Introduction to Church History

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Introduction to Church History
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CHURCH HISTORY I

• ANCIENT TO MEDIEVAL 30-1500 AD

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Class Structure?

• Lecture with some discussion

• ASK ANYTHING!

Opinions divorced from knowledge are ugly
things Socrates
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What is History?

• A systematic written account comprising a
  chronological record of events and usually
  including a philosophical explanation of the
  cause and origin of such events
• -Websters 3rd edition

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How do we study history?

• Ordinary
• Follows all accepted critical historical rules
• Only speaks of horizontal relations

Writing christian history is like talking about
a football game in which half the players are
invisible. You know God is acting but what you
can write about is the human side of the
story. George A. Marsden, Ph. D
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• Providentialist
• Those who see that Jesus Christ is the center of
  the universe and that the world is going somewhere

Human experience is so complex that modern
theories cannot adequately explain them.

• Can economic theories explain a martyr?
• Can socio-economic theories explain the Great
• Awakening?

John Woodbridge
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I AM A PROVIDENTIALIST
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It is not enough to have our eyes open and to
note well and mark what God does during our
lives, but we must profit from ancient histories.
In fact, this is why our Lord has wanted us to
have some notable judgments left in writing, so
that the memory of them would remain forever.
And we should not only profit from what is
contained in Holy Scripture, but when we hear
what is spoken by the histories written by the
pagans, we should also have the prudence to apply
to ourselves what God has done John Calvin
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Caesar Baronius 1538-1607
Matthias Flacius Illyricus 1520-1575
Magdeburg Centuries
Ecclesiastical Annals
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How about Church History?
A study of the rise and progress of the kingdom
of heaven upon the earth, for the glory of God
and the salvation of the world. Phillip Schaff
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Church history is the Holy Spirits instrument
for conveying Gods works, performed in and
through His people in the past, to His people in
the present Edward A Panosian
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Sources of Church History
I. BIBLE
Who is the historian of the Bible?
11 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a
narrative of the things that have been
accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from
the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of
the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed
good to me also, having followed all things
closely for some time past, to write an orderly
account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may have certainty concerning the
things you have been taught.
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11 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt
with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
2 until the day when he was taken up, after he
had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the
apostles whom he had chosen.
What is the Bible useful for?
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and
profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God 1 may be competent,
equipped for every good work.
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Purpose of the stories?
121 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside
every weight, and sin which clings so closely,
and let us run with endurance the race that is
set before us,
To build up the faith!
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II. OTHER SOURCES
Primary Secondary
III. TYPES OF SOURCES
A. Written Usually the best

• Documents
• Acts of Synods or councils
• Confessions of faith
• Liturgies
• Church law (canon law)
• Correspondence
• Hagiography

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B. Unwritten

• Art
• Monuments
• Inscriptions
• Greetings

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Why Should We Study Church History?

• Church History teaches us our heritage.

2. Church History is a corrective.
Doctrinal
Practical
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3. Church History warns us about too close
dependence upon and association with civil
organizations
BALANCEBALANCEBALANCE!
Is this vile world a friend of grace to help us
on to God?
4. Church History teaches us about believing
with integrity
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37 Who has spoken and it came to pass,unless the
Lord has commanded it?38 Is it not from the
mouth of the Most Highthat good and bad
come? Lamentations 337-38
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