ch-625-early church (tsm) lesson-01 2 1 st century churches 2 nd century churches 3 rd century...

CH-625-Early Church

Lesson 1Introduction: Historiography and Major Themes of the Ancient Period

II. THEMATIC OVERVIEW OF THE PERIOD (highlighting Guy, Ch. 1)

A. Numerical Growth: “if Paul could see us now”

CH-625-Early Church (TSM) Lesson-01

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1st century churches

2nd century churches

3rd century churches


B. Identity: “In terms of

Judeo-Christian identity in a pagan world,

they were a ‘third race.’”


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C. Relationships with State and Society: “If

one were to ask for a single, simple proposition that would summarize the

meaning of Christianity in the patristic period, it would

be: Christ has triumphed over Satan.” (quoting R. A.

Greer)


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The baptism of Constantine

II. THEMATIC OVERVIEW OF THE PERIOD (highlighting Guy, Ch. 1)Rodney Stark (The Rise of Christianity):

“Christianity served as a revitalization movement that arose in response to the misery, chaos, fear, and brutality of life in the urban Greco-Roman world.... Christianity revitalized life in Greco-Roman cities by providing new norms and new kinds of social relationships able to cope with many urgent urban problems. To cities filled with the homeless and impoverished, Christianity offered charity as well as hope. To cities filled with newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for attachments. To cities filled with orphans and widows, Christianity provided a new and expanded sense of FAMILY. To cities torn by violent ethnic strife, Christianity offered a new basis for social solidarity. . . . And to cities faced with epidemics, fires, and earthquakes, Christianity offered effective nursing services.”


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Rodney Stark (The Rise of Christianity): “Christianity did not grow because of miracle working in the marketplaces (although there may have been much of that going on), or because Constantine said it should, or even because the martyrs gave it such credibility. It grew because Christians constituted an intense community, able to generate the ‘invincible obstinacy’ that so offended the younger Pliny but yielded immense religious rewards. And the primary means of its growth was through the united and motivated efforts of the growing numbers of Christian believers, who invited their friends, relatives, and neighbors to share the ‘good news.’”


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D. Institutionalization: “Do nothing without a bishop.” (Ignatius, early

2nd c.)


7The Vicar of Rome, c. 400


E. Setting: from the house church to the basilica


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F. Worship: flexibility & fixity


9Worship in the catacombs


Guy concludes:


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“. . . in atmosphere, in size, in relationship with society, the church in the fifth century had become in many ways another world from the church of the first century”

Yet Guy warns against pining for the “good old days” of the first century—they were both good old days and bad old days: “A much less structured church was also a much more fractured church. Greater levels of institutionalization were needed in the long run if the church was to survive and flourish.” (p. 27)

III. MAJOR THEOLOGICAL THEMES IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY

Insights from William Placher & Henry

Chadwick:


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1. Humanity vs. divinity of Christ

2. Reason vs. revelation

3. Works vs. grace

4. Spirit vs. structure

5. Church vs. state

ch-625-early church (tsm) lesson-01 2 1 st century churches 2 nd century churches 3 rd century...

Documents

early church tsm lesson

house church

baptism of constantine

basilica ch

early christianity insights

flexibility fixity ch

nd century churches

rd century churches