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Church History

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The early Church understood apostolic doctrine as the ... Early Church Fathers ... The Donatists considered themselves Orthodox, and the main Church corrupt. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Church History


1
Church History
The Papacy 2
2
The Papacy 2
  • Overview
  • After the Apostles
  • Biblical warnings
  • Jesus warnings
  • Apostles warnings
  • Early Church fathers
  • During the time of persecution
  • Churches were not unified under a leader
  • After Christianity was legalized
  • Edict of Milan
  • Donatist schism

3
The Papacy 2
  • Jesus warnings
  • Mat 715 "Beware of false prophets, who come to
    you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous
    wolves.
  • Luke 103 Go your way behold, I am sending you
    out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

4
The Papacy 2
  • Apostles warnings
  • Act 2029-30 I know that after my departure
    fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing
    the flock and from among your own selves will
    arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away
    the disciples after them.
  • 2Pe 21-3 But false prophets also arose among
    the people, just as there will be false teachers
    among you, who will secretly bring in destructive
    heresies, even denying the Master who bought
    them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
    And many will follow their sensuality, and
    because of them the way of truth will be
    blasphemed.
  • And in their greed they will exploit you with
    false words. Their condemnation from long ago
    is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

5
The Papacy 2
Early Church fathers
Clement of Rome (ca. 96)
Justin Martyr(100165)
Irenaeus (2nd century AD - c. 202)
Polycarp (ca. 69 ca. 155)
6
The Papacy 2
  • Early Church fathers during persecution
  • (before AD. 325)
  • The early believers held to the Scriptures as
    being the absolute Word of Gods truth.
  • The early Church understood apostolic doctrine as
    the written Word of God.
  • From the very start of the post-apostolic age in
    the writings of such Apostolic Fathers as
    Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement, and Barnabas, there
    was an exclusive appeal to the Scriptures for the
    positive teaching of doctrine and for defense
    against heresy.
  • The Bishops in each city were independent of
    other cities.
  • The early Church fathers taught the Scriptures to
    their flocks.
  • Copies of the Scriptures were rare and the
    average believer was depending on the Bishop
    (chief elder) for biblical instruction.

7
The Papacy 2
  • Early Church Fathers
  • It is not until the writings of Irenaeus and
    Tertullian in the mid to late second century that
    the concept of an apostolic tradition, which was
    handed down in the Church in oral form, was first
    encountered. Irenaeus and Tertullian stated
    forcefully that all the teachings of the bishops
    that were given orally were rooted in Scripture
    and could be proven from the written Scriptures.

8
The Papacy 2
  • Irenaeus Bishop and martyr
  • (115 142 AD - c. 202)
  • Irenaeus's best-known book, Against Heresies (c.
    180)
  • He was a disciple of Polycarp
  • Argued that the Bishops in all the cities had a
    direct link to the Apostles.
  • Irenaeus is the earliest witness to recognition
    of the canonical character of all four gospels.
    This means that he accepted the gospels as the
    Holy Word of God.

9
The Papacy 2
  • Irenaeus cont.
  • Battled Gnosticism and disunity
  • Argued that the Bishops in the cities had direct
    link back to the Apostles. To prove that there
    were no Gnostics in the line. He argued for
    Apostolic purity.
  • Argued that salvation was by faith alone and not
    a work of man.
  • Argued that salvation was an act of God, not man
    or the Church.

10
The Papacy 2
  • Irenaeus cont.
  • He intended to fight for Orthodoxy with great
    success but opened the back door for the
    development of the Papacy.
  • Irenaeus wrote that the only way for Christians
    to retain unity was to humbly accept one
    doctrinal authority--Episcopal councils.
  • Unity increasingly began to take precedence over
    biblical purity.
  • Councils (tradition) increasingly began to be
    elevated to a level equal to Scripture.

The unifying center of the assembly of believers
is not the structure of the group, as the Pope
maintains, but rather it is the Gospel.
11
The Papacy 2
  • After Christianity was legalized
  • The Edict of Milan was issued in 313
  • The effects of Milan seemed good but were in fact
    harmful!
  • Rome was under threat from all around. (needed
    divine help)
  • Christianity was legalized alone with other
    religions.
  • The Donatists were excluded from the protections
    of Milan.
  • All property to be restored to Christians esp. to
    the churches.
  • Emperor Constantine exercises authority over the
    churches.
  • Constantine and the Bishop of Rome form a type of
    partnership.
  • Constantine requires his office holders be
    Christian.
  • The Lapsed are allowed back in the church.
    (even lapsed priests)

12
The Papacy 2
The Donatists considered themselves Orthodox, and
the main Church corrupt. The lapsed should not
be allowed to perform the sacraments. Donatists
had a great disdain for the Bishops that sided
with the Bishop of Rome. Donatists formed their
own churches. Constantine and Bishops, esp. the
Bishop of Rome, worked together to condemn the
Donatists at the Council at Arles in 314.
  • Donatist schism

St. Augustine arguing with Donatists.
13
The Papacy 2
  • Questions???
  • Comments!!!
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