutions with reliable documentation
u
p to the Edict of ConstantineSlide22
Raised issues in the ChurchWhat to do about those who complywith legal demands?What happens when Christians sin?What is martyrdom? Is it desirable?Slide23
Cyprian of CarthageIf a man deserts the Chair of Peter upon whom the Church was built, does he think that
he is in the
Church? He can no longer have God
for his Father who has not
the Church for his Mother.Slide24
But some things stick…All baptisms accepted as legitimate, evenif done bythose whofled or byhereticsSlide25
Martyrs inspire the ChurchEncourage strength in times of struggle.
Worry is that
it might be alittle too
appealing???Slide26
Desert Fathers & Mothers“Zen” masters of ChristianityKeep the Church aware of itsascetic rootsMonastic modelsSlide27
Meanwhile, back in the Church…Questions (and answers) begin about points of theologyA key one: Who and what was Jesus?Slide28
DocetismStarted in 2nd Century AntiochHeld that Christ was spirit, and only appeared to be humanHow could God lower Himself to our level?John fires back with references to Christ coming“in the flesh”Slide29
Pieces come togetherGentileConverts
Beginning oftheological rationale
Churches in
m
any places/countries
???Slide30
???= Legal statusBefore 300, Christians were only about 10%of the population of the Roman EmpireA few were influential, but most were not
So what happened to change things?Slide31
Roman Empire drifts apartSlide32
Roman politics
283-312-ish
Divide Rome into
East & WestSlide33
Constantine consolidates powerSlide34
Constantine fled to Englandto escape court intrigueCame back with an armyMet his main opponent at the Milvian BridgeBefore the battle, he had a v
ision with the message“In hoc signo
vincere”Slide35
Constantine in chargeEdict of Milan (313) gives religious libertyto all, including ChristiansChristianity did not become the statereligion of Rome until 380Constantine himself did not convert untilhe was on his deathbedSlide36
As the scene fades to black…manyquestionsWhat happens when Christianity becomes“official?”How will the church handle growth?What about those who fled during the persecutions?